How to Do Wild Thing Pose (Camatkarasana) in Yoga: Tips, Technique, Correct Form, Benefits and Common Mistakes

When you first begin learning yoga, the Wild Thing Pose can be a bit confusing. It's different from other poses, but it's also one of the most rewarding and therapeutic ones.

The Wild Thing Pose (Camatkarasana) is a great posture for twisting and folding yourself into your own shape. It comes from the gymnastics tradition of yoga, which is to be open and balanced but also strong and flexible.

Like most poses in yoga, it calls for you to be aware of alignment so that you feel supported in each twist as well as moving with ease wherever you want to go.

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How to Do the Wild Thing Pose in Yoga with Correct Form?

To perform the Wild Thing yoga pose:

• Lift the right leg to enter the Down Dog Split (Adho Mukha Svanasana) from the Downward Facing Dog.
• Right knee bent, right hip opened up to the ceiling.
• Continue to open the hip, and start to pivot on the left foot's ball. As you prepare for a backbend, turn your toes to face the back of the room.
• Bring the right foot to the floor on the outside of your left foot as your hips turn to face the ceiling. Right foot should come to rest off the mat.
• To reach the front of the room, the right arm should rise off the floor.
• To exit, drop the right arm, and return to the Down Dog Split by pivoting on the ball of the left foot, bringing the toes back to face the front of the room.
• Repeat the steps on the other side.

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Tips and Techniques for Wild Thing Pose

To make this posture easy, implement these tips and techniques in your daily yoga practice:

• It may be a good idea to first strengthen the back muscles to prepare your body for this yoga pose, as it's a very demanding asana.
• Your shoulder girdle and side body can benefit from further preparation for Side Plank and its variations.
• Performing Sun Salutations is a fabulous way to better stretch and strengthen the spine and the entire front of the body.
• For a Scorpion Tail version, you might also perform the Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Elevate and bend one leg, and open your hip.
• You would also benefit from practicing postures like the Bridge Pose and the Upward Plank Pose due to a specific angle of the body and the engagement needed from the muscles in your legs, glutes and back.
• Last but not least, spend some time practicing spinal flexibility, as the Wild Thing Pose focuses heavily on backbending and heart-opening.

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Benefits of Wild Thing Pose

The benefits of this pose are as follows:

1) While simultaneously stretching and relaxing the spine, this pose is highly helpful for building back strength. Your spine benefits from the Camatkarasana, or 'Wild Thing Pose', as it's strengthened by the stretching of the muscles around it.

2) In other yoga poses like Pigeon Pose, tight hip flexors can cause excruciating discomfort. This pose helps loosen them up (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana). For your health, the Camatkarasana, also known as the Wild Beast pose, offers a powerful stretch to one side of the body at a time.

3) By performing this pose, you can enhance blood flow to your lungs and open up your chest muscles. As the Camatkarasana demands you to be upside down, it also enhances your body's general blood circulation. The Camatkarasana is highly helpful for those who have constipation issues, as it helps wash out toxins from their system by enhancing digestion.

4) The Wild thing or Camatkarasana pose stretches and develops your back muscles, which with time, can help in improving your posture and boost your self-confidence. Camatakarasa practitioners have been reported to think creatively more often as well.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common mistakes while performing this yoga pose:

• Doing this pose if you are a beginner or you feel any discomfort in the pose is the worst thing to avoid.
• If you're not sufficiently advanced and flexible, you run the risk of injury, as it's a deep backbend.
• Even though your back muscles are key for maintaining the alignment of your spine, they are frequently overlooked in the Wild Thing pose.
• Bring your elevated hand up against the back of your head to engage the back muscles. Push your hand against your head, and then the other way. Your back will engage, and you'll feel it.

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Bottom Line

Now you know how to do the Wild Thing pose in yoga, but as always, be sure to listen to your body. If something feels wrong, stop doing the pose. Listening to your body and trusting it is a key part of the yogic path, as eventually you want to know what works for your body.

That way you can get the most benefit and pleasure out of every pose and movement you make - well into old age.