Adhomukha Shvanasana or commonly known as downward dog is one of the most recognized yoga poses. Benefits of this asana include strengthening of the arms and shoulders and stretching out the gluteal muscles, hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendon. It also enhances blood circulation and brings energy back to the body by removing fatigue. This is the main reason why I would consider this asana to be a very important pose in a yoga sequence because if it is done properly it can help you regain your energy and aid you in not tiring easily during your sequence. Honestly, this is a pose I have yet to perfect but this simple guide that I prepared has helped me and I hope it helps anyone who is also having difficulty with this asana so that they can reap all the benefits this asana has to offer.
Warmup ———— focus on wrists, shoulders, triceps, hips, glutes, hamstrings, calves and ankles
While standing
• Wrist rotations – 5 counts clockwise and anti-clockwise on each wrist
• Rotate both arms clockwise – 10 counts
• Rotate both arms anticlockwise – 10 counts
• Tricep stretch – 10 counts on each arm
• While standing swing one leg front and back while not moving upper body -10 counts on each leg
• Squats – 15 counts
• Hamstring stretch by bending leg to the back while standing – 10 counts on each leg
• Hamstring stretch by bending leg and bringing knee towards the chest while standing – 10 counts each leg
• Calves stretch by pushing against wall and with one leg forward and the other behind – 10 counts and switch legs – 10 counts
While lying down
• While lying down on the mat with back on the mat, bring one knee towards your chest using a strap around your feet push feet away from chest and try to straighten your leg while using your arms to pull the strap towards your chest- 10 counts on each leg
• Ankle rotations – 5 counts clockwise and anti-clockwise on each ankle
Getting into the pose
• From a table top position with hands shoulder width part lift your hips towards the sky on exhale. Press your palms into the mat while lifting your hips and straightening your legs and grounding your heels towards your mat. Feel the lengthening of the spine. Stay here for 5 breaths.
Tips
• Gaze between your legs
• Keep the weight evenly distributed across your hands and feet
• Belly should be in
Variation
• Bend legs at the knees slightly and heels off the ground
By Rhadhika
My Top 5 Tips To Enhance Your Asana Practice (Part 2)
3) Remember To Breathe
Knowing when to inhale and exhale can allow you to enter a pose more easily. For example when you are doing a forward fold, you exhale . When you exhale, the lungs empty, making the torso more compact, so there is less physical mass between your upper and lower body allowing you to do a deeper fold.
Consistent breathing also aids you to hold a pose longer and in that way you can enjoy the full benefits of a particular asana. I am definitely one of those people who are guilty of holding their breath during a difficult asana. For me, this happens when I am just too focused on getting the asana right and I end up forgetting to breathe. Soon after, I would be out of breath and wouldn’t be able to hold the pose any longer. Reminding myself to breathe ensured that I was getting enough oxygen into my body so I could maintain my poses. Focusing on my breath also helps my mind focus and in turn allows me to hold the pose longer.
4) Balancing Your Body Weight
Knowing where to balance/shift your weight during an asana ensures that you are not injuring your body and that you are not tiring out certain body parts which in turn allows you to maintain the pose longer. For example, when in a downward dog your weight should be evenly distributed between your legs and your arms. This prevents injury to your wrist and ensures that you do not tire your arms out. When you do this you will be able to hold the pose longer as more than often it is a resting pose. Another example would be any warrior pose. I would always find myself naturally putting weight in the front leg but when I started to also put weight on the back leg, the pose became less tiring.
5) Remember Your Gazing Points
This straightforward tip actually had a bigger effect on me than I thought it would have. Knowing where to look when you are in an asana ensures that you are not distracted by your surroundings and therefore aids you in focusing your mind on the pose. I found this to be particularly helpful during balancing poses such as looking straight ahead when doing a tree pose ensured that I wasn’t distracted and this allowed me to maintain my balance for a longer period of time.
By Rhadhika
My Top 5 Tips To Enhance Your Asana Practice (Part 1)
There were many lessons I learnt from the teacher training course that brought my yoga practice, in particular my asana practice, to the next level. There are too many list but I would say these are my top 5:
1) The Significance of Warming Up
I would say this is my ultimate and top tip. I used to always go straight into poses and be very discouraged when I was unable to do them even though I have tried the poses many times before. However once I learnt that I should warm up/ strengthen/loosen up the relevant muscles for a particular pose, I was able to do poses that I was never able to do before or at the very least I was getting closer to doing that. Doing a proper warmup before poses that I have yet to perfect not only enhanced my asana practice but it also boosted my morale.
2) It’s Not All About Flexibility
I think there is a common misconception that yoga is all about flexibility. I learnt that this is not true. Strength actually plays as an important role in yoga. Having strong muscles are not only required so you can get into some asanas but they are also required so you can maintain the pose. For example, Chaturanga Dandasana. I have always had difficulty with this asana and I realized that it was because I lacked the strength required for the pose. I then started working on strengthening the muscles required for the pose such as my core, arms muscles (including the biceps and triceps), and upper back muscles (rhomboids, trapezius, serratus anterior) and soon enough I saw myself getting closer to perfecting an asana that once seemed unachievable.
However it’s not just physical strength that is required for certain asanas, mental strength also plays a part. I found my mental strength to be very important when I was required to hold poses. I am sure we have all been there when our mind is telling us that your body can’t hold the pose any longer and we see ourselves succumbing to these thoughts. Once I started opposing these negative thoughts and remind myself that it is only a case of mind over matter, I could see a vast improvement in how long I was able to hold certain asanas. My mental strength also played a part when I was doing balancing poses such as the crow pose. I learnt that the trick to the crow pose is that you had to lean forward but I was always afraid that if I did that I would fall on my face. Using the help of yoga blocks and learning how to fall without injuring myself are some of the ways I used to diminish my fear of falling. Overcoming this fear hasn’t been easy but, for me, acknowledging the fear was the first step and as the day’s progress I see this fear in me fading.
By Rhadhika
Easing Beginners into the yogi’s squat Malasana (Garland pose)
Malasana (Garland pose) is one of my all-time favourite poses because of its simplicity in improving back posture, strengthening the ankles, stimulate digestive organs to eliminate wastes, and the nice stretch felt when one presses the elbows against the inner thigh as the pose tones the lower body.
I have incorporated it into my Beginner yoga lesson plan and included asanas that open the hips, stretch the hamstrings and strengthen the inner thigh muscles. The sequence after warming up and Sun Salutation A (Surya Namaskar A) includes: Chair pose (Utkatasana), Warrior I & II (Vribadhasana I & II), Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana), Lizard pose (Utthan Pristhasana) before transiting into Garland pose (Malasana). The only comment from my YTT classmates that trialed my teaching is the challenge to stay longer in Lizard pose.
So happily after making minor adjustments to my lesson plan, I started to teach at home to accumulate practicum hours.
Over the two classes I conducted, 4 out of 5 students could not get into my favourite yogi squat without falling all over! I was caught off guard when the students were having such a challenging time. However, I didn’t want to just skip a pose and move on. The graceful Plié Squat came to my mind.
Plié Squat is an exercise that originated from the ballet position to keep the back straight while also bending the knees. Standing with the feet wider than hip distance apart, keep the feet turned and pointing in the same direction as the knee (45 degrees or wider). Because of the feet placements, the pose place deeper emphasis in the inner thigh adductors, while working on the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors and calves as intended in the earlier asanas of my original lesson plan.
After holding in Plié Squat for 30-45 seconds, I got the students to narrow the standing stance, by shifting the foot towards each other (approx 2-3 steps inwards). The feet are still pointed towards the direction of the knee cap. And the magic happens! Keeping their back straight, all of them can now ease and lower more comfortably into Malasana and stay for 5 breaths… (before wobbling around while trying to keep the heels grounded!)
Try this preparatory technique if you’d like to teach beginner students Malasana (Garland pose).
Cheers!
Ying.
Easing Beginners into the yogi's squat Malasana (Garland pose)
Malasana (Garland pose) is one of my all-time favourite poses because of its simplicity in improving back posture, strengthening the ankles, stimulate digestive organs to eliminate wastes, and the nice stretch felt when one presses the elbows against the inner thigh as the pose tones the lower body.
I have incorporated it into my Beginner yoga lesson plan and included asanas that open the hips, stretch the hamstrings and strengthen the inner thigh muscles. The sequence after warming up and Sun Salutation A (Surya Namaskar A) includes: Chair pose (Utkatasana), Warrior I & II (Vribadhasana I & II), Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana), Lizard pose (Utthan Pristhasana) before transiting into Garland pose (Malasana). The only comment from my YTT classmates that trialed my teaching is the challenge to stay longer in Lizard pose.
So happily after making minor adjustments to my lesson plan, I started to teach at home to accumulate practicum hours.
Over the two classes I conducted, 4 out of 5 students could not get into my favourite yogi squat without falling all over! I was caught off guard when the students were having such a challenging time. However, I didn’t want to just skip a pose and move on. The graceful Plié Squat came to my mind.
Plié Squat is an exercise that originated from the ballet position to keep the back straight while also bending the knees. Standing with the feet wider than hip distance apart, keep the feet turned and pointing in the same direction as the knee (45 degrees or wider). Because of the feet placements, the pose place deeper emphasis in the inner thigh adductors, while working on the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors and calves as intended in the earlier asanas of my original lesson plan.
After holding in Plié Squat for 30-45 seconds, I got the students to narrow the standing stance, by shifting the foot towards each other (approx 2-3 steps inwards). The feet are still pointed towards the direction of the knee cap. And the magic happens! Keeping their back straight, all of them can now ease and lower more comfortably into Malasana and stay for 5 breaths… (before wobbling around while trying to keep the heels grounded!)
Try this preparatory technique if you’d like to teach beginner students Malasana (Garland pose).
Cheers!
Ying.
29
Apr, 2018
Hello, from the Upside!
Inversions. I have been doing pole dancing for a couple of years now but I can’t say I am used to being upside down.
When I joined YTT, I knew we would eventually face the inevitable, Sirsasana. But little did I know, it would actually come too soon — on the first weekend of our training. Needless to say, I wasn’t prepared for it.
Learning new poses excites me, but at the same time, it frustrates me. I practice until I exhaust myself too much that I no longer have the strength to do the pose.
It was only when we had our private workshops with our masters Paalu and Weiling that I had my lightbulb moments. I led myself to frustration because I was mindlessly doing the pose! I was not focused at all. I did not pay attention to the most important things. I forgot about my breathing. My shoulders were collapsed, core was not engaged and not even a minute into the pose, my legs were already wobbly because my mind had started to wander around. I could not get into that straight alignment because I’ve always let this fear of falling backwards to overtake.
So one day back home, I decided to practice this pose again, this time trying to keep in mind what we have learnt during the workshops. Mind must be connected with the body. And though I still seek the comforts of a wall to catch me in case I fall, there was absolutely progression. I eventually got there.
Practicing this pose did not only teach me about patience, but most importantly, it taught me to always do the asanas smartly.
Now, that is me, saying hello from the upside! 😀
Kaye Carreos, March 2018 YTT weekend warrior
26
Apr, 2018
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
The first arm balance introduced to me as a beginner is Crow pose. My initial thoughts? How can a beginner do this? It looks so hard! But I guess, we all have to start somewhere right? I wouldn’t say it’s easy but it is definitely doable.
For those who have been practicing this pose, we know that Crow pose in itself is already a full body workout. Apart from it works your arm and core muscles, it strengthens your wrists, back, and legs. And as much as it challenges you physically, I believe it challenges more your mind, especially the focus. Has it ever crossed your mind that you may end up faceplanting on the floor as your yoga teacher tells you to lean forward everytime? I bet everyone had the same fear. This asana definitely teaches us the importance of mind-body connection, and so as the other yoga poses. If we condition our mind to stay calm and focused, for sure we’ll fly in the pose.
As I’ve been trying to master this asana for a couple of weeks now, here’s what I think are the key things to be remembered for you to finally nail this beautiful pose!
- Take your time. No one’s rushing you.
- It isn’t just about arm strength. It’s engaging your core, at all times. I’m 56 kilograms heavy but I’ve never felt lighter ever before than in this pose!
- Don’t forget to breathe. You are alive, you are supposed to be breathing.
- Keep the gaze forward. This will help you focus.
- Lean forward. Do not overthink. Just do it! You may put a block in front of you if that helps you to be more at ease, or feel safer.
- Most importantly, if you do fall, it’s never the end of it. Remember, practice makes perfect!
Kaye Carreos, March 2018 YTT weekend warrior
Kurmasana & Anatomy
I rarely practiced Kurmasana till it was introduced during the course; this pose enables the practitioner to embrace stillness and overcome resistance when settled into the pose comfortably. However, it requires considerable flexibility in the hip flexors, shoulders and hamstrings while regulating the breath.
Consequently, it’s critical to warm up the body before executing the pose. To prepare for Kurmasana pose, these other poses (while not exhaustive) can help build flexibility in the key areas and therefore be considered as part of the warm up……
- Flexibility in hip flexors…….Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, Supta Purna Titli
- Flexibility in shoulders……..Closed arm stretches, wall angel poses
- Flexibility in hamstrings……Supta Padangustansana, Uttanasana, Upavistha Konasana
I certainly hope to execute this pose well, after a better appreciation of the key areas involved. Definitely looking forward to improve the practice of this pose.
Margaret GHIN
March 2018 200 Hr Weekend YTT
Awareness of the Hip Flexors
My appreciation of the hip flexors while practicing the downward facing dog pose was enhanced during the first weekend class. In the past, there was somewhat “unconscious ignorance” of the hip flexors (inner hip muscles or ilipsoas) “activation” while executing the pose. Consequently, I felt significant body weight on my hands which could sometimes be uncomfortable. Learning the “trick” to “activate” the hip flexors, I was able to effectively transfer some body weight from my hands to my feet and felt “lighter and more comfortable holding this pose considerably longer.
So, why does it matter to stay (reasonable time) in this pose ? In my opinion, there are several benefits and these include (not limited to)…
a) It enables the practitioner to enjoy the pose and to regulate the breathing (one could practice Ujjayi breath to enhance the benefits)
b) It is a milder inversion pose for practitioner who may not have head/hand stands in their practice and where the heart is above the head, it encourages blood circulation and serves to both energize and calm the body.
One easy tip to “wake up/activate” the hip flexors while practicing the pose is to firmly press a towel between the hip flexors and abdomen. This is definitely a great way to “hi-grade” the practice for the pose.
Margaret GHIN
March 2018 200 Hr Weekend YTT
“Uttanasana” – more than only “Forward bend”
This Asana is one of the first ones which a Yoga beginner will practice as it has a high importance in the sun salutations.
When you translate the word “Uttanasana” to English, it can be translated with “standing forward bend”. In my opinion, it’s more than only a forward bend, it’s a powerful stretch as well.
Before you start with this Asana, you need to warm up. The warming up includes almost all parts of your body. Shoulder, spine, hip, knee, pelvis, hamstring and calves are included. You can’t do this Asana with a full stomach, be sure that your stomach and bowels are empty before you start. Uttanasana has some interesting benefits as it heals and rejuvenates your body. The reason is that the head is below your heart and therefore, this pose improves the blood circulation in your head. As a result, more oxygen reaches your cells.
At the beginning, you have to be in a standing position. During the inhale, you raise your arms up to the ceiling. Actually, you don’t have to raise up your arms but I think it helps to get a fluent and good bending. During the exhale, you have to bend forward – folding from your hips. Bring your belly as close as possible to your tights, your chest to your knees and your head to your lower legs. Look between your lower legs. You can bring your arms down on the floor, next to your feet.
Till now, you can already make a lot of mistakes. First, it’s really important that you bend your hips as much as possible and that you tilt your pelvis forward and avoid rounding of the lower back. Your buttocks have to point up to the ceiling by moving your hips by tensing your hip flexor. If the stretch in your hamstring is too much, you should bend your knees slightly more. Generally, the knees aren’t locked but gently bended. The stretching of your hamstring will be one of the most influencing parameters. Don’t forget your calves – you will feel a stretch as well.
If you have done all these elements of this Asana well, the next challenge will be to find the balance. If your weight is too much backward, you won’t bend your upper body as much as possible. If your weight is too much forward, you will get imbalanced. Therefore, bend your toes and press them into the ground. You have to shift weight on the balls of your feet and not on your heels. You will see how much more bending is possible, if you will consider this.
Contraindications or take care if you have a lower back injury, a tear in the hamstrings, a sciatica or problems with your eyes like glaucoma.
If this Asana is too difficult, you can adapt it in some ways. Bend your knees when your hamstring-stretch is too intensive or put your hands on the wall (instead of on the floor) and bring them parallel to the floor when someone has a back injury.
This Asana can help to stretch your back, hips, calves and hamstrings, reduce headache, massage the digestive organs, improve the digestion and strengthen the thighs and knees.
This Asana seems to be easy but it’s a big job for your body.
Sylvana F., YTT Jan. 2018