Yoga Pose:
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Important Note
Take special precautions while doing any asana. If you are learning yoga, then take the advice of a knowledgeable person. Do not put any kind of force in the event of pain or unable to do so. Keep in mind that you will be able to succeed only with constant practice.
Brief Introduction Of The Adho Mukha Svanasana
A pose of Yoga, Adho Mukha Svanasana happens to be a Surya Namaskar sequence. It is a very beneficial pose that can help stretch your entire body, particularly your shoulders, hamstrings, calves and hands. The name arises from the blend of the Sanskrit terms ‘Adha’ meaning ‘Down’, ‘Mukha’ standing for ‘Face’, ‘Svana’ referring to ‘Dog’ and ‘Asana’ – which is ‘Pose’. Your body should be flexible enough and your upper body needs to have sufficient strength for practicing this pose. While you practice Adho Mukha Svanasana, you have to balance your own body. This is a yoga pose that beginners can do, although not everyone can perform it easily.
How To Do The Adho Mukha Svanasana?
To be able to perform this pose, it is better to warm up first by performing the Plank Pose (Phalakasana) or the Forward Bend Pose (Uttanasana). Then, you need to practice the following steps:
- You need to get into the table-top position to be able to do this pose. It is possible to achieve this position by getting your body balanced on the wrists and knees in such a way that your two wrists and two knees look like a table’s legs and your trunk forms it top.
- Lift the knees up little by little, taking care that your toes are into the ground, firmly. You have to do this while you breathe out.
- Extend the arms into the forward direction, so that your upper body gets tilted to the front. Keep the palms in, and maintain the alignment of each palm with the connecting shoulder.
- Go deeper into the pose. Lift your knees as much as your hips allow you. Your body needs to be in the shape of an inverted ‘V’. Keep the curve on your back in an inwards direction. While you perform this pose, make sure that it does – at any point - protrude in an outwards direction. Keep the neck and head in proper alignment, and allow your ears to graze either shoulder softly.
- Push your coccyx (tailbone) as much as possible with comfort. It is conducted to give the body the best stretch, particularly the calves and the back. Stay in this way for as long as 15 to 20 breaths.
- Go back to the position of table-top, while breathing out softly and bending the knees back. Go on repeating this pose for as many as 8 times.
Benefits Of The Adho Mukha Svanasana
The Downward Facing Dog Pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana has plenty of benefits for the well-being of practitioners:
When you perform this exercise, it can lead to muscular relaxation. While trying to perform the pose, your attempt of pulling the hands can raise the tension in the tendons of muscles. The spinal column, as a response to this tension, sends a signal to your muscles that they should relax. As you stretch through this pose, it can help secrete endorphins – which can relax your mind and body.
- Reduces Anxiety
When you perform this exercise, it can lead to muscular relaxation. While trying to perform the pose, your attempt of pulling the hands can raise the tension in the tendons of muscles. The spinal column, as a response to this tension, sends a signal to your muscles that they should relax. As you stretch through this pose, it can help secrete endorphins – which can relax your mind and body.
- Makes the abdominal muscles stronger
- Boosts circulation
- Aids in better digestion
- Helps tone the extremities
Precautions To Be Taken While Doing The Adho Mukha Svanasana
- It is important to practice this pose in a proper alignment, as it is easy to get misaligned while performing it.
- While you lift the torso and the hips, avoid straining. Never put a lot of weight over the hands only. Distribute it in a uniform way on the feet and the hands.
- Avoid the practice of this workout if you are suffering from any type of physical problem, such as inflammation of ears and eyes, injured or weak heel or shoulder or carpal tunnel syndrome. If you are suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure, you can perform the pose – but only gently.
- Those who have any of their joints chronically inflamed should first recover in a proper way, before beginning to practice this pose.
- It is highly suggested that you warm up the calf muscles, wrists and arms to be able to perform this pose easily.
- If you are experiencing any injury or ache in the back, shoulders, feet or wrists, never try this pose.
- Carry out this pose only when you are on an empty stomach. It is better that you allow a gap of 2 to 3 hours between your meals.
- Do not try this yoga pose at all, in case you have any type of stomach disorder or cardiac problems.
- Never fan the palms out while trying this pose out. Keep them inwards for proper precision and balance.
Conclusion
This is a wonderful yoga pose, which should best be performed in the early morning – preferably at daybreak, before starting other activities of the day. You can get all the wonderful advantages of solar energy, which can complement the effects of this amazing pose for giving better mental and physical balance, harmony and strength.
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