Ustrasana yoga - Camel
Back bending Asana - Turning ourselves out to face the world.They are stimulating and extroverting. As they expand the chest , they encourage the inhalation to embrace life. These are dynamic postures require strength and energy to move towards them
Contraindications and Cautions
• High or low blood pressure
• Migraine
• Insomnia
• Serious low back or neck injury
Beginner's Tip
Beginners very often aren't able to touch their hands to their feet without straining their back or neck. First, try to turn your toes under and elevate your heels. If this doesn't work, the next thing to do is to rest each hand on a block or chair legs with the seat towards your waist. Position the blocks just outside each heel, and stand them at their highest height (usually about 9 inches). If you're still having difficulty, get a chair. Kneel for the pose with your back to the chair, with your calves and feet below the seat and the front edge of the seat touching your buttocks. Then lean back and bring your hands to the sides of the seat or high up on the front chair legs.
Benefits
• Stretches the entire front of the body, the ankles, thighs and groins,
• Abdomen and chest, and throat
• Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas)
• Strengthens back muscles
• Improves posture
• Stimulates the organs of the abdomen and neck
Modification and Props
Ustrasana can be a very difficult pose for the neck, especially if your shoulders are tight. Use blocks or a chair.. In pregnancy use a chair with the seat next to the sacrum, arms holding the legs and open the heart centre.
Theraputic Applications
• Respiratory ailments
• Mild backache
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Menstrual discomfort
Preparatory Poses
• Bhujangasana
• Dhanurasana
• Salabhasana
• Setu Bandha
• Supta Virasana
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
• Virasana
Follow-up Poses
• Dandasana
• Dhanurasana
• Sarvangasana
• Setu Bandha
• Sirsasana
• Urdhva Dhanurasana
• Virasana
Before practicing come in touch with your foundation and with this asana will be your knees. I like to place the long side of a block on my sternum to encourage the cage ( thoracic spine supporting the block lightly with your hands) to open and the the lumber spine not to contract too much. With back bends we need to open the cage, therefore Ujjiah breathe is important here. Backbends require exhalations to move into. As you breathe towards the block the cage opens as the sternum lifts, starting the beautiful and safe arch of the spine.
Step 1
Kneel on the floor with your knees hip width and thighs perpendicular to the floor ( can use a blanket under the knees). Rotate your thighs inward slightly, narrow your hip points, and firm but don’t harden your buttocks. Keep your outer hips as soft as possible. Press your shins and the tops of your feet firmly into floor. At this stage use the block to access how you are feeling, the inhalation towards the block allowing the cage to widen.
If all ok. Repeat with out the block, but visualise that it is still there and move to step 2.
Remember to use child pose as a modification when needed
Step 2
Allow the hands to rest along side the body, can practice with toes tucked under. Use the breath to guide you as you allow the sternum and tail forward towards the pubis.
Make sure though that your front groins don’t lean backwards. To prevent this, can use a block in between thighs back. Inhale and lift your heart by pressing the shoulder blades against your back ribs.
Step 3
For the time being keep your head up, chin near the sternum, and your hands, either in pray next to Anahata , over the head to encourage the flanks of the body to open or arms along side the body. When you feel you are ready ,allow the hands to move toward your feet. Can have the toes tucked under, flat or to have a chair behind you and allow the hands to touch the chair legs. Beginners probably won’t be able to drop straight back into this pose. With the inhalation move towards touching the feet ,simultaneously while keeping the thighs perpendicular to the floor.
Step 4
See that your lower front ribs aren’t protruding sharply toward the ceiling, which hardens the belly and compresses the lower back. Release the front ribs and lift the front of the pelvis up, toward the ribs. Then lift the lower back ribs away from the pelvis to keep the lower spine as long as possible. Press your palms firmly against your soles (or heels),or chair, with the bases of the palms on the heels and the fingers pointing toward the toes. Turn your arms outwardly so the elbow creases face forward, without squeezing the shoulder blades together. You can keep your neck in a relatively neutral position, neither flexed nor extended, or drop your head back. But be careful not to strain your neck and harden your throat.
Step 5
Stay in this pose anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. To come out bring your hands away from your feet, props ,apply mulha and Uddiyana Bandha. Inhale and lift the head and torso up by pushing the hip points down, toward the floor. If your head is back, lead with your heart to come up, not by jutting the chin toward the ceiling and leading with your brain. Take your time. Rest in Child’s Pose for a few breaths.
Deepen the Pose
You can increase the challenge of Ustrasana by performing the pose with your thighs, calves, and inner feet touching.
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