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Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana
Downward-facing dog is a strong pose for
warming up and opening the body. It can be both an active and a
restorative pose.
 | Strengthens the arms, legs, and upper body |
| Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches,
and hands |
| Energizes the body |
| Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild
depression |
| Helps prevent osteoporosis |
| Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause |
| Improves digestion |
| Lengthens the spine |
| Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue |
| Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with head
supported |
| Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet,
sciatica, sinusitis |
Cat/Cow, sun salutations
Starting from TableTop
- Press down with the knuckles behind the fingers.
 | Stretch the base of the palms away from the fingers. |
| Press the whole palm into the mat to engage the forearms. |
| Grip the mat with the tips of the fingers to further engage the forearms. |
| Ensure the creases of the wrist are facing directly forward and the creases of the elbows are facing each other. |
| Draw the shoulders into the back body and melt the heart towards the earth. |
| Spiral the arms by pressing the space between the thumb and first finger into the mat
|
| Roll the armpits toward the earth (biceps to the
sky).
|
Tuck the toes under and lift the tailbone, straightening the legs.
| Ensure the feet are hip distance apart |
| Isometrically press the heels apart |
| Lift and spin the front of the thighs inward – feel the sit-bones widening. |
| Keep heels slightly lifted -- walk towards hands
if too high, back if on mat
|
To align the body,
| Press the palms into the mat and feel a straight line form from the wrist, through the shoulders, up to the hips. |
| Draw the shoulders into the back body and melt the
heart towards the earth. |
| Gently squeeze the shoulder blades together
|
To make the pose more active,
| Press the hands and feet away from each other,
stretching the mat underneath you. |
| Lift the toes and press the heels back and down.
|
To soften the pose,
| Relax the jaw, neck, and upper shoulders.
|
Focus (Dristi):
| Upper thighs or belly |
| For weak or sore wrists:
| Roll up the front of your mat and place under your
wrist
|
|
| For tight hamstrings or shoulders:
| Bend through the knees and lift the tailbone higher
|
|
| For more active forms:
| Press the ball of the feet into the mat to open the
ankles. |
|
| Carpal tunnel syndrome |
| Diarrhea |
| 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. |
|
| Belling, Noa, The Yoga Handbook,
Barnes & Noble, 2001, Page 94-95 |
| Butler, Donald, Ten Minute Yoga,
Cassell & Co, 1999, Page 120 |
| Kraftsow, Gary, Yoga for Wellness: Healing with the Timeless
Teaching of Viniyoga,
Peguin Putnam Inc., 1999, Pages 22,52, 58, 88-89, 91-93,
267 |
| Shaw, Beth, Beth Shaw's YogaFit,
Human Kinetics, 2002, Page 66-67
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| Web References
|
| Yoga Journal
| Issue 157 (2000 December), Page 83 |
| Issue 164 (2001 December), Page 110 |
| Issue 165 (2002 February), Page 95 |
| Issue 169 (2002 October), Page 100 |
| Issue 163 (2001 November), Page 86 |
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