STRIKE A POSE So, Ive decided to pick a pose every week, break it down, talk you through it and explain the the benefits. Lets start with your favourite... Downward Facing Dog 1. Start on hands and knees – hands shoulder width apart, knees hip width apart. 2. Spread your fingers wide (middle finger facing towards the top of your mat) to create a stable base, take your weight back to your heels and lift your seat bones (buttocks) high. 3. Reach your heels towards the ground 4. Direct your weight up and back – seat bones high, heels low. 5. Feel a strong connection between your hands and the mat but allow the weight to fall more towards middle finger and thumb, into the finger tips. Try lifting the palm a little to ease compression in the wrists. Keep reaching those seat bones to the sky. 6. Press down firmly through all four corners of your feet (balls of the feet and heels – even if not touching the ground feel them pressing down towards the earth). 7. Draw your shoulder blades down your back 8. Rotate your elbows slightly, towards the front of your mat (open up the shoulders) 9. Draw your front ribs in 10. Avoid pushing the chest towards the ground or sinking into the posture if you are super flexible. Think about creating a pyramid or triangle shape – no bowing, strong symmetrical lines You should now have a beautiful downward facing dog! Modifications Bend your knees if your hamstrings are tight – this will allow greater access to your pelvis and you’ll be able reach up and back more easily. If your wrists are weak or feel under strain, you can come down to dolphin pose (forearms). Benefits: 1. It builds bone density – poses that place weight on the arms and shoulders are great for building upper body strength and maintaining bone density – very important for women to reduce risk of osteoporosis. 2. It wakes you up – works well to restore energy after a long day at the office or equally after a hard workout! B.K.S Iyengar, founder of Iyengar Yoga recommended spending at least a minute in this pose to bring back lost energy to runners after a hard race! Give a go & let me know ;) 3. It eliminates stiffness and back pain – great for relieving upper back and shoulder pain. If you practice with good alignment, it can make your upper back more flexible and less likely to store tension. 4. It boosts circulation – Any inversion (heart above the head) is good for the circulatory system. Encourages blood flow through the body – flushing out toxins, keeping our immune system in shape and helps regulate blood pressure (be careful though if you have high blood pressure – may be best avoided) 5. Its a good check in with your body – Spending time in Downward Dog allows us time to evaluate how our bodies are feeling as it stretches the whole body at once – arms, legs, back. We can notice what feels good and what areas may need a little extra TLC.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 19:30:00 +0000
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