Easy Camel Pose with Palms Against Back
Uṣṭrāsana
A gentle kneeling backbend where hands support the lower back to safely open the chest, shoulders, and hip flexors.
Easy Camel Pose is an accessible kneeling backbend where the hands brace the lower back to provide stability as the chest lifts and arches upward. Often sequenced in the middle of a class or as a preparatory pose for deeper spinal extensions, it gently opens the entire front line of the body. The name comes from the Sanskrit uṣṭra, meaning camel, and āsana, meaning seat or posture.

Targets
Pectorals (chest), Hip flexors, Quadriceps, Spinal extensors, Rectus abdominis
Good for
relieving desk-slump posture, opening tight hip flexors, building gentle spinal mobility
Breath
Inhale deeply to lift your sternum toward the ceiling, and exhale to gently draw your elbows closer together while keeping the spine elongated.
How to do Easy Camel Pose with Palms Against Back
- 1Kneel tall on your mat with your knees placed hip-width apart and the tops of your feet flat or toes tucked.
- 2Place the palms of your hands against your sacrum or lower back with your fingers pointing either downward or upward according to wrist comfort.
- 3Engage your glutes and lower abdominals lightly to stabilize your pelvis directly over your knees.
- 4Draw your elbows toward each other behind you to broaden your collarbones and expand your chest.
- 5Inhale to lengthen your entire spine, lifting your breastbone upward.
- 6Exhale to gently arch your upper back, pressing your hips gently forward while your hands firmly support your lumbar region.
- 7Keep the back of your neck long, either gazing forward or softly upward without collapsing your head back.
- 8Hold for several steady breaths, then press through your shins and lead with your heart to return to an upright kneeling position.
Benefits
- Expands the rib cage and increases lung capacity
- Stretches tight hip flexors and the front of the thighs
- Strengthens the spinal erectors and postural back muscles safely
- Relieves tightness across the front shoulders and chest
- Improves everyday posture by counteracting forward-slouching habits
Common mistakes and cues
Hips drifting backward
Ensure your hips remain stacked directly above your knees rather than sinking back toward your heels.
Collapsing into the lumbar spine
Focus on lifting your heart upward into the upper back rather than pinching the lower back.
Flaring elbows outward
Keep drawing your elbows inward toward one another to maintain upper-back engagement and collarbone width.
Dropping the head backward
Maintain length along the back of the neck instead of letting your head hang without support.
Modifications and props
Folded blanket under knees
Place a folded blanket beneath your knees and shins if you experience sensitivity or discomfort on a hard floor.
Block between thighs
Squeeze a yoga block between your inner thighs to maintain active adductors and keep your knees properly aligned.
Toes tucked under
Tuck your toes under to increase grounding stability and alleviate pressure on the tops of your feet.
Wall support for thighs
Stand on your knees with your thighs against a wall to help keep your hips pressed forward and stacked over your knees.
Cautions
Acute lower back pain
Avoid arching deeply and stay taller if you are managing active lumbar disc irritation or pain.
Neck issues
Keep your chin slightly drawn in and your gaze neutral to protect your cervical spine.
Knee inflammation
Avoid this pose or use generous padding if you experience sharp pain when bearing weight on your knees.
If you are working with an injury, pregnancy or a medical condition, check with a qualified professional before practising this pose.
Practise this for
Classes that teach this pose
Upcoming Hatha classes where this shape shows up.
Teachers and studios for this practice
Kirsten Onsgard
Chicago, IL
Accessible, welcoming yoga in Bucktown
Yogasoul Bhakti Center
Nashville, TN
A Nashville bhakti-focused center blending yoga with spiritual practice.
Three Jewels NYC
New York, NY
East Village center teaching Tibetan Buddhist methods and yoga since 1996.
Gulsah Diker
New York, NY
Vinyasa, Hatha & Yin teacher at Sui Yoga
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