Adho Mukha Svanasana

Downward facing dog may be the most fundamental asana, but it is one of the most commonly misaligned poses especially for students who just started yoga. It involves muscle engagement of the entire body that we might often miss some out whenever we’re holding the pose! I would like to share with everyone the muscle anatomy of this pose, explaining which muscles we are actually engaging, so we can reap the benefits of DWD and share with our students in future.

 

downward-dog-annotated

downward-dog-2annotated

Benefits of Downward facing dog

  • Helps to calm the brain, allowing more blood to flow to the brain
  • Relieve stress and energizes the body
  • Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings and calves
  • Engages and strengthens the arms, core and legs
  • Improves digestion due to more blood flow

~Yvonne Boey

3/4