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The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › The Hot Yoga Poses › Ustrasana › tender back after camel – normal ?
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Hi again. I just attended Craig Villani’s posture clinic today, which was intense & great, and wanted to ask a question which was raised by the class which we did at the end. After camel, during which I usually hold onto my ankles, my lower back is very tender & feels v delicate. So much so that today I could not do the sit up following it. I feel like I need a couple of mins. to sort of relax my back & recover, rather than doing a forward bend (the sit up) so soon afterwards. I always come up v slowly from camel cos my back just feels like it needs it. Does this mean I am going down too far, or is it normal ? It doesn’t hurt as such but I feel v hesitant about doing the sit up afterwards. I guess I am worried re hurting myself. I had a lower back injury prob 15 years ago from a car accident. It was just soft tissue damage but took a couple of weeks in hospital to heal & has been an intermittent cause of pain since. Thanks.
Hello Jacquie
You are right to be careful.
Good news! That feeling is normal. If you are holding on and pulling hard on your heels, squeezing your hips moving forward, lifting your chest etc then this is an intense backbend that can make doing the sit-up that follows a challenge for some. This happens to me when I hold Camel for a long time (upwards of a minute).
Then main considerations follow:
1) Make sure that you do stretch up before going back (just in case you are ‘crunching’ into your lower back.
2) When you release from the pose (as slowly as you like or need to) make sure that you do not flop forward into any sort of forward bend. Come up to vertical, head up last. Rest back down onto your heels and try to lie down carefully without undoing all your wonderful hard work.
3) Lie on your back as still as you can. Make the assessment whether or not you think you should do the Sit-Up. If the answer is no then bend up the legs, roll to the side without twisting your spine, place your palms on the floor under your shoulders and push up from the floor while looking at your hands (so as not to strain your spine at all).I did notice you said you hold onto your ankles. Was that right? Or do you hold onto heels?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thanks for another very helpful response. I did mean heels. It is good to know it’s normal, so will just listen to my body & take it easy, as per your instructions. I notice my back feels more balanced after rabbit, which I guess makes sense. With all the bending forwards & backwards I guess it’s only to be expected that I often have a dull ache in my back for a while (sometimes a day) after class ? Thanks again.
Gabrielle, I have been practicing Bikram yoga for over three years. I have very tight hips and still can not get my hips far enough forward. Lately I have been experiencing a muscle spasm in my left lower back when I am exiting this pose. I’m not sure if my hips are far enough forward on the exit, could this be the cause of the spasm or could it be a transitional effect of more flexibility and realignment of the lower back? Have you heard of this from any other students?
Hi Jeanne
May I confirm that you usually have your hands on your feet during this pose?
Also are you aware if you pull on your heels or rest your hands there?
And would you please check into your habit on release? Have you a routine? Are you placing your left hand on your hip first before your right or right before left?
Are you aware whether you are squeezing your butt? Perhaps you let that go during your release or during the pose.
If you can think of any other habits you have then let me know. It could be a support issue. It is possible that an unconscious or habitual element has crept into your practice. Wondering also about the tightness in your hips and whether you work on hip openers after class while you’re warm. Perhaps you have been doing some of those lately.
Looking forward to your thoughts
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Gabrielle, Well I have been fine tuning my exit from camel with the help of my instructors. I had developed several habits. First, my right hip was not as forward as my left hip, and we found that for the time being, if I place my left hand on my foot first when going back, I was able to get my right hip in line. Second, when coming up and out, to be sure that my hips were still pushed as far forward as possible, while using my hands on the back for support. Third, that my head is still dropped back. And fourth and more importantly, that my chest is up. I tend to round my shoulders and if my chest is collapsed, my whole posture is off.
This has reminded me how important it is to listen to and follow the dialog exactly, and to take my time while going in and out of the postures.
Gabrielle, is it safe to practice camel pose at home without doing all the poses that precede it?
Thanks again,
JeanneHi Jeanne
There is some truth that the rest of the poses are in preparation or warm-up for your camel pose. You don’t have to do all the poses though if you really want a bit of practice. The idea is that your muscles are warmed through and when they are you are less likely to ‘hold’ on to things. This is in the physical and metaphysical sense.
What is the purpose behind your question? Are you wanting to practice your pose technique? Maybe you just need some suggestions on what to practice first.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Gabrielle,
I would like to gain flexibility and to be more relaxed in camel. Because of the muscle spasms, I have anxiety about this pose,and want to gain a sense of ease with camel. I thought I could work on this at home where I am calmer.
Jeanne
Hi Jeanne
Don’t get all caught up in the achievement of the perfect pose. I note your use of the word anxiety. In order to be in that state you are not only dreading the pose, but you are dreading that you are going to experience something untoward. This mental set-up (thinking! 😉 ) is not doing you any favors. Perhaps I could suggest a different approach for a while.
Next class squeeze your hips, push them forward with your hands on hips and just drop the head back. Maybe this is all you’ll do for a class or a set. There is no set schedule I can offer without seeing you or knowing your practice. Then just keep your hands in place and go back preserving your hips forward of your knees. You will know how far to go back. I would suggest a small distance to just regain your confidence. Little by little each class you allow your body to go back more and more. Keep focus on where you are looking (ie back and down and never up). Keep your shoulders relaxed to help facilitate a relaxed back. Lower body stays firm. I would do this for a few classes even after you have passed the point where you know you can easily pull on your heels.
Don’t worry about the home practice. Work on being present in class and work on allowing your body to be thoroughly warmed up. You have resistance at the moment and it is not just physical. Let go and at the same time do what needs to be done to be safe.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Gabrielle, Thank you. I will do this. I think I need to take notice if and where I am holding tension. I never considered the role of my shoulders, I do Have tight shoulders. I will focus on relaxed breathing as well. Thanks again.
Jeanne
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