Upward-Facing Dog

How to do Upward-Facing Dog

• Lie on your front with the hands beside the lower ribs and the tops of the feet down
• Press into the hands and the tops of the feet and straighten the arms
• Lift the thighs and knees off the floor, so only the hands and feet touch the mat
• Draw the shoulders back and down, away from the ears, and lift the chest forward
• Keep the gaze forward or slightly up, with the back of the neck long
• Hold for 1 to 3 breaths, then lift the hips back into Downward Dog

Up Dog vs Cobra

In Cobra the elbows stay bent and the legs, hips and often the lower ribs rest on the floor; the back muscles do most of the lifting. In Up Dog the arms straighten and the thighs lift, so the arms and legs carry the body and the backbend is bigger. Cobra is the standard choice for beginners and for anyone with sore wrists or a sensitive lower back.

Protecting the wrists and lower back

• Wrists under the shoulders, fingers spread and pressing through the whole hand
• Shoulders above the wrists, not sinking or hunching towards the ears
• Legs active and pressing back, so the bend spreads along the spine instead of folding at the lower back
• Blocks under the hands give more room for the chest and less wrist load

In Sun Salutations

In a flow, Up Dog usually comes after Chaturanga or a lowered Plank: roll over the toes or flip the feet one at a time, lift the chest, then move back to Downward Dog. Take Cobra or Baby Cobra instead whenever you feel tired; there is no need to do Up Dog in every round. Avoid it with a wrist or back injury and in pregnancy.