Ustrasana (Camel Pose): Steps and Health Benefits
Learn Ustrasana (Camel Pose) step-by-step. Discover the benefits, safety tips, and modifications of the camel pose—a friendly Ustrasana yoga guide for all levels.
Written by Dr. Dhankecha Mayank Dineshbhai
Reviewed by Dr. Rohinipriyanka Pondugula MBBS
Last updated on 15th Nov, 2025
Introduction: Why Ustrasana Yoga Matters
Long hours of sitting, stress, and modern lifestyle habits create tightness in the chest, hips, and abdominal area. Many people notice rounded shoulders, shallow breathing, and stiffness across the front of the body. Ustrasana yoga, commonly known as Camel Pose, offers an accessible way to reverse that pattern. This pose allows you to stretch the front body while strengthening your back muscles, helping you feel open, energised, and grounded.
Practising Ustrasana mindfully can:
- Increase spinal mobility
- Improve posture awareness
- Support easy, steady breathing
- Encourage confidence and emotional release
This guide explains Ustrasana yoga in simple steps, outlines benefits, offers safety tips, and describes variations suited to different experience levels. Whether you are new to yoga or refining your technique, the goal is to help you practise with confidence, curiosity, and comfort.
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What Is Ustrasana (Camel Pose)?
Ustrasana (pronounced oosh-TRAHS-uh-nuh) is a kneeling backbend that opens the front body while strengthening the back body. The name comes from the Sanskrit word ustra, meaning camel. In the final shape, your chest lifts and expands, your spine gently extends, and your hands reach towards your heels.
Ustrasana involves:
- Kneeling on the mat
- Lifting the chest and lengthening the spine
- Gently arching back while supporting the posture with breath and engaged muscles
When practised regularly, Ustrasana contributes to body awareness, better mobility, and improved posture habits. The intention is never to force depth but to explore range with steady breath and focus.
Camel Pose Benefits: What You May Gain
Experiences differ for each individual, but these benefits reflect the natural effects of backbending, chest opening, and mindful breathing during the pose.
Posture and body awareness
Ustrasana helps counteract the forward-rounded posture caused by:
- Desk work
- Phone usage
- Prolonged sitting while driving or studying
The pose opens the chest and shoulders, teaching your body what upright posture feels like.
Flexibility and mobility
Ustrasana provides a strong stretch to the front body, including:
- Hip flexors (especially the rectus femoris)
- Quadriceps
- Abdominal muscles
- Chest and front shoulders
This increased mobility can make everyday movements more fluid and reduce stiffness.
Back-body strength
The pose helps build strength through:
- Spinal extensors (muscles that support the spine in backbending)
- Glutes (providing stabilisation)
- Core (supporting the lower back)
This balanced engagement is particularly helpful for reducing lower-back strain in daily life.
Breathing comfort and chest openness
Expanding the front body gives the rib cage more room to move, supporting comfortable breathing. People often notice that inhalations feel fuller, deeper, and more expansive.
Stress relief and emotional space
Backbends lift energy levels and encourage openness. Combined with slow, mindful breathing,
Ustrasana may:
- Reduce perceived stress
- Improve attention and presence
- Generate a feeling of release or emotional clarity
These effects are due to mindful movement and focus, not force or intensity.
Important reminder: Camel pose benefits are best experienced when practised within your personal range — depth is not the goal, steadiness and ease are.
Who Should Be Careful or Avoid the Pose?
Check with a qualified professional if you have:
- Back, neck, or shoulder pain
- Knee pain or sensitivity (add padding if attempting)
- Spinal conditions, including disc injuries
- Dizziness, blood pressure concerns, or heart issues
- Pregnancy (deep backbends may feel uncomfortable; choose gentle variations instead)
Always listen to your body and ease out if you feel any sharp or pinching sensations.
Ustrasana Yoga: Step-by-Step Instructions
Before you start: Warm up
Prepare your body with gentle movements such as:
- Cat–Cow
- Low lunges (to stretch hip flexors)
- Shoulder rolls and chest-opening stretches
- Slow, deep breathing
Warmth and mobility support a safer and more comfortable backbend.
Step 1: Set up your foundation
- Kneel on your mat with your knees hip-width apart.
- Place a folded blanket under the knees if you need cushioning.
- The tops of your feet press into the mat, or you may tuck your toes to make the heels easier to reach.
Step 2: Prepare your base and support your spine
- Thighs stay vertical, stacked over the knees.
- Rest your hands on your lower back or sacrum with fingers pointing down or sideways.
- Engage your lower belly gently — think of drawing your navel inward and upward.
- This engagement keeps your lower back supported and prevents collapsing into the lumbar spine.
Step 3: Lift and lengthen before you bend
- Inhale and lengthen your spine upwards.
- Lift the chest and broaden your collarbones.
- Draw the shoulder blades gently together and down the back.
Cue to remember:
Length first, then bend — not the other way around.
Step 4: Begin the backbend
- Lean back gradually by lifting the chest upward, not by pushing the hips forward.
- Glutes and inner thighs engage lightly to stabilise.
If comfortable, reach one hand at a time to your heels; otherwise, keep your hands on your lower back.
Two options:
- Supported version: Keep your hands on the lower back throughout.
- Traditional version: Hands reach towards the heels.
Step 5: Position your head and neck
- Keep the neck long.
- You may look forward or gently upward.
- If the head drops back, do so only with comfort, not force.
- Your neck follows the natural curve of your spine.
Step 6: Hold the pose with steady breathing
- Breathe slowly and deeply through your nose.
- Stay for 3–5 breaths, or longer if you feel stable and relaxed.
- Think about your breath moving into your rib cage and chest.
Step 7: To exit the pose
- Bring your hands to your lower back if they are on your heels.
- Inhale and slowly rise back to kneeling.
- Take a moment to notice how your body feels.
Step 8: Counterpose for balance
- Sit back into Child’s Pose
- Or return to the Tabletop and move gently
- A neutral spine helps balance the intensity of the backbend.
Alignment Tips and Common Mistakes
Common mistakes to avoid
- Allowing the hips to push forward
- Collapsing into the lower back
- Dropping the head back without neck support
- Forcing depth rather than exploring range
Cues to improve alignment
- Keep your pelvis stacked over your knees.
- Imagine lifting the chest upward instead of “falling back”.
- Engage the glutes and core for support.
- Maintain smooth breathing — shallow breathing means you are forcing.
Helpful Modifications and Props
These variations allow you to find ease and comfort while building confidence. It includes:
- Tuck your toes to bring the heels higher.
- Place yoga blocks beside your ankles to reduce the reach.
- Keep your hands on your lower back for the full pose if reaching heels creates strain.
- Use a wall behind your thighs to prevent hips from shifting forward.
- Add padding under knees or ankles if you feel pressure.
- Props support progress — they are not a sign of weakness.
Simple Variations and Progressions
Simple variations and progressions include:
- Half Camel (Ardha Ustrasana): One hand reaches back, the other arm lifts upward.
- Dynamic Camel: Flow with the breath — inhale arms up, exhale backbend supported by hands.
- Advanced Variation: Both hands reach heels with the tops of the feet flat.
- Each variation encourages comfort, steadiness, and intention.
How Long to Hold and How Often to Practise?
It includes:
- Hold Camel Pose for 15–30 seconds (about 3–5 slow breaths).
- Practise 2–4 times per week.
Combine it with movements that build core stability and spinal strength, such as:
- Bridge Pose
- Plank variations
- Low lunges
- Balance your routine with rest and recovery so the body adapts well.
Breathing Tips for Comfort and Calm
Breathing tips include:
- Breathe through your nose as much as possible.
- Inhale as you lift and lengthen the spine.
- Exhale as you settle into the posture.
- If breathing becomes shallow or strained, reduce depth and prioritise ease.
How Ustrasana Fits Into a Healthy Lifestyle?
Camel Pose can complement other healthy habits, including:
- Daily stretching
- Strength training
- Walking, cycling, or other cardiovascular activities
- Adequate sleep and recovery
- Mindful practices or meditation
Ustrasana yoga encourages presence, mobility, and stress relief, supporting both physical and emotional well-being.
Safety Reminders
The safety reminders are:
- Move slowly and avoid pushing to your maximum.
- Use props and variations if discomfort arises.
- Stop immediately if you feel sharp pain, tingling, dizziness, or numbness.
- Your body is the best guide — trust it.
Conclusion
Ustrasana yoga is a powerful and energising backbend that opens the chest, lengthens the front body, and awakens your sense of posture and presence. It is not about touching your heels or forcing maximum depth. The real benefit emerges from moving slowly, breathing steadily, and exploring what your body allows on that day. Regular practice strengthens your back, stretches tight areas, and supports comfortable breathing. Most importantly, Ustrasana encourages confidence and openness — both physically and emotionally.
When approached mindfully:
- You learn to balance strength with softness.
- You feel less restricted in posture and breath.
- You become more aware of your body’s natural alignment.
Take your time, use props without hesitation, and celebrate the gradual progress. Every breath is meaningful, and every practice builds ease and confidence.
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Dr Syed Mateen Pasha
General Physician
2 Years • MBBS
Bengaluru
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Dr. Pankaj Tripathi
General Practitioner
20 Years • MBBS, MD Pathology
Lucknow
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ustrasana (Camel Pose) safe for beginners?
Yes. Beginners should use props, keep their hands on their lower back, or tuck their toes to reduce depth. Work gradually and never push through discomfort.
What muscles does Ustrasana stretch and strengthen?
Ustrasana stretches:
- Hip flexors
- Quadriceps
- Abdomen
- Chest and front shoulders
It strengthens:
- Spinal extensors
- Glutes
- Core
How often should I practise to notice benefits?
Practising 2–4 times per week is effective. Prioritise form over depth and allow gradual progression.
What if my lower back feels uncomfortable?
follow these tips:
- Reduce the range of the backbend
- Engage core and glutes lightly
- Keep your hands on your lower back or use blocks
- If discomfort continues, seek guidance from a yoga teacher.
Can I perform the Camel Pose during pregnancy?
Deep backbends may feel uncomfortable during pregnancy, especially as the belly grows. Choose gentler chest-opening poses and consult a healthcare provider or prenatal yoga instructor.