Yoga Dog: The downward looking and upward looking dog explained simply

The dog’s yoga poses are probably among the most famous asanas (postures) of all. We’ll explain to you how to properly do the downward looking and upward looking dog and how the exercises affect your body and mind.

When the dog is spoken of in yoga, the dog that looks down is usually meant. But the dog looking up is practiced almost as often as its counterpart. It’s easy to see why the poses are called this: Look at a dog that gets up after a nap. He arches his back and then stretches it right out – much like cats do. We humans can also benefit from these movements.

Yoga Pose: Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana – this is the Sanskrit name of the pose and means “dog pose with the face down”. It is a fundamental asana (yoga posture) that occurs over and over again in most yoga classes.

In order to avoid mistakes, you should do this in the yoga pose “downward looking dog” essential points absolutely note:

• The most important thing: the back is straight and stretched. You want to pull the spine apart as long as possible by creating space from the top of the head to the tailbone. It’s okay if you bend your knees slightly to do this.
• Spread your fingers wide apart and use your hands to push yourself away from the floor. This is how you take pressure off your wrists. The middle fingers of both hands are facing forward, parallel to each other.
• Place your hands shoulder-width apart, while your feet are about hip-width apart and parallel to each other.
• As always: know and respect your limits. If you are in pain or your breath is catching, step out of the pose and adopt a relaxing position.

If you have understood and observed these points, you can start – Step by step into the downward looking dog in yoga:

1. Get into support, the basic position for push-ups. You place your hands directly under your shoulders and put your feet up.
2. Extend your elbows without overstretching them. Spread your fingers apart and use your hands to anchor yourself firmly to the ground. Distribute the weight evenly between your hands, then again between your fingers and palms.
3. As you exhale, slide your buttocks back and up. Your hands press hard into the ground.
4. Stretch your spine by pulling your tailbone back and up. Make sure to keep your back straight. You may have to bend your knees to do this.
5. Try to straighten your legs completely – but only so far that you don’t round your back.
6. Pull your heels towards the floor – if possible, put them all the way down. If you can’t do that, that’s not a problem.
7. Rotate the upper arms slightly outwards, creating space between the shoulders and ears.
8. The cervical spine is an extension of the rest of the spine. Your gaze is directed towards your belly button.
9. Hold the yoga pose for five to ten deep, even breaths.
10. To get out of the yoga pose, bend your knees and run your feet forward to your hands as you inhale. Alternatively, you can put your knees down and rest your upper body on your thighs while you exhale – this is how you get into the child’s position.

This is how the downward looking dog works on body and mind:

• calms the mind and helps against stress
• energizes the body
• stretches shoulders, back thighs and calves
• strengthens the hand, arm, shoulder, leg and back muscles
• relieves headaches, insomnia and back pain
• prevents osteoporosis
• improves blood circulation
• relieves menopause symptoms and menstrual cramps

By the way: You can read about the effects of the two dog poses in the internationally recognized standard work “The Illustrated Light on Yoga” by BKS Iyengar (HarperCollins, 2005).

Yoga Pose: Dog Looking Up – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

The dog looking up is called “Urdhva Mukha Svanasana” in Sanskrit, where “urdhva” means “above”. This is a backbend that is often taught as a deeper version of the cobra (Bhujangasana). Especially for yoga beginners: the cobra is more suitable indoors.

The most important points the yoga pose “looking up dog”:

• Make sure that the back bend comes from the upper spine. By activating your gluteal and abdominal muscles and tilting your pelvis slightly forward, you relieve the pressure on your lower back.
• Place your hands straight under your shoulders to transfer the weight into the ground. Your fingers are spread apart again, and you anchor yourself firmly to the ground with the heel of your hand and fingers.
• Open your chest by pulling your shoulders back slightly.
• Do not let yourself fall on your shoulders, but create space between your head and shoulders. Push yourself off the ground.
• The feet are straight and parallel to each other. Make sure your heels don’t fall outward.

Go Step by step do the following to get the looking up dog to do in yoga:

1. Get back into the support as if you were going to do pushups. You place your hands directly under your shoulders. This time you lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
2. From here, press your hands firmly into the floor and straighten your arms without overstretching them as you lift your upper body from the strength of your back.
3. At the same time, you place the back of your feet on the floor over your toes. Press this and your toes firmly into the ground. Your knees and pelvis are not touching the floor.
4. Reminder: Make sure you activate your stomach and leg muscles and tilt your pelvis slightly forward. This is how you avoid falling into a hollow back.
5. Open your rib cage by twisting your shoulders out and down slightly and contracting your shoulder blades slightly.
6. Your head is again an extension of the spine. Alternatively, you can look up, but you shouldn’t overstretch your cervical spine.
7. Remain in this asana for three to five even breaths. Leave the downward facing dog in good time before you run out of strength.
8. To get out of the pose, slowly lie down on the floor as you breathe out. Alternatively, you can use the strength of your abdominal muscles to push yourself back from the dog facing up into the dog looking down while exhaling.

This is how the dog looking up acts on body and mind:

• strengthens the spine, arms and wrists
• stretches the chest, shoulders and stomach
• strengthens the abdominal, leg and buttock muscles
• stimulates the abdominal organs
• relieves mild depression, tiredness and sciatic pain
• has an invigorating and liberating effect

Read more on Techzle.com:

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