How to Perform Downward Facing Dog in Yoga

Downward facing dog, or adho mukha svanasana in Sanskrit, is an integral pose for any yoga practice.^[1] You can do this asana, or posture, alone, as part of sun salutations, or even as a rest pose. If you are an experienced yogi or just getting started, there are different ways you can practice downward facing dog.

EditSteps

EditPracticing Downward Facing Dog from a Standing Position

1. Stand in tadasana. Start by standing in tadasana, or mountain pose, at the front of a yoga mat. This will allow you to most easily flow into downward facing dog from a standing position.
   
   • In tadasana, or mountain pose, you stand at the front of a yoga mat with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Gaze forward, spread your toes, and make sure your balance is evenly distributed between both feet.^[2]
   • Make sure to engage your abdominals and lightly pull your sacrum toward the ground.
   • Inhale and exhale evenly through your nose. If you can, make a slight sound like the sea when you breathe. This is called ujjayi breathing and can help you flow through your downward dog more effectively.^[3]
2. Place your hands in a prayer position and set an intention. No yoga practice, even if it is just doing downward facing dog, is complete without setting an intention. By taking a few seconds to dedicate your practice to something, you may be more effective at doing downward facing dog.
   
   • Lightly touch the bases of your palms, then the palms themselves, and finally your fingers to make prayer hands. You can leave a small space between your palms if you like to let energy flow. Place your prayer hands on your sternum, near your heart.
   • If you don’t know what your intention is, consider something as simple as “letting go.”
3. Inhale and raise your prayer hands into an upward salute. Once you’ve set your intention, inhale and raise your hands towards the ceiling in an upward salute, which is also called urdhva hastasana.^[4] Gently arch your back as you look up past your hands.
   
   • Make sure to completely extend your elbows and reach up through your fingers towards the ceiling. Only tip your head back slightly, making sure not to compress your cervical spine.^[5]
   • Do this without hunching your shoulders and make sure to keep your chest open.
4. Exhale and hinge into standing forward bend. Exhale and “plunge” into standing forward bend, which is also called uttanasana.^[6]
   
   • It’s important to keep your back straight and hinge forward at your waist as you transition from upward salute (urdhva hastasana) to standing forward bend (uttanasana).
   • Plant your palms flat on the floor next to either foot. Your fingers should point forward and be fully spread apart so that your entire palm is pressing into the floor, which will help distribute your weight evenly between your hands and your feet.
   • It’s important to keep your abs engaged and in contact with your thighs.^[7] If necessary, bend your knees to keep this contact.
   • If your palms don’t reach the floor, put them on blocks so that your entire hand is pressing into the floor.^[8]
5. Inhale and extend your spine into standing half forward bend. Gently inhale and extend your spine into a standing half forward bend, which is also called ardha uttanasana. This position will make it easier for you to enter downward facing dog.
   
   • Make sure to keep your spine straight as you extend halfway upward. Keep your palms firmly planted on the floor next to your feet.^[9]
   • Make sure to keep your abs engaged while you’re in this position.^[10]
6. Exhale and step or jump back to plank pose. Depending on how experienced you are at yoga either step or jump back into Adho Mukha Dandasana. This will be your preparatory pose before completing the vinyasa to adho mukha savasana or downward facing dog.
   
7. Exhale and push your hips towards the sky as you step each foot back until your body is in the shape of an inverted “V" for downward facing dog. If you are a beginner yogi, first step your right foot back followed by your left. Your body will end up in an inverted “V” shape, which is downward facing dog or adho mukha savasana. This position should feel calming and allow you to rest as you get deeper into the asana, or pose.
   
   • Keep your palms pressing flat against the floor and your abs engaged.^[11]
   • Your heels may or may not touch the floor depending on how flexible your lower back, hamstrings, and calf muscles are. The more you practice, the easier it will be to get your heels to the floor.^[12]
   • Keep lifting your sitting bones towards the ceiling.^[13]
   • Keep your gaze towards your navel, but make sure you’re head is hanging comfortably.^[14]
   • Inhale and exhale steadily for as many breaths as you like.^[15]
8. Cycle back through this vinyasa and return to mountain pose. As you become more experienced you can vary the vinyasas you cycle through to achieve certain poses.

EditPracticing Downward Facing Dog from a Kneeling Position

1. Start in Child's Pose. Begin by kneeling on a yoga mat or the floor. Bring your knees together and your buttocks to your feet. Exhale and slowly rest your torso over your thighs so that your forehead touches the mat.
2. Exhale, spread your knees wide, bring your feet together, stretch your arms out in front with your belly between your legs and push back to downward facing dog. From balasana, or child’s pose, exhale and push your sitting bones towards the ceiling. You should end up in an inverted “V” position, which is downward facing dog, or adho mukha savasana in Sanskrit.^[16] This position should feel calming and allow you to rest as you get deeper into the asana, or pose.
   
   • Keep your palms pressing flat against the floor and your abs engaged.^[17]
   • Roll your shoulders down your back and arms inward so the eyes of your elbows are facing one another.^[18]
   • Your toes may not be flexible enough to allow you to roll over them. If this is the case, modify the pose by picking up your feet and placing the backs on the floor.
   • Your heels may or may not touch the floor, depending on how flexible your lower back, hamstrings, and calf muscles are. The more you practice, the easier it will be to get your heels to the floor.^[19]
   • Keep lifting your sitting bones towards the ceiling.^[20]
   • Keep your gaze towards your navel, but make sure you’re head is hanging comfortably.^[21]
   • Inhale and exhale steadily for as many breaths as you like.^[22]

EditVideo

EditThings You'll Need

• Yoga mat
• Comfortable clothing.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Do Cow Face Pose in Yoga
• Perform Cobra Pose in Yoga
• Help Back Problems with Pilates and Yoga
• Do Backbend Stretches
• Reduce Forehead Wrinkles With Face Yoga
• Breathe Like a Yoga Master
• Do a Standing Hip Hinge

EditSources and Citations

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