In Sanskrit, "Adho" means downward, "mukh" means face and "svan" means
dog. In this asana, the practitioner's face is downwards, hence the
name.
Sequence:
- Lie on the floor on your abdomen.
- Raise your body to position the body on all fours, palms, knees and toes touching the floor.
- Keep your knees apart and right beneath the hips and the palms a bit ahead of the shoulders.
- Spread out your fingers.
- Exhale and raise your knees off the ground.
- Keep your knees slightly bent and your heels off the ground.
- Raise your body up further, lengthening your tail bone.
- Lift your buttocks further up so they face towards the ceiling.
- Lengthen your thighs and stretch the heels so that they touch the ground.
- Keep your knees straight but still apart.
- Roll the upper thighs inward slightly and roll the heels outward slightly.
- Press your palms on the floor and straighten your arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders.
- Open up your shoulders and move them towards the tailbone.
- Keep your head in between the two arms.
- Hold the pose for about a minute. Gradually raise it to three minutes.
- Return to initial position in reverse order.
Caution:
- Pregnant women should avoid this yoga posture
- If your wrists are sensitive or injured do not perform this yoga posture.
Benefits:
- The yoga pose can be used to overcome stress and depression.
- It improves the digestive system.
- Adho Mukha Svanasana can be very beneficial for patients of high blood pressure, asthma, sciatica and sinusitis.
- The shoulders, legs, spine and whole body get stretched.
- Woman with menopause can benefit from this posture.
- This yoga pose relieves fatigue and rejuvenates the body.
