Camel Pose (Ustrasana): How to Do It, Benefits & Cautions
A kneeling backbend that opens the chest and belly broadly.
Level: Intermediate · Hold: 25 seconds · Type: Backbend · Target areas: Chest, Spine & Back, Core & Abs
Benefits ✨
- Stretches the chest and abdomen
- Counters hunched posture
- Increases spinal flexibility
Step by step 🧘
1) Kneel with your knees hip-width apart.
2) Place your hands on your lower back and open your chest upward.
3) Exhale and arch back slowly, reaching your hands to your heels.
4) Keep your neck relaxed, press your hips forward, and hold.
Breathing and cautions 🌬️
Exhale to arch back and open the chest upward.
- Avoid over-tilting the head; keep hands on the hips if the back hurts
Helpful props: Block
How Yoga Play recognizes Camel Pose 📱
Yoga Play finds your shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles in the camera image, then measures the height and angle of each joint relative to your torso length and compares them with the rules for the pose. When every rule is met, the skeleton turns green and the hold timer starts running.
If you drift out of the pose, hints like these appear on screen:
- Lift your chest higher
- Kneel up tall, hips over your knees
- Arch back and reach your hands behind you
Joint angles read from the sample photo above: knee about 88°, hip about 130°, elbow about 179°. These come from a single photo, so they vary with body proportions and camera angle.
This sample photo passes every recognition rule in the app, so the skeleton is drawn in green.
Related guides 🔗
A good pose to follow with: Child's Pose
A resting pose that folds the torso forward over kneeling legs to release the whole body.
Yoga Play Pose Guide - All 26 Yoga Poses at a Glance
Browse all 26 yoga poses by level, each with the skeleton recognized by the app.
Yoga Play - Auto Pose Tracker
A yoga app that recognizes your pose with the camera in real time and automatically logs how long you hold it. Practice properly at home with 26 poses, 10 flows, and voice guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long should I hold Camel Pose?
Yoga Play sets a default target of 25 seconds. The timer runs only while the pose is recognized, and you can adjust hold times in flows.
Is Camel Pose suitable for beginners?
Camel Pose is an intermediate pose. Warm up with basic poses first, and reduce the range or use props if it feels like too much.
How does Yoga Play check Camel Pose?
It finds your key joints in real time with the phone camera and compares them with the rules for the pose. While the rules are met, the skeleton turns green and your hold time is logged. Video is processed only on your device.