Dog Pose
YogaFUN’s Dalmo teachs Dog Pose this week!
Please note: when doing this posture, head is in line with neck and back, and eyes are looking to toes. Here Dalmo was saying “hello!”
Benefits:
- Strengthens back & opens the chest.
- Builds upper body strength.
- Stretches back of legs, especially calves.
- Strengthens the hands and wrists.
- Improves respiration, relieving anxiety.
- Stimulates the brain and nervous system,
- improving memory, concentration, hearing and eyesight.
Instructions:
- Come up onto your hands and knees with your knees hip width apart and the hands shoulder width apart, your fingers wide pressing firmly into the floor.
- Curl the toes under and push back raising the hips and straightening the legs.
- Spread the fingers and ground down from the forearms into the fingertips.
- Let the head hang, move the shoulder blades away from the ears towards the hips.
- Now push the floor away from you hands, positioning your body like an inverted V, achieving a straight line from your hands to your shoulders to the hips.
- Straighten (without locking) arms and straight legs.
- As you inhale press downward into your hands and lift outward out of the shoulders.
- Lift your head and torso back through the line of your body.
- Do not step the feet toward the hands in Down Dog in order the get the heels to the floor. This will happen eventually as the muscles lengthen.
Beginners: Try bending your knees, coming up onto the balls of your feet, bringing the belly to rest on the thighs and the sit bones up high. Then sink your heels, straightening the legs keeping the high upward rotation of the sit bones. Also try bending the arms slightly out to the side, drawing the chest towards the thighs. Then restraighten the arms.
Advanced: If you are very flexible, try not to let the rib cage sink towards the floor creating a sinking spine. Draw the ribs in to maintain a flat back. Try holding the pose for five minutes, placing a block under your head for support