Posted on July 22, 2026 at 06:24 AM
Yoga magazine archives The series is a curated collection of articles originally published in previous issues beginning in 1975. This article on Camel Pose (Ustrasana) first appeared in the May-June 1983 issue of Yoga magazine.
Camel Pose (Ustrasana) requires strength in the legs and buttocks and softness in the spine, thus combining two important aspects of yoga.
To practice the asana well, the student must learn how to stabilize the pose by contracting the buttocks; This procedure creates a strong base for the sacroiliac joints (the site where the pelvis and spine meet) and more stability in the lumbar (lower) spine, which can be unstable in backbends.
In order to keep the delicate lower back area in good alignment, it is very important to tighten the buttocks as the chest is lifted and the back is arched. The arch will then come from equal curvature of the entire spine rather than a hinge-like movement of the lumbar spine. To create the graceful arch characteristic of this pose, the student should focus on lifting the upper back.
The softness of the posture is facilitated by the smoothness of breathing. Through practice, one learns how to exhale calmly into camel pose, keeping the abdomen and diaphragm soft, and allowing the free flow of breath and energy. If the breath is held, the diaphragm and abdomen stiffen and prevent the spine from bending freely.
If done well, it works the upper back and shoulder blade area. Additionally, the pose is a good way for more advanced students to learn how to return to the bow from a standing position. Even though the student is kneeling, the arch dynamics in camel pose are quite similar to the back arch dynamics while standing.
Backbend poses like camel pose are an important part of your yoga practice for several reasons. During a normal day, we are prone to bending forward, twisting, side-bending, squatting, and even performing tasks that require arm strength, but we rarely bend backward. However, the spine is already capable of making such a movement, which can be therapeutic. Much of the spine’s movement, especially in the lumbar region, is forward—sitting, driving, and bending.
In order to maintain the natural curve of the lumbar spine, the structures that allow it to bend backwards must be extended. The lumbar spine needs this movement to balance the predominance of daily movements in the opposite direction. Forward bending can temporarily relieve tightness in the lumbar area, but it does nothing in the long term to stretch the front of the spine or strengthen the paraspinal muscles, which are parallel to the spine and help keep the area in good alignment.
The sentence is also important for psychological reasons. It can teach one a lot about the nature of the effort that goes into one’s practice. If too much effort is put into the sentences, the posture will be stiff and stiff, and the spine will be held too tightly to allow proper movement. If too little effort is made, the spine is overstretched in the lumbar region, underextended in the upper regions, and the posture lacks stability and integrity. Therefore the student must make a balanced effort and surrender to allow the arc to come as it wants.
Likewise, if one tries to force the mind to remain in a meditative state, that very effort unsettles the mind even more. On the other hand, if one does not attempt any discipline, the mind will continue in its wild meanders, and stillness will never come. The elusive balance of the sentences parallels the elusive balance of the entire yoga practice: with practice one learns to coordinate effort and direction with surrender and grace. This balance leads to a kind of equanimity, which then spreads from the asana to the breath, from the breath to the mind, and finally to the rest of one’s life. When this happens, the student is no longer a beginner, but has already begun to understand the profound simplicity that is yoga.
How to practice camel pose
Stand on your knees against a wall using a blanket if the floor hurts your knee.
Begin learning the pose by extending the arms up the wall and extending the spine while keeping the buttocks contracted (Figure 3). The arms can be gradually extended to the sides and the hands placed directly above or below the buttocks. Remember to do all the movements when you exhale. Keeping your buttocks tight and your pelvis moving forward, lift your sternum (breastbone) up to create an arch.
Be careful not to raise your coccyx (tailbone) when doing this. If this happens, the lumbar spine arches too much. Lean back gradually, without straining and with a soft breath (Figure 4). If possible, grasp the heels with your hands. At first, you can curl the toes down to allow the heel to show. This shortens the distance the arms must reach (Figure 4). Maintain the position at the end of your range, breathe slowly for half a minute, then slowly ascend. Repeats. Try to rise evenly without twisting your spine to one side.
Later, when the camel pose becomes more familiar, try it in the center of the room. You can vary the pose by keeping the head up (Figure 2) and focusing on extending the neck before dropping the head back to complete the arch.
Note to teachers
To help your students with the camel, give them other positions that stretch the front of the upper thighs, above the hip joints. Students with narrow front thighs tend to practice camel pose by bending a lot in the lower back. The front of the thighs should be open and rectangular to allow the pelvis to tilt posteriorly; This means that some of the bend should come from the pelvis, reducing movement of the lumbar spine and thus preventing potential strain.
Poses that stretch the front of the thighs include the sun salutation lunge and Reclining hero pose (Supta Virasana).
