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Camel Pose

Camel Pose – Everything You Need to Know About

Have you been bending forward too much? If yes, guess what? All your muscles in the front part of the body will shrink over time. That’s true! Bending forward is going to stretch your back muscles and leads to over-training. In this scenario, your front muscles like chest, abdomen, shoulders, and thighs as going to contract. However, there is a natural way to have a perfect balance. That is practicing the Camel Pose.

You read that right. The Camel pose stretches the front portion of your body that helps in contracting and relaxing the back muscles. Moreover, it also helps with the elongation of the frontal muscles. Before moving on to anything else about the Camel pose, let’s first understand how to practice this pose. Read on.

How to Practice the Camel Pose?

  • Start with putting your knees to the ground
  • Make sure your knees and feet have a little distance between them
  • Ensure your big toes and all the other fingers are placed along with ground
  • Stand neutral on your knees
  • Lift your one hand on top of your head
  • Take the raised hand to your back
  • Place the hand on your heel and do the same with the other hand
  • Once your hands are placed, push your chest out
  • Moreover, retract your scapula muscles to stretch your shoulders and back muscles
  • Engage your hips and try to push your pelvic forward
  • Do keep your breathing in check
  • Hold the position for a few breaths and let your hips retract a little
  • Repeat the process for a few reps or breaths.

Variations in the Camel Pose

It is okay if you are not able to do the Camel pose on the first try. If that is the case, you can always break it down into smaller steps. Have a look at how you can practice different variations of the Camel pose.

Toes Tucked

In this variation of the Camel pose, you can place some cushioning under your knees and toes. It increases the height of your toes so that when you reach back, you don’t have to stress much. Hence, you can easily let your hands rest on your feet.

Hands on Hips

If you have a limited range of motion in your back, you can try an easier version of the Camel pose. Instead of placing your hands on your feet, you can simply place your hands on your hips or lower back. Just make sure your waist is in the neutral position and you don’t let your hips sink down while stretching. Read about Bow Pose

Benefits of Practicing the Camel Pose

Counters Crouching Forward

For many, everyday tasks are limited to desk jobs or sitting for long hours. That does not allow you to move your body. Rather, people have become accustomed to sitting routinely. It leads to rounding of your shoulders, shrinking of your rib cage, and chest muscles.

Practicing the Camel pose enhances the flow of blood into your frontal muscles. Hence, it heals the roundness of your shoulders and spinal muscles.

Heals Back Pain

Sitting or lying too much leads to back pain. It affects your smaller spinal muscles and joints. Hence, this could hamper your free movement. Moreover, you might fall a victim to chronic lower back pain. However, practicing the Camel pose makes your lower back strong.

Hence, it unleashes the flow of blood into your lower back, hips, and hamstring muscles. Therefore, it leads to a better flow of blood that improves your movement and overall agility.

Increases Ankle Flexibility

Ankles play a crucial role in balancing your body. Moreover, a little off-balance could completely shift your weight on a single set of muscles. In the long run, it over-trains a single side and under-develops the other side.

That is why ankles’ flexibility and functionality are of utmost importance. Practicing the Camel pose strengthens your ankles muscles that help you stay strong on your feet.

Massage Knees

Kneeling down puts a little pressure on your knee joints. This leads to the release of the fluids in your knees that helps in nourishing them. Moreover, the release of fluids ensures your knees are moist and in perfect shape.

Also Read: Supine Twist Pose

Conclusion

Practicing the Camel pose is going to work not just on your frontal muscles but every smaller joint involved in the process. Hence, make sure you include this pose into your routine to work on your front and back muscles alike. Over time, you become stronger and flexible with minimum health issues.

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