Camel on the Wall
Heyo yogis! I’m coming into my second week of Forrest Yoga teacher training and it’s been quite a blur. I taught my first poses to a beginner class yesterday and that was really nerve wracking and exciting. Prepping for that, studying, and doing about a billion hours of yoga per day, sucked all of the time out of my week last week. But now I’m back on track! And thanks to the billion hours of practicing, teaching and studying last week, I’m more qualified to share some fantastical yoga poses with you this morning.
This week in my intro class, I’m teaching a pose that is excellent for your back, Camel on the wall. You should warm up for this pose by doing some ab work and four to six sun salutations. That’s not so much of a suggestion as it is a demand. You GOTZ 2 warm up before back bends, otherwise, you’re liable to injure your spine, which would hinder your yoga practice and keep you from qualifying for athletic scholarships. And who in their right mind would want to eff up their yoga practice just to rush into camel?
So, before you read the rest of this pose, do some elbow to knee and some suns then meet me back at center.
Camel on the Wall
Fold your mat in half, and then fold it in half again. Place the mat cut side against the wall. Kneel onto the mat pressing the thighs and the pubic bone on the wall. Press the tops of the feet down so that the energy moves through the thighs and the knees. Tuck your tailbone and tilt the pelvis so hip bones and belly move away from the wall. Pull lower belly in. Place thumbs on the sacrum, with heels of the hands on the buttocks.
Inhale- Stretch the rib cage up the wall and lift the chest up.
Exhale-Tuck your chin into the chest.
Inhale- Gently arch the upper ribs away from the wall.
Exhale- Roll the heads of the shoulders back.
Inhale- Stretch the lower back up.
Exhale- Arch the upper back.
Inhale-Spread the chest bones and create space around the heart.
Exhale- Bring the ribcage back to the wall.
Keep the lower back long for the duration of the pose, especially when coming out of it.
Well, I better get back to bending, stretching, balancing and learning cues. Hopefully, I’ll find some time to catch a nap sometime in this century. Wish me luck!
