Down Dog, the ultimate total body strengthening and energizing stretch!
1.) Begin on your hands and knees, with your hands below your shoulders and feet below your hips.
2.) Gently push your hips up while pressing your palms into your mat. Look at your knees to protect your neck and shoulders. If this is too challenging, come down to your hands and knees to rest. Try again in a few moments!
3.) It is perfectly fine if your heels keep trying to come up off your mat. Simply roll a towel and place it under each heel for support.
3.) Play around in this position by bending each knee or lengthening your neck more, pressing into your shoulders, or pressing each heel down until it feels like a good stretch.
4.) Breathe deeply for 5-10 counts and try a few more times!
With your heart below your head, Down Dog flips the gravitational norm, encouraging the circulatory system to pump fresh blood through your body. Dr. Rachna Shal, MD, an allergist says that any inversions like Down Dog can help open up sinuses and allow the flow of mucus. Breathing deeply in this posture improves stuffiness and asthma symptoms. Some specialists agree that Down Dog is vital for preventing or helping to mange osteoporosis. Specifically, it aids bones through loading the shoulders, engaging the rotator cuff, and getting the arms over head while bearing weight. Rebecca Tung, MD dermatologist states the added blood to your face and brain can add a boost of youthful glow and a calmer expression if done on a regular basis. The ankle and calf stretch in Down Dog strengthens and stabilizes lots of small muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your feet, while your entire body is infused with all the healthy yoga goodness you could ever need all from one little Down Dog Pose!
