Upward Facing Dog

About This Pose

Upward Facing Dog is a deeper backbend than Cobra and asks more of the arms, wrists, and back. In a Sun Salutation it appears between Chaturanga and Downward Dog. Done correctly it's a full-body engagement. Done carelessly it's a lower back cruncher. From a prone position or the bottom of a pushup, place the hands under the shoulders and straighten the arms fully while lifting the thighs off the mat. Only the tops of the feet and the hands touch the floor. The chest lifts and the spine extends. The thigh lift is what separates Upward Dog from Cobra. Keeping the thighs off the floor requires the back, glutes, and quadriceps to engage simultaneously. Most beginners find this difficult at first and let the thighs rest on the mat, which is fine. A low Cobra with thighs on the mat is a better starting point than an Upward Dog with collapsed form. The shoulders should be above the wrists or slightly behind them, not in front. If the shoulders are in front of the wrists, the pose is compressed and the wrist load increases. The neck stays long. Looking up sharply in Upward Dog cranks the cervical spine. The gaze goes slightly forward or straight ahead. This is an energizing pose. The chest opening and the full spinal extension stimulate the nervous system and counteract the accumulated fatigue of a long practice.

How to Practice

1. 1

   From Cobra or lying prone, place the hands flat under the shoulders.

2. 2

   On an inhale, press firmly into the hands and straighten the arms fully.

3. 3

   Lift the thighs completely off the mat, balancing on the tops of the feet and the hands only.

4. 4

   Roll the shoulders back and open the chest fully — this is a deep backbend.

5. 5

   Keep the neck long and avoid crunching the back of the neck by looking too far up.

6. 6

   Hold for 3–5 breaths. Exhale to lower, or press back to Downward Facing Dog.

Benefits

• Deep chest opener, strengthens the back and arms, energising