Upward Facing Dog – Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana
In the previous position your exhaled and jumped your feet back and lowered down to the floor.
In this position, which is a strong back bend, you
- inhale
- lift the shoulders up towards the ceiling
- straighten your arms, leaving your hips near the floor
- the top of your feet move foward and down towards the floor
- your gaze is down the nose towards the horizon.
How to do it
At the beginning of an inhale lift your shoulders up from the hover position or off of the floor. Continuing lifting the shoulders until the arms are straight and the shoulders are over the tips of your fingers.
Your hands should be in the same position on the floor as they were in Chaturanga Dandasana (the previous position). Continue to keep your hands flat to the floor with the fingers pointing straight ahead.
As you lift the shoulders move your hips forward and rolling over your toes bring the tops of your feet to the floor.
Keep the shoulder blades together and down the back away from the ears. Lift the torso up through the shoulders. There should be a gentle and comfortable curve in the low back. Your shoulders should be over your hands and heading towards your fingertips.
You should gaze down your nose towards the horizon and continue to engage Uddiyana Bundha.
Modifications
If it hurts to roll over your toes to bring the top of your feet to the floor then you can flip your feet back one at a time and bring the top of the feet towards the floor.
If you can not lift your hips off of the floor then leave your elbows bent slightly and leave your hips on the floor. You should still have the top of your feet on the floor.
If you can not straighten your arms then leave them bent and your hips resting on the floor. You should still have the top of your feet on the floor.
Cautions
Your hands should be flat to the floor. Your weight should be over your wrists and the top of the palms.
Your shoulder blades should be coming towards each other and descending down the back.
You should lift your torso up between your shoulders.
Do not force your hips down towards the floor.
Do not look up towards the ceiling and compress the back of your neck.
Next
The sixth position of the Sun Salute series is next. Downward facing dog is a strong forward bend.
Previous Position (Chaturanga Dandasana)
Next Position (Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Shvanasana)
