Yoga: Downward-Facing Dog

Most hatha yoga classes have students performing Downward-Facing Dog throughout the class. This invigorating pose is one of the foundational poses that are an integral part of many vinyasa sequences. Downward Dog livens up the body from the hips to the spine right through to the fingers and toes, making you feel more alive and vibrant.

Although the pose appears quite simple, it is actually very complex. Its benefits are also numerous. It demands a balanced effort from the arms, legs and torso and stretches and strengthens the whole body.

Downward Dog is used as a home base in many flow classes to neutralize the spine and bring it back to its natural alignment. Since it involves inversion it’s useful for beginners to experience the sensation of being upside down.

The following two versions will help you to rediscover, refine and “refeel” Downward Dog, even if you have done it countless times. This pose can uncover tightness in areas you never even knew existed. Your elbows may be weak, your lower back may round, but with time and practice the pose will provide wonderful sensations through your body, making you feel long and lithe.

The first version of the pose removes the hamstrings from the equation by bending the knees. This allows you to fully extend through your torso, giving your spine, shoulders and arms a long, full stretch.

Start by lying face down on your mat with your hands by your shoulders on the floor. Come up on your hands and knees, keeping your hand and feet in place. Your knees should be hip width and your hands should be shoulder width apart.

Your awareness should be brought to your hands and feet as they are the foundation of the pose. Spread your fingers wide and press them firmly into the mat dispersing your weight evenly across your hands. Tuck your toes under so your heels come off the floor. Lift your knees off the mat while moving your pelvis up and back and keep your knees bent. Picture yourself pushing the mat down and away from your pelvis.

Start refining the pose during the next few breaths. Check your hands to see if your index fingers and thumbs are off the mat. If they are you are bearing too much weight on the outer hands. Offset this by spreading your fingers and pushing down through your arms, trying to make a perfect palm print on your mat.

Straighten your elbows and rotate your arms away from your ears until the back of your elbows face your thumbs. Notice the sensations in your arms and shoulders and the broadening of your back.

Then shift your chest toward your legs, feeling your chest open and the armpit area lengthen. Continue to extend your arms and lift your pelvis further up and back, lengthening and unraveling your spine.

Finally release the tension in your neck, letting your head hang naturally between your arms. Stay here for 3-5 breaths and then exhale and bring your knees to the floor, resting in Child’s Pose.

Perform the first version of this pose again but lift your heels up off the floor as far as you can. Engage your quadriceps muscles of your thighs, straighten your knees and raise your pelvis to the sky. Your body should resemble a capital “A” and your pelvis should shift forward.

Roll your sitting bones up towards the sky. This should lift your heels further off the floor as the pelvis rotates. Firm your thighs and lift them up towards your hips. Draw your thighbones up into your pelvis and roll your sitting bones even higher. This will form a taller, more angled “A” shape. Use the force of your thighs to lift your legs and keep them straight and do not jam your knees back. Feel how your pelvic lift is supported by the strength of your legs.

Once again press the tops of your thighs back behind you. Do not press the knees. The pelvis should move away from your hands which will take some pressure off your arms. Stay in this position for 3-5 breaths.

The challenge of performing a classic Downward Dog is to keep your lower back from rounding when you fully extend your torso and the backs of the legs. Further practice with the two versions above will serve you well, especially if you find your lower back bulges towards the ceiling or your shoulders hunch forward. Move through versions one and two to come into the full pose.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Yoga

3 Quick and Easy Pre-Yoga Stretching Techniques

All muscles tend to tighten up when idle, particularly the long muscles in your legs, back, and the sides of your body between your hips and your armpits. Sitting for a long time in the same position at a desk or bench will often stiffen neck or shoulder muscles. Such stiffness creates tension in the body and can even influence your state of mind. But the most common danger of stiff muscles is that sudden movement that may cause damage. The following are some popular stretchers:

Bend and Sway

With your feet apart and your hands on your hips, bend the upper body to the left; then bend back as far as you can go, then to the right, and then forward. bend to the left again and repeat. After several bends, reverse direction and do several more. You should feel the muscles stretching on both sides of your body. Clasping your hands behind your neck or above your head will increase the stretching benefit.

From the same starting position as above, sway, do not rotate, from one side to the other. Extending the arms high above the head will give you maximum benefit.

Wing Flaps

To loosen the shoulder muscles, stand with your elbows out and your fists together in front of you about neck high. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor. Slowly pull your fists apart, and bring your elbows back as far as they will go. Do several smooth repetitions. Raising or lowering the level of your arms will spread the stretch up and down your shoulders.
Some other good stretchers include the bend, the groin stretch, the propeller, and the cobra.

Bend

Begin with your feet together and knees straight but relaxed. Bend slowly form the waist with your fingers pointing to your toes and your head bowed. When you have reached the farthest you can hold for 10 seconds. Then rise very slowly to a straight-up position. Repeat.
If the muscles along the back of your legs are very tight, do not expect to touch your toes right away. Just make sure that those leg muscles get a good stretch, and you will enjoy daily improvements.

Variation 1: Bend slowly forward and clasp your hand hands behind your legs. Pull your body down slowly by bending your elbows out.

Variation 2: Clasp your hands behind your legs even lower than in variation 1. Pull your body down slowly.

For both variations, hold for 10 seconds.

Want to learn about hatha yoga and more? Visit http://heyayoga.com/blog/index.phpto learn about yoga and hatha yoga.

Which Yoga Mat Is The Right One For Me?

If you are just starting out with yoga, you already know that there are a number of different pieces of equipment that you may need and the yoga mat is one of them. But, how can you choose one that is right for you? There are several things to help you make that decision and knowing a little about each yoga mat will help you to make the right choice.

The most common type of yoga mat is the sticky mat. These mats are very thin and offer a little padding. This is the traditional type of mat. There are now those that have more padding and allow for a better feel being produced. What is important is to realize the point behind having a yoga mat at all. They do several things for you. First, they can help to brace you so that you do not slip and fall when you are in one stance or the next. They can also help to provide even a small bit of padding to the knees, the hips, and the back.

Here are some of the various types of yoga mats and what they can do for you.

The Meditation Mat: This mat is usually purchased with a pillow that goes with it. The combination offers for a better sitting meditation posture. It conforms to your body?s shape while allowing you to sit properly.

Universal Style Yoga Mat: This yoga mat is one of the most basic. It has a light texture to it and a high tack surface that will allow the hands to melts into it during poses.

Deluxe Yoga Mats: These are highly textured. They often are made of high tack foam surfaces and offer a better grip all around.

For those that are a beginner, a beginner yoga mat can be quite important. These are vinyl and have a sponge foam texture to them.

Others: There are also those yoga mats that can do excellent things for you. For example, some are thicker and denser than others. Some will absorb perspiration. Some are just tougher.

In order to know which yoga mat you should purchase, you will want to consider what you plan to do with it, your level and need for comfort while doing that and what budget you have. You can always ask your yoga instructor about which mats are appropriate for the type of yoga you will be doing.

Mike Singh is a successful webmaster and publisher of http://www.yoga-made-ez.com He provides more yoga health benefits and yoga sequences for your convenience.

Yoga Blocks Are A Good Support System

Any exercise when done correctly would help in getting the proper results. Every part of the body would be rejuvenated by getting your exercise right. The yoga blocks used for doing yoga asanas would create extra strength which you need. This helps in doing most of your asanas without strain. Some of the asanas which can be done with the help of this foam is Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose),or use it to ground your lower hand in standing poses as well as a good support for your hips in bridge pose. The foam would reduce the distance of your hand from the ground making it easier to do the asanas easily.

You can get these blocks in different colors to suit your personality as well as according to your needs. These blocks are of great purpose as some of the poses which many may find it hard to do can be modified as it will get the floor closer to you. These are very lightweight and can be used on regular basis. These are easy to grip making it easy to handle the block. There are blocks made of cork too which are very durable and made of natural materials which make it environment friendly. These provide the comfort and support which is required for doing the asanas.

There are foam wedges which are also very important for doing the asanas. It is mainly used for keeping it under your heels while squatting or under the hips while doing forward bends. These foam wedges make the exercise easy and equally manageable. One can also use this to avoid the overstretching or pressuring your joints for poses such as facing dog or upward bow.

Kevin Pederson, the webmaster for Yogawiz , where you can find information on yoga basics, different yoga asanas, poses, and accessories like yoga block and bricks to make it easier .