Yoga Instructions: Tabletop to Wild Thing

Camatkarasana, or Wild Thing, is considered one of the most graceful looking yoga poses, as it opens your chest and offers your heart to the sky.  The progression from a Tabletop position to Wild Thing is as invigorating as it is beautiful. Maya, one of the talented Ranch Yoga Instructors, elegantly demonstrates this transition in the images below.

The tabletop pose is a great neutral starting pose that lays the foundation for Side Plank (Vasisthasana) and Wild Thing. On its own, Tabletop helps strengthen, lengthen and loosen the spinal muscles and backbone. It’s a great warm-up because it opens the chest, hips, and abdomen.

Tabletop Instructions

1. Come to the floor and place your hands below your shoulders and knees below your hips.
2. Spread your fingers, and align the middle finger with the front of the mat.
3. Press down into your hands and gently draw in the belly and ribs.
4. Keep the spine neutral, and the neck in alignment with spine.
5. Press your tail bone backwards and the crown of the head forwards.
6. Hold the pose for three deep breaths.

Modified Side Plank Instructions

Modified Side Plank is great for building core strength, and it is the ideal base for moving into the Side Plank with Tree Pose (Vriksasana). It’ll strengthen the shoulders, arms, and wrists, and improve balance.

1. From Tabletop, press down through the left hand.
2. Roll onto the outer edge of your left foot.
3. Bend your right knee and place your right foot in front of your left knee, keeping the toes facing out.
4. Raise your right arm towards the ceiling, palm facing forward.
5. If your neck is sensitive, look down, otherwise, look up at your top arm.
6. Hold for three breaths.

Side Plank Instructions

1. From Side Plank, grab your right ankle with your right hand and place the sole of the foot on your inner left thigh (avoid resting it on the knee).
2. Push against the sole of your right foot, and raise your left inner thigh and hips toward the sky.
3. Push your left foot firmly into the ground to create a supportive platform.
4. Hold for three breaths.

Wild Thing Instructions

The Wild Thing pose, sometimes called Rock Star, stretches the chest, shoulders, throat, hips and upper back, and simultaneously opens the heart center. 

1. From the modified Side Plank with Tree Pose, move into Side Plank by keeping your shoulders directly over your wrists and bringing your feet and legs together.
2. Step your right foot behind you, bend the left knee, and then place the ball of your right foot on the ground.
3. Relax your shoulder blades and allow your upper back to move towards a back bend.
4. Inhale and extend your lifted arm alongside your ear, and then lengthen your head and neck back softly.
5. Press down firmly through your feet and left hand to help lift your hips.
6. Take three breaths, and then roll into a modified Side Plank with your right leg crossing your left knee and the right sole resting on your mat.
7. Hold for three deep breaths.
8. Finally, move back into Tabletop pose, and hold for five breaths before switching sides.

You can learn more about the yoga classes offered at Rancho La Puerta here and our fitness