Poses >> Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana – Upward Facing Dog Pose
• Strengthens the arms and wrists
    • Increases the flexibility of the spine 
• Stretches the chest, lungs, shoulders and abdomen
    • Opens the heart and lungs
    • Eases sciatica

1)    Lie flat on the floor on your belly with your forehead on the floor. Feel the length of your neck and spine extending down through the low back and legs before you begin.
2)    Place your hands on the floor close to the hips with elbows bent toward the ceiling and your forearms relatively perpendicular with the floor.
3)    Activate the legs, reaching back through the inner thighs and extending the feet, pointing through the toes. As you firm your thigh muscles onto the thighbones, extend back through the thighs as you press the tops of the feet evenly into the floor. Pressing the little toe side of the foot down, lengthen the inner legs out through the feet.
4)    On an inhalation, press the hands firmly into the floor and slightly back as if you could drag yourself forward on the mat. Straighten the arms, and lift the chest up and forward. Allow the lifting of the heart and belly to lift the pelvis and legs as well, so that the only points of contact with the ground are the palms and the tops of the feet and toes. Firm the arms without locking the elbows, and sharpen the triceps.
5)    Press the tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel. Narrow the hip points. Soften the hips down as you reach the inner arms back and firm the thigh, lifting all four corners of the torso out of the hips.
6)    Without forcing the ribs forward, press the shoulder blades deeply into the back and draw the sternum up. Lift the ears off the shoulder. Lift the crown of the head. Release and lengthen the back of the neck and look up slightly.


Video and Text by Yogamates Featured Teacher: Daniel Stewart