I Think I Love You

Wild Thing is an expansive heart-opening backbend that combines strength, balance, and mobility. Practiced from Downward Facing Dog (often called “Flipping the Dog”), Side Plank, or a modified variation, the pose encourages us to open through the chest while remaining rooted through the supporting hand and feet.

More than a physical posture, Wild Thing reminds us to move beyond fear and self-judgment. It encourages us to trust ourselves, take up space, and explore our practice with playfulness rather than perfection.

Wild Thing invites us to embrace freedom, openness, curiosity, and joyful self-expression.

Sanskrit:
Camatkāra - wonder, miracle, astonishment, or the ecstatic unfolding of the heart.
Asana - pose

Benefits

• Opens the chest, shoulders, and heart space
• Stretches the hip flexors and front body
• Strengthens the shoulders, arms, wrists, and upper back
• Builds core stability and balance
• Improves spinal mobility and extension
• Energizes the entire body

How to Practice

1. Begin in Side Plank (Vasisthasana) with your weight grounded through one hand.
2. Press firmly into your supporting hand, keeping the shoulder stacked over the wrist.
3. Step the top foot behind you, placing it lightly on the floor with the knee bent.
4. Press into both feet and lift your hips toward the sky.
5. Allow the chest to rotate open as the heart reaches upward.
6. Extend the top arm overhead, creating a long arc from fingertips through the body.
7. Let the head gently follow the movement if your neck feels comfortable, or keep your gaze forward.
8. Breathe deeply, expanding through the front body.
9. To exit, slowly return to Side Plank or Tabletop with control.

Alignment Tips

• Root firmly through your supporting hand.
• Press the floor away to create space around the shoulder.
• Lift through the hips rather than sinking into the lower back.
• Think of creating length through the entire side body before deepening the backbend.
• Keep the breath smooth and steady.

Contraindications & Precautions
Wild Thing may not be appropriate for everyone. Modify or avoid the pose if you have:

• Wrist pain or recent wrist injuries
• Shoulder instability or rotator cuff injuries
• Neck injuries or cervical discomfort
• Acute lower back pain
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Vertigo or balance concerns

Practice with Care If:

• You are recovering from surgery.
• You have hypermobile shoulders—prioritize stability over depth.
• Deep backbends are uncomfortable; focus on lifting through the chest rather than bending deeply.

Always move within a pain-free range of motion. A smaller expression of the pose offers the same energetic benefits.

Variations & Modifications
Beginner Variation - Instead of entering from Side Plank, begin in Tabletop. Extend one leg behind you, rotate the chest open, and reach one arm overhead while keeping both knees grounded.
Supported Wild Thing - Place a yoga block beneath the supporting hand to reduce wrist extension, or practice with your back near a wall for added confidence and stability.
Side Plank - If opening into the full pose doesn't feel right today, Side Plank is an excellent alternative that builds the same foundation of strength and stability.
Flipping the Dog​ - Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Lift one leg behind you, bending the knee, then rotate that hip  up toward the sky and lower the foot to the ground, raising the same-side hand to the sky. Press the hips and chest up into the back bend.