The Camel Pose, also known as ustrasana (for you skritheads), is a great backbend that opens up the chest and shoulders and the hip flexors and quads. Traditionally it is done by kneeling and leaning back and placing the hands on the heels. Sometimes people complain about it hurting their lower backs. I like to use bands to alleviate the stress on the lower back. Place a band across the squat rack at the height of your belt line so it crosses the top of your sacrum. Place another band off the pullup bar and hook it under your armpits. Kneel down and lean back. Move back far enough that the band around your lower back is supporting you. I show you a few different variations you can do with your arms. You can support the back of your head if hanging your head back is uncomfortable. You can reach your hands down toward your feet or hold on to some weights to help pull your arms back. You can reach one or both arms back overhead to deepen the stretch. Try to breathe deeply through the nose. Initially it can be hard to breathe when in a deep back bend but keep trying to slow the breath down and allow each breath to be a little deeper.
Camel Pose from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.
Here are the rules for the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge. Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge Tag me @coachpanda. Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options. Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time. Back off if it hurts.
