FitSugar

What Not to Do in Downward Facing Dog

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:05:32 PST

From your first class to your 100th, Downward Facing Dog is probably the pose you do most often. That's why it's important to do the pose correctly; not only to avoid injury, but to also make it as comfortable and effective as possible. Here are four don'ts when it comes to Down Dogging.

Tense shoulders: It doesn't look like it, but this pose is all about upper-body strength. If your arms and shoulders are weak, you might compensate by scrunching your shoulders up to your ears. This is a big no-no, as it can cause neck strain, shoulder pain, and headaches. Be sure to actively draw your shoulder blades down your back, creating space in your neck. If you find your shoulders tensing up, it probably means you need to take a break. Bend your knees and rest in Child's Pose, and rise back into Down Dog when you're ready. As you continue your practice, upper-body strength will quickly increase, making it easier to hold Down Dog with correct technique.

Keep reading to find out other mistakes you're making in Downward Dog pose.

Go From Ouch to Ahh: Down Dog

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:06:23 PDT

Downward Facing Dog is practically the definition of yoga. This basic pose is one of the first you'll learn in a class, and also the one you'll do most often. If you're new to yoga, with time, Down Dog may become your favorite pose as your body grows stronger and more limber. But if this pose causes you pain, here are some ways to get relief.

Tight Hamstrings and Calves:
If you're a runner, sit at a desk all day, or were born with extremely tight leg muscles, Down Dog is going to hurt the backs of your legs. Do not power through the pain and struggle to lower your heels to the floor. Instead, keep your heels lifted and focus on pressing the backs of your knees toward the wall behind you. Keep your toes planted and alternately bend your knees pressing one heel into your mat at a time, as if you're walking in place like a mime. With practice, Downward Dog will help to increase your hamstring and calf flexibility, which will alleviate the pain in your legs.

To learn how to alleviate lower back or wrist pain during Down Dog, keep reading!

Strike a Yoga Pose: Downward Facing Dog

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:30:30 PST

If taking yoga was one of your goals for 2011, let me introduce you to Downward Facing Dog. It's probably the most basic yoga pose, and no matter what style of yoga you study, you'll end up in this pose more than a handful of times in one class. Even though it looks pretty straightforward, it's a challenging position to hold since most of your weight is in your upper body. It's also difficult if you have tight hamstrings, so don't be frustrated if your knees are bent or your heels don't touch the ground.

Sanskrit Name: Adho Mukha Svanasana
English Translation: Downward Facing Dog Pose
Also Called: Down Dog

To find out how to do Down Dog,

Begin on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, and your knees underneath your hips.
Inhale as you tuck your toes under your heels. Then exhale to lift your hips, coming into an upside down "V" shape called Downward Facing Dog.
Spread your fingers wide and create a straight line between your middle fingers and elbows. Work on straightening your legs and lowering your heels toward the ground. Your heels should be slightly wider than your toes, so the outside edges of your feet are parallel with the outside edges of your mat. Relax your head between your arms, and direct your gaze through your legs or up toward your belly button. Work on holding for five breaths.

Downward Dog is a great way to stretch your calves - I do this pose after almost every workout. So even if yoga is not your thing, this pose can be your calves' best friend.

Partner Yoga Pose: Triple Down Dog

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:45:00 PDT

Downward Facing Dog is a total body workout. It stretches your hamstrings and strengthens your upper body. If you do the Partner Yoga pose Double Dog, the person on the bottom gets even more of a deep stretch, and the person on the top gets a killer upper body and core workout.

What happens if you do Triple Dog with three people? It feels amazing to be physically connected to two other people like this. It takes even more strength and communication to get into this pose (and stay in it), but when you do, it's an amazing feeling.

To find out how to get into it,

Partner #1 begins in Down Dog. Partner #2 stands on the left side of them.
Partner #2 places their hands about 8 to 12 inches in front of Partner #2's hands.
Partner #2 lifts their right leg and places their foot on the bone (the back of the pelvis) above Partner #1's bum. Partner #2 repeats this action with their left foot, bringing it to the Partner #1 left backside. Partner #2 cups each side of Partner #1's pelvis with their feet. Partner #2 is basically doing Down Dog on top of their partner. Hence the name - Double Dog.
Now Partner #3 stands on the left side of Partner #2 and gets into Down Dog, with their feet cupping above Partner #2's pelvis.
This pose gets intense quickly because it takes a lot of strength to stay in it. Just make sure all three partners are communicating the entire time.

Fit's Tip: After you've had fun practicing with three people, try it with four or more. It is a veritable downward dog party!

Strike a Yoga Pose: Beginner's Sage

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PDT

I'm sure you all have your favorite yoga poses. We love ones that help you stretch out and increase your flexibility. Or the ones that help us heal or rehabilitate injured muscles. We also love the ones that relieve tension and stress.

Then there are the poses are all about strength. They're challenging to do, so when you finally get into them, you feel confident, safe, and stable. Sage is one of those poses for me.

Sanskrit Name: (beginner's) Vasisthasana
English Translation: Sage
Also Called: Side Plank

Want to know how to get into this pose? Then

Begin in Downward Facing Dog pose. Step both feet together so your big toes are touching.
Now move your right hand over to the left so it's at the center of your mat (still at the top of your mat).

Roll over to your right side and plant your right heel down so you are balancing on the outside edge of your right foot. You want your left foot to be stacked on top of your left foot with both feet flexed. If this is too hard, bend your left knee and place your left foot flat on the ground in front of your right leg for support.
Reach your left arm up above you and if you can, gaze up at your palm. Engage your right fingertips so you can take some pressure out of your wrists. Stay here for 5 or more deep breaths, trying to keep your core strong and the pose steady.
Now drop your left hand back down and place your right hand back where it was near the top right corner of your mat. Separate your feet so you are in a "top of a push-up" position (what I call Plank). Now take a vinyasa and come back to Downward Facing Dog. Then do the other side.

Get Physical: Family Yoga

FitSugar — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 02:00:00 PDT

Doing yoga can be so much fun, especially when you do it with people you care about. Why not designate a half hour this weekend to practicing with your entire family? Ideally you should do it around 10:30 or 2:30, so you are in between mealtimes (yoga doesn't feel very good on a full or completely empty belly).

Pick a spot in your home or outside if weather permits so you all have enough space to move. You can set up mats if you have them, or just do the poses on a hard wood floor or carpet.

If you have experience going to yoga classes, just think of the poses you love to do, the ones that stretch and open, relax or energize, or the ones that are fun to try.

If you have younger kids in your family, make the poses more active. Bark like a dog in downward facing dog pose. "Ribbit" and leap like a frog in Squat pose. Make a forest when your entire family does Tree pose. Each person can practice being the wind and blowing the branches in the trees.

Kids also love being in charge, so you can play a game of "Simon Says" with yoga poses. At the end, when you lie down in Savasana to rest from all your hard work, you can take turns massaging each other's feet.

With a little creativity, you'll be doing yoga together and having fun in a healthy way.

Fit's Tips: Maybe yoga is new to you. If so, check out this incredible book called Playful Family Yoga for Kids, Parents, and Grandparents. It's actually out of print now, but you can get a copy through Amazon starting at $39.99. I love this book because it illustrates so many wonderful partner poses.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Sun Salutation A

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 08:45:00 PDT

We've finally learned all the poses that make up Sun Salutation A, so we can link them all together.

The Sanskrit word for Sun Salutation is Surya Namaskar. Surya means "Sun," and "Namaskar" is a greeting of honor and respect to the divinity present in each one of us. In case you were curious, the word "Namaste" comes from the word "Namaskar," and is used as a greeting and a way to give praise. When you go to a yoga class, at the end the teacher often says "Namaste," as a way to say "thank you," "be well," and "goodbye."

Doing Sun Salutations is a way of respecting the Sun and the Earth, and all it has offered us. It's also a way to warm up the body and get your muscles ready to do deeper stretching and more difficult yoga postures. You'll work every part of your body doing Sun Salutation A - your arms, shoulders, neck, spine, hamstrings, calves, and feet.

When you take an Ashtanga yoga class, it always begins with the opening chant, and then 5 Sun Salutation As in a row. In other types of yoga, they usually do variations on a sun salutation, so parts of this series may look familiar to you.

Do you want to see what Sun Salutation A looks like? Then

Start at the front of your mat in Mountain pose, bringing your awareness inward, and following your breath. This is the pose you're in when you do the opening chant. It's a prep pose for Sun Salutation A.
Release you arms to the sides of the body. This is a variation of Mountain pose, and the 1st pose in Sun Salutation A.
Inhale as you raise your arms up overhead and gaze at your palms.
Exhale as you dive out and come into a Standing Forward Bend.
Inhale to look up and lengthen your spine.
As you exhale, step or jump back and come into 4 Limbed Staff pose.
Inhale as you scoop your chest forward into Upward Facing Dog pose.
Exhale into Downward Facing Dog. Stay here for 5 complete breaths. Inhale...Exhale...1, Inhale...Exhale...2, etc.
After 5 breaths, on your next inhale, step or hop the feet forward between your hands.
Exhale into Standing Forward Bend.
Inhale and raise your arms up overhead, looking at your hands.
Exhale your arms down. Sun Salutation A begins and ends with this pose. To do another one, inhale your arms up and continue through the entire sequence again. In an Ashtanga yoga class, they do it 5 times, but you can do Sun Salutation A as many times as you like.

Fit's Tips: In the mornings when I have time, I love to do a few Sun Salutation As to help me wake up. Each pose feels better than the next. I'll hold each pose for a few breaths since my muscles feel stiff from not moving them for 8 hours.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Downward Facing Dog

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 10:00:00 PST

We've reached the last pose in the Sun Salutation A. Downward facing Dog, or Down Dog as I usually call it is one of the toughest poses to hold in yoga. It works every part of your body, and when you first begin to do yoga, you have a hard time holding this pose for more than 2 breaths. After you practice for a while, you'll build up the muscles and strength in your arms to hold yourself up, and then Down Dog actually becomes somewhat of a resting, relaxing pose.

This pose strengthens all the muscles in your arms, but could put strain on your wrists. You can prevent wrist pain by shifting weight into your fingertips, to take the weight off the heels of your palms.

You can also work your core muscles in this pose, by pulling your navel to your spine, and breathing into your ribs. You'll really feel a stretching in your hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendon. It's an all-around total body pose, which is why it's one of my favorites.

Here's how to get into it.

When you are in Sun Salutation A, once you get to the Standing Forward Bend pose, as you exhale, step or jump both feet back and come into 4-Limbed Staff pose. Eventually your body will be in one straight line.
From here, inhale and scoop your chest forward between your arms, coming into Upward Facing Dog pose. The only thing on the ground are your hands and the tops of your feet. Try to lengthen through your spine and draw your shoulder blades back and down away from your ears.
As you exhale, press into your palms and lift your hips up away from you, so you're in an upside down "V" shape called Downward Facing Dog. Spread your fingers wide and make sure you're creating a straight line with your middle finger and forearm. Work on bringing your heels down towards the ground. They should be slightly wider than your toes, so the outside edges of your feet are parallel with the outside edges of your mat. Work on holding for five breaths.

Fit's Tips: You can definitely work on holding this pose for longer to build and tone the muscles in your arms, upper back and shoulders. This is a great stretch to do after a run because it lengthens the backs of your legs, and if you bend your knees slightly, you'll feel a release in your lower back. While this pose may seem taxing at first, it will soon become your rest pose. So practice up!!!

Yoga "Poser": Downward Facing Dog

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 10:32:23 PST

Do you fear that you are a yoga "poser"? If so, we're here to help you bone up on a few of the yoga basics.

Downward Facing Dog, aka - Adho Mukha Svanasana (the name of the pose in Sanskrit), is a staple of every yoga class. Plus it is a major part of Sun Salutations, often done at the beginning of a yoga class as a warm up to prepare you for what is ahead. It is also a great calf stretch.

Hold the pose for 5 to 10 slow breaths. Inhaling through your nose, and exhaling through your mouth.

If the visual isn't enough and you would like a few pointers

Keep your hands in line with your feet, which should be about 12 inches apart.
Keep you fingers spread and use your hands to push your weight back into your heels - this increases your calf stretch.
Keep you neck relaxed - you should be looking at your feet.
Keep your sits bones (the bones you sit on) reaching up toward the ceiling.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Upward Facing Dog

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:44:43 PDT

Just about as common as Downward Facing Dog, Upward Facing Dog pose, or Up Dog as I like to call it, not only elongates and increases flexibility in your spine, but it's a great pose for opening your chest, throat, shoulders, and the front of your thighs. When doing this pose, try not to tense your glutes or crunch your lower back. If it hurts your wrists to have so much weight in your palms, make sure to activate your fingertips rather than putting all your weight into the heels of your palms.

Sanskrit Name: Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
English Translation: Upward Facing Dog Pose

Keep reading to find out how to get into Upward Facing Dog.