How To Do Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana):
- Stand on four limbs, such that your body forms a table-like structure.
- Exhale and gently lift your hips and straighten your elbows and knees. You need to ensure your body forms an inverted ‘V’.
- Your hands should be in line with your shoulders, and your feet in line with your hips. Make sure that your toes point outwards.
- Now, press your hands into the ground and lengthen your neck. Your ears should touch your inner arms, and you should turn your gaze to your navel.
- Hold for a few seconds, and then, bend your knees and return to the table position.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor.
Uses of Adhomukh Svanasana :
- This asana stretches the shoulders, hands, hamstrings, calves, and arches of the feet, while strengthening the arms, legs, and ankles.
- It is great for reducing stiffness in the shoulder blades and arthritis in the shoulder joints, relieving pain in the heels, and softening calcaneal spurs.
- It gently stimulates the nerves and slows down the heartbeat. And if you’re a woman going through hot flashes during menopause, this posture give some relief.