‘Usthra’ means camel and ‘Ushtrasana’ intensifies the backward bend of the spine, yet it is not too demanding, even if your back is stiff. It is an excellent pose for correcting poor posture, the rounded shoulders and back that result from too much sitting and slumping.
Organising the Pose:-
•Kneel with your toes pointing backwards. Rest your hands on your hips. Curve back.
2. Drop your palms one by one, onto the soles of your feet. This is ‘Ushtrasana’. Keep your shins and ankles pressing down onto the mat and your body lifting up from your knees throughout the pose.
3. As you bend your head back close your mouth and breathe normally through the nose, as you hold the pose.
4. Then come up bringing up one hand up at a time. Relax sitting back on your heels with your hands on your thighs.
DO:
•Push your tailbone forward.
•Stretch your neck.
DON’T:
• Allow your hips to sink back onto your heels –keep your tailbone pressing in.
BENEFITS:
•Helps to remove stiffness in the neck and shoulders.
•It is more than a backbend since it stretches the whole trunk from the thighs to the neck.
•Improves digestion.
•Relieves the body of lower backache.
•Improves flexibility of the spine and also helps to improve posture.
Namaste!
Neelanjana Bharadwaj- Yoga Expert