Just a few weeks in the past, I wrote a submit on the best way to put together your physique for Camel Pose (Ustrasana). Camel Pose is a difficult backbend. It stretches all the entrance physique, particularly the quadriceps, stomach, chest and shoulders. Within the submit, I outlined a sequence you’ll be able to observe with a purpose to stretch and mobilize these very important areas of the pose. In right this moment’s submit, I’ll describe how one can observe Camel Pose with Yoga Blocks to make the pose extra accessible and comfy.

A standard concern in training Camel Pose is that straining to achieve your heels together with your fingers restricts respiratory. Working towards Camel Pose with Yoga Blocks raises your fingers and reduces the pressure in your chest, which may also help ease your respiratory.

Not everybody’s spinal construction helps simple backbending. As you’ll be able to see from the above picture, the lion’s share of the backbend happens within the lumbar backbone. (The thoracic backbone shouldn’t be actually designed for greater than minimal backbending.) Some individuals’s lumbar spinous processes are massive and thick, which means that they’ll “hit” one another a lot ahead of shorter, thinner spinous course of do. This restricts vary of movement in spinal extension.

As well as, some practitioners have a extra pronounced thoracic kyphosis (convex curve). This additionally restricts vary of movement in backbending. So despite the fact that the thoracic backbone’s vary of movement in backbending is proscribed, even a small quantity of extension makes the pose simpler, whereas a curvier thoracic backbone will prohibit motion. All that is to say that training Camel Pose with Yoga Blocks could make the pose accessible to nearly everybody.

Follow Camel Pose with Yoga Blocks

You’ll be able to observe Camel Pose with Yoga Blocks 3 ways. Yoga Blocks have three completely different peak choices: tall, medium and quick. (The above picture reveals blocks at their medium peak.) Right here’s the best way to observe Camel Pose with Yoga Blocks.

1. Collect your props: a Yoga Mat and two Yoga Blocks. You may additionally place a folded Yoga Blanket beneath your knees for further padding should you like. In the event you’re utilizing a blanket, fold it in order that it’s narrower than your mat, and place it within the middle of the mat.
2. Come to a kneeling place in your mat and/or folded blanket.
3. Place blocks at their highest stage on the outsides of your toes. In the event you’re kneeling on a blanket, be certain your blocks are in your mat or on the ground somewhat than in your blanket to provide them a secure base. (This is applicable to strong flooring resembling wooden or concrete. I wouldn’t suggest utilizing blocks on plush carpeting.)
4. Place your fingers in your pelvic rim and press down, releasing your tailbone towards your knees.
5. Elevate your chest and lengthen your backbone as you start to bend backward, reaching on your blocks.
6. Take a number of breaths with the blocks at their highest peak. Is your respiratory free and unrestricted? If not, keep right here for a number of extra breaths to see if it turns into simpler.
7. In case your respiratory is simple, be happy to show the blocks on their sides, to medium peak. Examine in once more together with your respiratory. In case your respiratory is free and straightforward, take a number of breaths right here. Then in order for you, you’ll be able to decrease the blocks to their lowest stage. Once more, test your respiratory.
8. Free, unrestricted respiratory is far more essential than getting your fingers to your heels or to the bottom peak of your yoga block. So maintain checking your respiratory to verify it feels relaxed.
9. Take 5 to eight deep breaths, wherever you’re within the pose. Then return to kneeling and both sit in your heels or sit on one in every of your Yoga Blocks as your knees enable.

One Extra Suggestion

Yoga Blocks can actually make Camel Pose extra snug, however it’s equally essential to ensure that we put together the physique to the fullest extent attainable earlier than we embark on Ustrasana. I extremely suggest that you simply learn the submit I wrote a number of weeks in the past about the best way to put together your physique for Camel Pose, and the best way to calm down afterward to rebalance your physique. Your breath—and a pair Yoga Blocks—can information you right into a Camel Pose that’s each exhilarating and relaxed.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the creator of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Follow and Yoga for Meditators, each revealed by Rodmell Press. Her third e book is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Pink Rock Rondo, whose DVD gained two Emmy awards.