What is Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and Its Benefits?

Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog Pose

We will explore about the famous inverted pose that is Downward Facing Dog Pose also known as the Adho Mukha Svanasana. Yoga poses combines the physical fitness with enhance the mental calmness and growth. There are wide variety of poses from foundational to more advanced pose. A yoga poses blog highlights that how safely you will perform each pose. So, we will explore about What is the Downward Facing Dog Pose with its steps and benefits.

What is the Downward Facing Dog Pose?

Downward Facing Dog Pose  is a yoga pose that’s also known as the Adho Mukha Savanasana, has many health benefits. The name comes from Sanskrit, where Adho means “down”, Mukha means “face”, Savana means, “dog”, and asana means, “posture”, or “seat”. The pose is named is so because it quite resembles a dog that facing downward and stretching its body.

The gravity reversing inverted pose cause blood flow in other directions that helps for better uptake of oxygen into the body. It improves blood circulation. Downward Facing Dog Pose  lengthen the spine, open the shoulders. It helps to relieve back pain and neck pain.

How to Practice Adho Mukha Svanasana?

Adho mukha svanasana is quite easy to perform. In fact, it is one of the best pose for beginner to start their yoga journey.

Steps to perform Downward Facing Dog Pose:

  • Step 1: First, kneel on your hands and knees, ensuring that your wrists are aligned beneath your shoulder and your knees are aligned under your hips.
  • Step 2: Bend your body upper body forward and place your hands on floor, with your palm aligned in line with your shoulders. And this point, you should essentially be balancing your body on your knees, feet, and palms.
  • Step 3: From this position, exhale, curl your toes and gently lift your knees of the floor. You should continue to face downward, and your heels should not be in contact with floor. This means you will now be balancing your body on your palm and toes.
  • Step 4: Keep your knees and elbows bent slightly and keep breathing.
  • Step 5: Now, lengthen your tailbone and straighten both your elbow and knees. Bring your heels downward until they touch the floor. At this point you feel a nice stretch in your hamstrings.
  • Step 6: Hold a pose for a while and take a few deep breaths.
  • Step 7: Then, bend your knees and elbow, gently exhale and get back into the sitting position.

We are discussed the step of this inverted Downward Facing Dog Pose. Now, we are going to explain about the benefits of the Adho Mukha Svanasana.

Benefits of Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Here are the benefits of the Downward Facing Dog Pose:

  • Strengthens the body: Adho Mukha Svanasana engage in multiple muscle groups, including arms, upper back abdomen ,shoulders and legs. Its helps for those people who sit and works on desk for a long period of time.
  • Stretches the body: Adho Mukha Svanasana helps to stretch spine, ankles, calves, hamstrings and the back of the body.
  • Improves circulation: This pose increase blood circulation in brain, heart and sensory organs. It also increase circulation in lymphatic system.
  • Improves respiration: Adho Mukha Svanasana opens the chest cavity and it good for respiration.
  • Relieves muscle fatigue: This pose helps muscles to regain their ability to generate force and maintain contractions.
  • Calms the mind: This pose helps to relax and calms the mind and soothe the nervous system.
  • Help with digestion: Adho Mukha Svanasana helps to improves your digestive system.
  • Relieves pain: This pose helps to relieve pain and stiffness in the legs.
  • Helps in organ dysfunction: Adho Mukha Svanasana may help reduce the chances of organ dysfunction related to hypertension.
  • Rejuvenates brain cell: This pose helps rejuvenate brain cells and stimulates the brain.
  • Improves your body posture: This pose helps improve the slumpy posture by practicing adho mukha svanasana because of sedentary lifestyle this will badly impact your body posture. This asana will open up your shoulders and lengthen your spine.
  • Improves your focus and energy: In this Adho Mukha Svanasana, you are inverted V position, which means your heart is above your head. This will improve the blood flow to your head. Adho Mukha Svanasana will enhance your focus and energy.

 Types of  Adho Mukha Svanasana:

There are several variation of downward facing dog pose also known as adho mukha svanasana:

1. Three leg downward- facing dog pose: Also known as tri pada adho much savanasana  , this variation is deep hip opening pose that helps build hip and leg flexibility.

2. Revolved downward facing dog: Also known as parivrtta adho mukha Svanasana, this variation helps to deeper stretch in hamstring and improves balance and coordination.

3. Forearm plank pose: Also known as makara adho mukha Svanasana, this variation helps arms, legs, core, and glutes.

4. Standing split pose: Also known as urdhva prasarita eka pdasna ,this variation with support of arms and shoulders, flexibility of both upper body and lower body improved.

5. Revolved downward facing dog pose: Also known as parivrtta adho Mukha svanasana . This variation, where one hand reaches across the ankle. This pose with hand twist challenges strength, aiding and stimulating digestion.

Summary:

Adho Mukha Svanasana is the famous inverted pose. We explored about the steps and benefits of this Pose. This is the best pose to give a to start yoga journey for your good health. This pose activate your muscles by stretching and strengthening the body.