ehealthyland.com

Yoga:

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) | Adho Mukha Svanasana Yoga

If you let your ankles sink nicely to the floor in this Asana, you stretch the calves at the same time. In Yoga, this pose is often used as an exercise in between other exercises, but it is in fact an exercise in itself. Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Downward Facing Dog pose is a Hatha Yoga posture. The name comes from the Sanskrit words adho = downward,mukha =face ,svana = dog, asana = pose.

Come onto the floor on your hands and knees. Set your knees directly below your hips and your hands slightly forward of your shoulders. Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or slightly turned out, and turn your toes under. At first keep the knees slightly bent and the heels lifted away from the floor. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and press it lightly toward the pubis.Exhale and lift your knees and draw your back backwards from the pelvis, so that your arms and back form one line.

Straighten your knees but be sure not to lock them.Stretch your legs in such a way that you get the feeling that someone behind you is pulling your legs and hips backwards from the top of your upper legs.The top of the head can be pointing down towards the mat or in line with the direction of force through the arms.This can be corrected by glancing at the feet for a moment when entering the Downward Dog Pose.

From these two points lift along your inner arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders. Firm your shoulder blades against your back, then widen them and draw them toward the tailbone.This results in a stretching from two sides of the back: a stretching from the pelvis and a stretching from the arms. When the back and the chest are placed correctly, you will notice that you can quietly breathe in and out through the belly. You should not let your chest hang downwards or make your back extremely sunken.

If this is not possible, then move closer to the wall and lift the hands high enough that the elbows can straighten. If you can feel a stretch here, then do this 2 or 3 times a day for 1 to 3 minutes great time to practice full breathing. You can make it a short meditation time. If you don’t feel anything, then step a little further away from the wall and move the hands lower. Once you can do this and your torso is parallel to the ground then move the hands to a table or sofa or chair.

Benefits:

1.Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, sinusitis.

2.Stretches and strengthens the whole body. Can help relieve back pain.

3.Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue

4.Improves digestion

5.Helps prevent osteoporosis

6.Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with head supported

7.Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause

8.Strengthens the arms and legs

9.Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands

10.Energizes the body.

11.Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression.