My Favorite Down Dog Variation
A confession for you, Overwhelmed Yogis: I spent my first few years of my yoga practice not knowing what I was doing in down dog and dreading the pose whenever it came up in a class. Which was a lot.
This snowy Movement Monday, I’m sharing a down dog variation that corrects many of the common misalignments that can make the pose feel icky. A yoga mat is necessary. (Most of the movement breaks I share can be done sans mat, so if you don’t have one, I’ve got you covered in several of my other posts.)
This variation builds strength and feels great in the upper back and hips. It is my go-to move when my sacrum feels jammed. I’m keeping a ton of engagements in the arms and legs, and engaging my deep abdominal muscles with every exhale. I love watching students try this variation and experience the pose in a new way.
Do:
Grab the outer edges of the mat so your elbow creases face the sky.
Make your feet wide — as wide as the mat.
Spread your toes, which will fire up the shins.
Push the hips back to lift the knees off the floor, but keep the knees bent, in line with the ankles.
Push the thighs apart to resist the shins squeezing inward; this is what creates relief in the low back.
Resist the arms as you push your upper back toward your legs. This stabilizes the shoulders.
Common down dog misalignments this fixes:
Collapsing weight into the wrists.
Winging the shoulder blades rather than engaging.
Trying to get the heels down before lengthening the spine (IMO, it’s all about the spine, which should have a slight anterior — U-shaped — curve in the low back).
Knees knocking in (they should be as wide as the ankles).
It teaches:
External rotation of the upper arms.
Push through the hands and feet.
Do this on its own as a mini-movement break, holding for 15-30 seconds 1-3 times, or incorporate into any yoga or exercise sequence.
If you try it, I’d love to know how it felt for you. Comment with any questions, and I’ll answer as best I can. I’m always learning with you.