Downward Dog
So to carry on with my yoga experience I am going to discuss downward dog with inspiration from the dog that was in our yoga class today. So far my favorite yoga classes have been because a dog was in the class trying to curl up on my mat or wanting to be pet.
Downward dog for me is one of the most uncomfortable poses and its suppose to be a feel good pose. It hurts because my shoulders are stiff, my hamstrings and calves are tight and I shake. I have been working on it, a lot! I know for most of you reading this this pose is basic and easy, but I know there are some of you out there like me. There was a guy in my class next to me who after the class said he thought I was making fun of him during the class but soon realized that I truly was inflexible and wasn’t imitating his inflexibility.
I’ve be trying out a few things to make downward dog suit my body a bit better. One person taught me to slightly bend my knees, but the weight is still to forward on my shoulders. One of the best ways I found was to use a wall, a ledge, a chair or blocks to take some strain off my shoulders.
This pic is an example of using a wall and a chair. I love these outfits they crack me up!
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Disclaimer – as you know, I’m not a yoga instructor, however over the years I’ve learned somethings about DD that sometime aren’t taught in class –
Push down strongly through your feet (or your toes), engage your quads and bhandas and push up through your sit bones. In doing all of this try to make yourself feel like you’re floating up and back, try to find the lightness somewhere. Also, push through your middle finger and anchor your entire hand. This should stack your bones a bit more and take some of the pain away from your shoulders.
Okay, so that’s a lot to think about but really, it starts to take the pressure off of your shoulders. You have super strong legs, so use that strength in your quads to engage through your legs to take the stress out of your shoulders.
DD should be a balance between a lifting up and pushing down, balanced through both the legs and the arms – share the pain in all your limbs! 😉
Thanks Sara those are some really good things to think about. I need all the help I can get, and I know I’m not the only one who feels awkward doing downward dog.