Camatkarasana

Wild Thing Pose

This is a pose we all love and know as, ‘flipping your Dog.’  Enter from Adho Mukha Svanasana-Down Dog, lift R leg up and bend knee, keeping thigh and knee high and open.  Bring weight onto L  hand as  R foot comes down behind L hip, as close to hip as possible. Knee can remain bent, but try to keep R leg extended,  pressing down into feet,  lifting hips and heart as high as you can. It feels like you unfurl into a one sided back bend.  Let head and  R arm extend back and up.

A small note to help maintain high hips after flipping, look under L arm at L foot as long as possible, until the R leg is over and almost down.  To return to Down Dog, flip back the way you came, bringing L arm over to floor, returning R leg back to mat.  When you become advanced, you can take this pose into Urdhva Dhanurasana- back bend.

Health Notes: As with the chest and heart openers, helps with depression, and fatigue.  Strengthens arms, legs, and back. keeps spine flexible.