Intermediate

Wild Thing

Camatkarasana rolls open from a side plank or down dog into a joyful, weight-bearing backbend supported on one hand and one foot. It stretches the chest, shoulders, and hip flexors while the shoulder and glute of the base side stabilize. The balance and coordination place it at an intermediate level.

Equipment
Body Weight
Body part
Chest, Shoulder
Type
Balance, Stretching, Yoga
Muscles worked
Target
Pectoralis Major Clavicular, Deltoid Anterior
Secondary
Rectus Femoris, Gluteus Maximus, Erector Spinae
Tertiary
Deltoid Posterior

How to do it

  1. 1

    Start in downward dog or a side plank on the right hand.

  2. 2

    Step or float the left foot back and plant it behind you with the toes turned out.

  3. 3

    Press firmly into the right hand and lift the hips as the chest rolls open.

  4. 4

    Curl the head back gently and sweep the left arm overhead toward the floor.

  5. 5

    Push the hips high and reach the chest away to spread the backbend.

  6. 6

    Hold for a few breaths, keeping the supporting shoulder stacked and strong.

  7. 7

    Step the top foot back to down dog to exit, then repeat on the other side.

Tips

  • Keep pressing the ground away through the base hand to protect the shoulder.
  • Drive the hips up and forward so the bend is in the upper back, not the low back.
  • Look back only as far as the neck stays comfortable.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The top foot lands too close behind the body, so the hips cannot rise and the chest has nothing to open over; step it back far enough that the knee can stack over or behind the hip.
  • Weight lands on the heel of the base hand alone, so the wrist takes it all at an awkward angle; spread the fingers and press through the whole palm.
  • The entry is a flop out of side plank, with the body rolling over and landing, instead of the hips lifting first and the chest following them.
  • The top arm reaches for the floor before the hips are high, so the shoulders travel back with no support underneath and the low back folds at a single point.
  • The head drops back first and the eyes chase the floor, so the neck hinges while the chest is still closed; lift the chest and let the head follow a little way, not the reverse.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold Wild Thing when you are new to the exercise, and how many rounds?
Three to five breaths per side, two or three rounds each, inside a flow rather than on its own. Entering from downward dog is steadier than rolling out of side plank, so start there. Two or three sessions a week is enough. Progress by holding the same shape on a calmer base rather than by arching further, and come out the moment the supporting shoulder starts to sink toward the ear.
How do I make Wild Thing easier or harder?
To make it easier, keep the top hand on the hip instead of sweeping it overhead, keep the whole sole of the top foot on the floor with that knee bent, and lift the hips only partway. A supported side plank with the hips pressed up trains the base shoulder for it without the backbend. To make it harder, hold for eight breaths, or flow from downward dog into it and back in one breath each way.
What is Wild Thing good for, and when should you skip it?
It is a weight-bearing opener, stretching the chest, front of the shoulder and hip flexors while the base shoulder and glute work hard to hold you there, and it trains the coordination for moving between shapes. Skip it with wrist or shoulder pain, since one hand carries you in a rotated position, and skip it if looking back bothers your neck. When you want the chest opening without the load, a supported fish or a doorway pec stretch gives it with nothing to hold.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Chest exercises