Upper back, lower back and shoulders

Camel: Chair

Opens the chest and the front of the spine from the safety of a chair, countering long hours of sitting hunched forward.

How to do it

1. 1

   Kneel in front of a chair, facing away from it

   A folded blanket under your knees, and the chair just behind you, close enough that your hands reach its seat without stretching.

2. 2

   Rest your hands on the front of the seat

   Reach back one hand at a time and let the fingers curl over the front edge. The chair is what you lean back into, so there is no reaching for the floor.

3. 3

   Lift your chest toward the ceiling

   Keep the hips stacked over the knees and let the front of your body open from the breastbone. A small bend is plenty.

4. 4

   Keep the neck comfortable

   Look forward or a little upward. Only let the head go back if that stays comfortable.

5. 5

   Hold 20 to 45 seconds, then come up slowly

   Press into the chair to bring your chest upright, take the hands back one at a time, and sit on your heels for a breath.

What to watch for

The hips drifting back toward the chair as the chest lifts, which folds the whole bend into the lower back. Keep the hips over the knees and make the bend smaller instead.

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Camel Pose versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Camel: Classic
• Camel: Hands on Lower Back
• Camel: Hands on Pelvis
• Camel: Side-Lying

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.