Downward Facing Dog

Description

How to Do Downward Facing Dog

1. 1
   Setup

   Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Spread your fingers wide, pressing firmly into your palms.

2. 2
   Setup

   Curl your toes under, ensuring your hands are shoulder-width apart and your feet are hip-width apart.

3. 3

   Exhale as you lift your hips towards the ceiling, straightening your legs as much as comfortable while keeping a slight bend in the knees if your hamstrings are tight.

4. 4

   Press through your hands, drawing your shoulders away from your ears, and lengthen your spine, creating a straight line from your wrists to your tailbone.

5. 5

   Allow your head to hang naturally between your arms and gently press your heels towards the mat, aiming to ground them without rounding your back.

6. 6

   Hold the pose, breathing deeply, maintaining strong engagement through your core and arms while feeling the stretch.

Tips

• To deepen the hamstring stretch, slightly bend your knees and focus on lengthening your spine by pressing your chest towards your thighs, then gradually work towards straightening your legs.
• Actively press through your entire hand, especially the base of your index finger and thumb, to distribute weight evenly and protect your wrists from strain.
• Imagine your tailbone reaching towards the sky while simultaneously drawing your lower ribs in to prevent overarching your lower back and maintain core engagement.
• If your heels do not reach the floor, it is perfectly fine; prioritize a long, straight spine over flat heels, or you can gently pedal your feet to warm up the hamstrings and calves.

Common Mistakes

• ×Rounding the upper back instead of lengthening the spine: Focus on pressing strongly through your hands and drawing your shoulder blades down your back to create a flat, long spine from wrists to tailbone.
• ×Collapsing into the shoulders: Actively push the floor away with your hands and lift your shoulder blades away from your ears to maintain strong shoulder stability and avoid strain.
• ×Locking out the knees: Always keep a micro-bend in your knees to protect the joint and allow for a deeper, safer hamstring stretch without hyperextension.