Downward Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) – Health Benefits, How to Do It & Precautions

The art of practising yoga daily helps strengthen the mind, body and soul. One of the most popular yoga poses, Adho Mukha Svanasana or the downward dog pose, helps relieve chronic pain in the back, shoulders, and arms.

Although it may look easy, it is a complex wellness practice. This yoga pose requires a lot of strength. Read the full article to know all about this exercise, its benefits, precautions, and many more.

Downward dog pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana is a popular standing yoga pose that improves blood circulation. 'Adho' means downward, 'Mukha' means face, and 'Svan' means dog. 'S. Additionally, it ensures a full body stretch where you have to expand the body on all four limbs. You can perform this yoga pose as a resting (Ashtanga) or a transitional pose (Vinyasa).

Moreover, as this yoga pose involves stretching and strengthening, performing this pose will help you gain flexibility and balance physically. However, ensure to perform and practice this exercise with utmost care. If you have stiff hamstrings or shoulders, this asana can be challenging. You must have a trainer to guide you through this yogasana initially.

The downward pose comes with numerous health benefits. They are as follows:

1. Tones Your Lower Abdomen

Since this yoga pose engages the core muscles of your body, it helps to tone the lower abdomen. This additionally ensures shedding fat from your abdomen too. Moreover, it relieves you from any back pain, as you use the strength of your arms and legs to evenly stretch your spine.

2. Increases Blood Circulation

This pose helps to stimulate blood flow as it places the heart above your head. It is an inverted ‘V’ position and initiates blood flow to your head. Enhancing your energy and focus, this asana will ensure instant relief from stiff neck pains and painful shoulders.

3. Strengthens Your Bones

Downward dog pose is a weight-bearing yoga pose that helps to strengthen your bones. If you practice downward yoga daily, it will provide strength and balance to your upper body. Therefore, you will be able to manage osteoporosis. In addition, the downward dog position works on your shoulders gently.

4. Stretches the Backside of Your Legs

Apart from your spine, the hamstrings and calf muscles will feel stretched too. The benefit of Adho Mukha Svanasana includes opening the backside of your legs as you stretch them gradually. This will provide relief to the back muscles of your legs.

5. Strengthens Your Arms

Since the downward pose initiates strengthening the upper portion of your body, it tones your arms making them stronger. While performing this pose, you must press your palms against the floor and put pressure on your muscles.

6. Helps to Stretch Your Back

The downward dog pose eases your back pain as it stretches your backside. As you stretch the spine, it will enhance the oxygen supply to different parts of your body. You must practice this asana daily to stay stronger.

Other Benefits:

The other benefits of this yogasana are:

• This yoga pose pumps oxygenated blood to your body and hence helps keep cough and cold away.
• This yoga pose increases blood flow to your head and supplies nutrients to your hair.
• Adho Mukha Svanasana helps fight against indigestion, acidity, and gastric problems.
• One of the major benefits of downward dog pose is that it affects the pituitary gland, which further maintains insulin levels in your body.
• Downward dog pose cures swollen veins, commonly known as varicose veins.
• This pose improves your retaining power as well as your memory.
• This pose strengthens the smaller tissues in your feet, such as the plantar fascia.
• Since there is blood flow to your brain and face, it boosts the texture of your skin, allowing you to have healthy and glowing skin.
• If you have panic attacks, Adho Mukha Svanasana is beneficial for you.

Following is a step-by-step guide to perform a downward dog pose:

Step 1: Firstly, come down to your knees and hands, placing your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.

Step 2: Push back through your hands after curling in your toes. Then lift your hips and stretch your legs carefully.

Step 3: Spread your fingers and press down against the floor with your palms to exert pressure on your fingertips.

Step 4: Rotate your upper arms outward to help broaden your collar bones.

Step 5: Allow your head to hang. Then, slowly shift your shoulder blades away from the ears and towards the hips.

Step 6: You must firmly engage your quadriceps to take off your body's burden from your arms. This is the resting pose.

Step 7: Keep your tail high, place your heels towards the floor and rotate your thighs inward gently.

Step 8: Make sure that the distance between the hands and your feet is similar in both resting and transitional poses.

Step 9: Slowly exhale and bend your knees, allowing yourself to release and come back to your original posture.

The downward dog pose requires a lot of practice and peace of mind. Therefore, consulting a trainer to assist you while you begin this pose is beneficial. Following are the tips to keep in mind as you practice this exercise:

• Start With Smaller Movements: For beginners, it is recommended to start with smaller movements as it becomes more accessible and easier. For example, try to use yoga blocks as a prop while you stretch your hands. After practising for a few days, this will automatically become easier to perform.
• Modify Your Heel Placement: If you experience difficulty extending your legs while keeping your backside straight, you can modify the placement of your heels. This will cause relief as you can allow your heels to rise off the floor smoothly. When you decide to stretch further, try to move your heels back to the floor.
• Try Using a Chair: If you have limited flexibility, this yoga pose can seem strenuous on your body. Instead, use a chair to leverage your arms and help your body to be in a ‘V’ position. You can then carefully place your feet back till you feel the stretch.
• Avoid Locking Your Knees: As you extend your legs while doing the pose, do not extend or stretch your knees more than required. This is to avoid locking your knees which may lead to straining your joints and injury. Instead, try to keep your legs straight and try to bend your knees slightly. This will ensure adequate stability and balance.
• Keep Your Back Straight: One of the main benefits of downward dog pose in yoga is that it strengthens your back. Therefore, avoid bending while performing this exercise. Instead, tilt the pelvis forward, so your spine is straight.
• Use Yoga Ropes for Extension: If you are performing this yoga pose in a gym or a studio, you can take the help of extension ropes. These yoga ropes attached to the walls help you stretch while performing specific poses.

Although there are several benefits of downward facing dog pose, it comes with a lot of precautions and contraindications:

• Avoid overstretching your body, as this can cause strain and injury.
• Do not perform this asana if you have had a serious injury to any of your body parts.
• Avoid this yoga pose if you have a headache or nausea.
• If you are pregnant, you must not perform this yoga pose.
• If you have high blood pressure issues, it is better not to perform this asana.
• Avoid this asana if you have carpal tunnel syndrome (tingling/pain in your forearms).

Since the downward dog pose is a bit complex, here are the modifications you can do:

• Bend Your Knees: Slightly bend your knees by lifting your tailbone and heels.
• Use Wall as a Prop: By facing the wall, you can bend your hips and maintain a straight spine. Press your hands on the wall.
• Place a Block: If you want to ensure proper alignment in this exercise, you can place a block between your thighs.
• Cushion Under Your Head: To relieve stress on your neck, place a cushion or block under your head.
• Knees On Mat: For a comfortable posture, place your knees on a mat.

So now that you know the downward dog pose, its benefits, and precautions while performing, try doing it with the help of your trainer. This yogasana will benefit you if you face digestion problems or chronic back pains.