OM Yoga UK – June 2017

om body

The benefits of Camel Pose:
l Camel Pose stretches our hip flexors, abdominals, intercostal
muscles and Pectoralis muscles
l The asana strengthens our Gluteals, Latissimus dorsi, Quadratus
Lumborum and Rhomboids
l The expansion of our ribcage encourages our breath to travel into
deeper areas of the lungs
l Camel Pose is a stimulating asana that helps to clear energetic
blockages and reenergise us
l Backbends help us to build trust in ourselves as we move into the
unknown

Contraindications:
l It is suggested that Camel Pose may not be an appropriate asana to
practice for those with lower back or neck conditions and for anyone
with an abdominal hernia or recovering from recent abdominal
surgery, although modifications are always available.

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Variations:

Here are some variations of the asana that you may have come across:

l Try tucking your toes under for more support in your foundation

l If reaching back feels too challenging keep your hands on your hips

l Placing a bolster on top of ankles and placing your hands here can

act as a progression towards reaching your heels

l Squeezing a block between your thighs will firm your legs and

encourage more length in your spine

l If taking your head back doesn’t feel good keep your chin gently

tucked towards your chest

Andrew McGonigle is Doctor Yogi, a medically trained yoga teacher

based in London who specialises in teaching anatomy applied to yoga.

Visit doctoryogi.co.uk

ALIGN YOUR FEET

l Step your feet hip

distance apart so that

the centre of each

ankle is in line with the

centre of each knee

l With the second

toes parallel to each

other press all 10

toenails and the top

of your feet down into

your mat

LENGTHEN YOUR NECK

l Start by tucking your

chin to your chest as your

chest lifts

l Begin to slowly pivot

your head back keeping

length through the back

l Draw your shoulder

blades together and away

from your ears

LENGTHEN YOUR SPINE AND CREATE AN EVEN BACKBEND

l Lengthen up through all four sides of your waist to create

more space between your hip bones and your lower ribs

l Lifting up further through the back of your chest and

armpits begin to roll your shoulders back

l Draw your front, lower ribs towards your spine and breathe

into your back lower ribs to create space in the back of your

chest

l Keeping this space, widen across your collar bones

(clavicles) to stabilise this space

FOCUS YOUR GAZE

l Your focal point

(drishti) is towards the

tip of your nose

l If this doesn’t feel

comfortable, soften

your gaze and look at

a fixed point