Adho Mukha Svanasana
Downward Facing Dog
Benefits:
Physical:
Emotional:
Cautions:
Method:
Hint: Not everyone needs to have heels on the ground and straight knees. It’s better to reach the heels away from your head then down which elongates rather than yanks muscles.
Physical:
- lengthens the spine,
- strengthens the muscles of the chest increasing lung capacity.
- It rejuvenates and body and makes you feel energized.
- benefits in treating lower back ailments like Sciatica.
Emotional:
- See the world from a different perspective
- reduces stress and anxiety
- energizes
Cautions:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Diarrhea.
- Recent or chronic injury to the head, neck or spine
- heart condition
- glaucoma
- severe hypertension
- Pregnancy: Do not do this pose late-term.
- High blood pressure or headache: Support your head on a bolster or block, ears level between the arms.
Method:
- Start in down-face warrior with arms extended and come onto your knees
- You will be in table top, on all fours with a flat back, wrists about 20 to 30cm in front of your shoulders.
- Separate your knees hip-width apart and curl your toes under.
- Pushing evenly into your palms, lift your knees off the floor. Lift your sit bones toward the ceiling and push the top of your thighs back so that your body looks like an inverted “V.”
- At first keep knees bent and heels lifted off the floor.
- Pedal through your feet
- Slowly start to straighten your knees—but don’t lock them.
- Gently begin to move your chest back toward your thighs until your ears are even with your upper arms;
- gaze towards the navel.
- Keep your hips lifting and push strongly into your hands.
Hint: Not everyone needs to have heels on the ground and straight knees. It’s better to reach the heels away from your head then down which elongates rather than yanks muscles.