Downward-Facing Dog
Downward Dog is one of the most practised yoga poses, used as both a stretch and a transition. Bent knees are perfectly fine — a long spine matters more than straight legs.
- Level
- Beginner
- Family
- Forward fold
- Hold
- 5–10 breaths
- Works
- Hamstrings, calves, shoulders, back
- Hips up and back
- Press through the knuckles
- Bend the knees to lengthen the spine
Step by step
How to do Downward-Facing Dog
Begin Begin in Tabletop.
- 01
From Tabletop, walk the hands a palm's length forward, spread the fingers wide.
- 02
Tuck the toes under.
- 03
Exhale and lift the knees, sending the hips up and back.
- 04
Keep the knees bent at first to lengthen the spine fully.
- 05
Press the floor away, turning the upper arms outward to widen the shoulders.
- 06
Gradually straighten the legs and draw the heels toward (not necessarily to) the floor.
- 07
Let the head hang between the upper arms, neck relaxed.
- ↩
Coming out. Lower the knees to the mat and sit back into Child's Pose.
Breath
Deep, slow breaths; let each exhale send the hips higher.
Focus
Long spine; hamstring and shoulder opening
Why practise it
Stretches the back of the legs and shoulders; strengthens arms and upper back; energising.
Alignment & cues
Hands shoulder-width, feet hip-width; spine long; ears in line with upper arms.
Teacher’s cues
- “Hips up and back”
- “Press through the knuckles”
- “Bend the knees to lengthen the spine”
Common mistakes
Rounding the back to force straight legs, sinking into the shoulders and hands too close to the feet.
Make it yours
Every body is different. Use props and variations freely — they are not a lesser version of the pose.
Easier
Hands on blocks or a chair seat; keep knees bent; try Dolphin for sensitive wrists.
Variations
- Three-legged Dog
- Pedalling the feet
Props
- Blocks under hands
- Rolled mat edge under heels
Where it fits in a flow
Warm up with the poses on the left, then move into the ones on the right.
Prepare with
This pose
Follow with
Practise with care
Safety
Modify with wrist or shoulder injury, high blood pressure, glaucoma or late pregnancy (keep head above heart, use a chair).
Educational guidance, not medical advice. Stop if you feel sharp pain, pinching or dizziness, and check with a qualified teacher or health professional if you are pregnant, injured or managing a health condition.
In the tradition
Svana means dog; part of the classical Sun Salutation sequence.
Questions
Do my heels need to touch the floor?
No. Heel height depends on your anatomy; aim for a long spine first.
Is Downward Dog a resting pose?
For experienced practitioners it can feel restful, but for most people it is active. Child's Pose is the true rest.
