Focus Forward Friday: Moving Toward Full Camel
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Camel and camel: I love it. Photo via FYeahYoga on Tumblr.
Happy Friday, yogis! Hope you've all been having a week to remember. :)
Things here have been busy, so apologies for my quiet blog space the past few days. I've got a bunch of great content in the works, though... and I'm hoping to hole up in a coffee shop soon and get some things ready to publish. Let's just say: you won't want to miss next week on the blog!
It's true for camel pose, and it's true for the blog next week. Photo illustration via I Can Read on Tumblr.
Focus Forward Friday: A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.
Today's focus: you can do backbends; you just have to let go of your fear about them. First off, for you yoga beginners: do backbends scare you? Or maybe advanced yoga students, too: do you get nervous whenever a backbend posture is approaching in the series?
Here's a tip: stay with the words. In the dialogue, the transition from Half Moon right and left bends and the backbend is seamless. When you get to the front of your mat and stand up on your knees for rabbit, there is no break. There's no moment to rest or think about it; you just do it. You let your head fall back, and then you keep going.
At first, this can be terrifying. Bend backward? But my spine hurts like hell! But my head will fall off! But I'm so dizzy I'll fall! Those are some of the thoughts that have raced through my mind, and which sometimes still do.
Meeting resistance when you get to a backbend just means one thing: you need to let go.
Here's why you can trust Juliana's advice on full camel posture. She's got an amazing one! Photo via Facebook.
Ignore the fear. Enjoy the ride. Lean back, push back, way back -- and just see what happens! Maybe today's not the best for your backbend, but if you keep at it, tomorrow will be.
As always, though, be sure to watch for pain and remember to take care of your own body. Here's some great reading from Yoga Journal on neck placement in camel pose. Or check out this site's step-by-step description of coming in and out of the posture.
Remember: having a teacher in person to watch your progress and make corrections is your safest bet! And it ensures you get all the medical benefits you deserve.
Photo via slidingsideways on Flickr.
For today's focus, I also wanted to bring you the awesome advice I received on getting into Full Camel posture from some of my favorite yogini bloggers. After I posted this request for tips, both Marsha of Breathing Always Normal and J of Lock the Knee responded right away with some incredible thoughts on moving your camel into full camel.
Progressing in this posture is one of my biggest yoga goals right now, so I'll be meeting up with a few teachers at my studio for more personalized advice. I challenge you, readers, to do the same!
From Marsha @ Breathing Always Normal (@breathenormal on Twitter)
When I first went to advanced I was taught to go into full by setting up like regular camel, but putting your hands in prayer instead of on your hips. Toes (and heels if possible) together. Really PUSH your hips forward as you bend back. As you go back, extend your arms until they are straight and try to touch the floor with your fingertips. Keep pushing hips forward.
Once you can do that then instead of hands in prayer at the beginning you can put you hands in a 'W' on your forehead and imagine your heels fitting in the points of the "W' when you bend backwards. Now I am trying to slide my fingers up my calves to get my head further forward.
Best way to learn advanced postures is IN PERSON from a competent teacher. Period. Find a teacher at your studio who can help you, somebody who knows your practice. There oughta be someone around there who's familiar with this stuff.
Your goal is not to make your lower back more flexible. This posture is about the flexibility of the WHOLE spine - lower back, middle back, upper back. In a good full camel, whole spine is bending evenly. Very hard. I've been improving my spine by just practicing the beginner's series. There are tons of backbends in there. My full camel keeps improving even when I don't get to practice advanced series, just because I keep practicing the 26 and 2.
Remember, yoga practice is about medical benefits. There's no additional medical benefit to sticking your head on your feet. Your backbends will naturally deepen as you improve your spine through consistent practice. No rush.
Thanks for sharing your helpful and motivating advice, ladies. You are inspiring!
And readers, if you have other thoughts or stories about your camel pose, please share below.
Enjoy the weekend, all!
Your goal is not to make your lower back more flexible. This posture is about the flexibility of the WHOLE spine - lower back, middle back, upper back. In a good full camel, whole spine is bending evenly. Very hard. I've been improving my spine by just practicing the beginner's series. There are tons of backbends in there. My full camel keeps improving even when I don't get to practice advanced series, just because I keep practicing the 26 and 2.
Remember, yoga practice is about medical benefits. There's no additional medical benefit to sticking your head on your feet. Your backbends will naturally deepen as you improve your spine through consistent practice. No rush.
Thanks for sharing your helpful and motivating advice, ladies. You are inspiring!
And readers, if you have other thoughts or stories about your camel pose, please share below.
Enjoy the weekend, all!
Photo via this blogger's post on a 30-day Bikram challenge.
