Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
<h2><strong>Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) </strong></h2>
Adho means «facing downwards», mukha - «face», svana - «dog». This asana resembles a dog stretching itself with its head lowered.
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<strong> A short description of Adho Mukha Svanasana </strong>
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<div>1. Stand in Tadasana.</div>
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<div>2. Exhale and go into Uttanasana. Place the palms on the floor beside the feet and in line with them.</div>
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<div>3. Bend the knees and step the feet back 120-130 cm, one after the other. The distance between the palms should be 30-35 cm, and the same between the feet. Spread the fingers and stretch them. Keep the feet parallel to each other and stretch the toes.</div>
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<div>4. Stretch the hips back and pull up the kneecaps; place the heels on the floor. Take a couple of breaths in and out.</div>
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<div>5. Exhale, stretch the arms and legs and push the hips back. Move the trunk towards the legs.</div>
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<div>6. Press the heels into the floor and lower the crown of the head to the floor.</div>
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<div>7. Stay in this final position for 15-20 seconds, breathing normally. While doing so:</div>
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<div> • do not bend the knees;</div>
<div> • draw the shoulder blades in and broaden the chest.</div>
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<div>8. Inhale, lift the head off the floor, bring the feet closer to the palms and come into Tadasana.</div>
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<div><strong>Special notes:</strong>
(1) Those who cannot place the palms on the floor in Uttanasana may bend the knees, put the palms on the floor and then step back.<br />
(2) The right arm and the right leg, the left arm and the left leg must be exactly in line with each other.<br />
(3) Those who cannot place the heels on the floor should raise them slightly and rest them against a wall, keeping the toes and the soles of the feet on the floor so as to stretch the arch of the foot.<br />
(4) Those who cannot lower the crown of the head to the floor may use a cushion and rest the head on it, with the arms and legs stretched, the spine extended inwards and upwards, and the chest broadened.<br />
(5) Those who suffer from headaches and high blood pressure, or those who cannot rest the head on the floor, should place some support under the head (see point 4). When the head is supported in this way it brings a feeling of calm and the blood pressure falls. The head must never hang freely.
<strong>Contraindications:</strong>
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Hamstring injuries. Wrist problems. Intervertebral disc injuries.</p>
<strong> A detailed description of Adho Mukha Svanasana </strong>
<p>Adho Mukha Svanasana is one of the basic poses of hatha yoga. It is appropriate at any moment throughout a session: like a pinch of salt that brings a dish to life, Downward Facing Dog fills the whole body with vigour and energy - from the fingers to the feet. Adho Mukha Svanasana looks simple, but appearances, as so often, are deceptive. What matters here is learning to distribute the effort evenly between the arms, the trunk and the legs so that no part of the body is overloaded - only then can you feel how effective it is.</p>
<p>By performing the pose again and again during a session you lengthen the spine, restoring its natural curves and releasing tension from the back. For beginners this asana is also a preparation for the inverted poses: it helps you get used to being upside down. As you begin to learn the asana you may feel stiff: the lower back will round, and the elbows will straighten only with difficulty. But gradually, in the course of daily practice, a feeling of opening, extension and flexibility will appear in the body.</p>
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<strong>Adho Mukha Svanasana. Variation 1</strong>
<p>By performing the asana with the knees bent you will be able to stretch the upper body better, without being distracted by having to organise the work of the hamstrings correctly. When the asana is done with straight legs a feeling of tension and compression can arise in the body. Bent knees will let you enjoy the extension of the spine, the shoulders and the arms. To find the right distance between the hands and the feet, lie on your stomach and place the palms on the floor under the shoulders. Then take the pelvis back and, pushing away from the floor with the arms, come up onto all fours without changing the position of the palms and the feet on the floor. The palms should be shoulder-width apart and the feet hip-width apart.</p>
<p>The palms and the feet - the foundation of the pose - must press firmly into the floor. Notice which part of the palms is really well pressed into the mat and which is not. Stretch the fingers and spread them as wide apart as possible. If the thumb and index finger lift off the floor, most of your weight will fall on the outer edges of the hands. Try to press the surfaces of the palms evenly into the floor - this steadies the wrists and protects them from injury. Tuck the toes under, lift the knees off the floor and, without straightening the legs, direct the pelvis back and up. Imagine that you are pushing the floor down and forward, away from the pelvis.</p>
<p>Draw the elbows in; this may prove difficult because of stiffness in the shoulder joints or a lack of strength, so be patient. Then turn the upper arms from the inside outwards, so that the inner creases of the elbows come in line with the thumbs. Watch how the area between the shoulder blades broadens and the arms and shoulders fill with energy. Feel the armpits lengthen and the chest open. As the arms extend, the pelvis will rise higher and move back, and the spine will lengthen, freeing itself from compression. Finally, release the tension in the neck: relax the head, do not lift it up. After 3-5 breath cycles, exhale and lower the knees to the floor. Rest in Balasana (Child's Pose).</p>
<strong>Adho Mukha Svanasana. Variation 2</strong>
<p>In this variation it will be easier for you to understand the correct position of the pelvis in the asana. The pose is performed with straight legs, but the heels stay lifted high. Begin with the previous version of the pose, this time raising the heels as high off the floor as you can. Then straighten the legs fully at the knees, engaging the thigh muscles, and lift the pelvis up - it will move forward, and the shape of the body will resemble a capital inverted “V”.</p>
<p>Now direct the sitting bones towards the ceiling. This movement will lift the heels higher still. Feel how the upper part of the sacrum tilts forward and draws inwards. This is a healthy position for the lower back, provided the lumbar region is not too mobile. Without these basic steps the pose will resemble a sad, hesitant dog, and performing the asana in that way can lead to an injury of the lower back or a strain of the hamstrings.</p>
<p>Holding the pelvis in the correct position, make the upper thighs strong and lift them towards the pelvis. Direct the thigh bones into the pelvis and lift the sitting bones higher, creating an even taller, even sharper inverted “V”. To keep the legs straight, do not push the knees back; instead use the strength of the thighs to lift the kneecaps. Direct the tops of the thighs (but not the knees) towards the wall behind you. The pelvis will shift back, taking part of the weight off the arms. Stay like this for 3-5 even breath cycles.</p>
<strong>The full version of Adho Mukha Svanasana</strong>
<p>The difficulty of the full version of the pose is to stretch the upper body and the backs of the legs as far as possible without rounding the lower back. If you cannot yet do this, keep working with the variations described above for a few more weeks. Include Supta Padangusthasana I (Reclining Big Toe Pose I) in your practice - it will help to stretch the muscles at the backs of the legs.</p>
<p>Come into Adho Mukha Svanasana through the two previous variations, following all the instructions described above. When the arms, legs and pelvis are fully engaged and you feel the body extending, carefully lower the heels towards the floor. Imagine that they are filling with lead. Breathe deeply and feel how the intense stretch releases layer after layer of tension from the backs of the legs. Relax the neck and let the gaze be soft.</p>
<p>Stay in the pose for 3 to 5 even, quiet breath cycles. Then rest in Child's Pose. Observe the feelings of space, harmony and lightness that have appeared in the body.</p>
<strong> The effects of practising Adho Mukha Svanasana </strong>
<p>When a person is tired, staying in this pose for a long time removes fatigue and restores lost energy. Adho Mukha Svanasana helps to soften heel spurs and relieves pain and stiffness in the heels. It strengthens the ankles and gives the legs a beautiful shape. Practising this asana relieves stiffness in the area of the shoulder blades and helps with arthritis of the shoulder joints. The abdominal muscles are drawn towards the spine and strengthened. Since the diaphragm rises towards the chest cavity, the heart rate slows down. This is an invigorating pose. Those who do not dare to do Sirsasana can perform this asana comfortably. When the fully extended trunk bends downwards, healthy blood flows to the head without the slightest strain on the heart. Adho Mukha Svanasana renews the brain cells, strengthens the activity of the brain and removes its fatigue. This pose may also be practised by people who suffer from high blood pressure.</p>