Let explore Dog Yoga Poses, beginning with the one everyone is familiar with….
Down Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Start in Table Pose (hands under shoulders, knees under hips
Curl your toes under and straighten your legs in an inverted ‘V’ pose (straighten legs without locking your knees)
Press into your Palms and Heels (heels coming to the floor or working towards the floor)
Raise your sit bones into the air
Upper Thighs roll inward
Press the base of your index fingers into the mat
Head is between your arms (avoid allowing your head to hang)
Supported Dog Pose
Raise your hands off the floor by placing your hands on a block or rest your hands on the seat of a chair.
Wrist Pain?
Roll your fingers into fists or roll up your mat so that the base of your hands is higher than your fingers.
You can also try placing your hands on a yoga wedge
Try some Down Dog variations:
Walk the Dog
Come to Down Dog
Pedal your legs, bending first one knee then the other.
This is an active pose
Three Leg Down Dog
Begin in down Dog
Lift your Right Leg off the mat
Try to lift your right leg to hip height as if being pulled by the right ankle
Hold for several breaths
Lower your leg on an exhale and switch sides
Dog at a Hydrant
Begin in Three Leg Down Dog (Right Leg in the air)
Bend your Right knee bringing your Right Foot towards your Right Hip
Hold for several breaths
Lower your leg to Down Dog on an exhale and switch sides
Dolphin Pose (Forearm down dog)
Begin in a forearm table, Elbows under your shoulders, fore arms on the floor
Curl your toes under and straighten your legs
Half Dolphin (I find this more challenging than Full Dolphin Pose)
Begin in Down Dog
Lower your Right Forearm to the mat
Hold for several breaths, then switch sides
Twisted Dog
Begin in Down Dog
Lift your Right Arm off the Floor
Bring your Right arm in front of your body
Hold onto you your Left Leg with your Right hand
Pull your Chest to the Left
Drishti is up to the ceiling
Hold for several breaths, then switch sides
Core Strengthening Down Dog
Begin in Down Dog
Bring your Right Knee to your Belly
Hold for several breaths, then switch sides
Balancing Down Dog
Begin in Down Dog
Bring your Right Hand to Right Ankle
Raise your Left Leg
Hold for several breaths, then switch sides
Other Dog Poses
Up Dog or Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
(This pose is a more challenging variation of a Cobra Pose)
Lie on your belly
Bring your hands under your shoulders
Curl your toes under
Inhale, press into your hands
Straighten your arms
Lift your head, neck, shoulders, chest and torso off the mat
Thighs are firm and legs are a few inches off the mat
Tip Head up slightly
Drishti is where a wall and ceiling would normally meet
Puppy Pose or Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)
(this pose is a combo of Down Dog and Extended Child’s Pose)
Begin in Table Pose
Walk your hands forward a few inches
Push Hips halfway back towards your calves (hips and buttocks remain in the air)
Forehead to the floor
Elbows remain off the mat
Keep a slight curve in your back
Hold for a few breaths, then rest in Child’s Pose
See more POSE FOCUS posts HERE.
More Spirit Animal Posts HERE
www.SecondStarToTheRightYoga.com
Become a FaceBook Fan
Follow on Twitter
