How to do a Camel Yoga Pose

Video Transcript

"GINA KENNEDY: Camel pose is a great way to open your chest, stretch through your thighs and relieve sciatic pain in your lower back if done properly. So, we're going to use Faith. Faith's going to help us demonstrate this today, and I'm going to ask Faith to come up on her knees. I'm going to ask her curl her toes under--good--and press back through her heels. Now notice we want to keep her hips right over her knees, so I'm going to place this block or I'm going to let Faith place the block right in between her thighs--Good--and she's going to squeeze that block together; that's going to keep her knees from spreading apart or going anywhere other than where they're supposed to be. Good. So, Faith is going to lengthen up through the crown of her head, and pull right out of her spine so that we do not to compress. We want to lift and open up for the upper part of the back, roll her shoulders back and open up through her heart. Good. Now, when she feels like she's ready, she's going to take an inhale in, and she's going to exhale. She's going to lift up, and then, open her chest and take her hands back to the blocks that are placed next to her feet. Good. She's going to position them where they need to be. Notice how she's opening her chest and keeping her hips right over her knees. Good. Now, if it's okay for her neck, she can let her head fall back but if you have any neck issues, make sure you keep your neck in line with your spine. Good. Now, as you practice this more and more, you might find that you're able to come down a little lower, and you're able to turn the block sideways. Good. Still pressing her hips forward and still lengthening out through her spine. Good. She just wants to make sure she's not compressing. Beautiful. And then, placing your hands to your spine, and then lifting back up. Good. And that's the camel pose using props."