Upward-Facing Pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) 🐩

urdhva (up) + mukha (face) + svana (dog) + asana (pose)

Yogis, like mothers, aren´t supposed to play favourites, but this is one of mine - & not because our border collie (& cats, to be fair) were/are daily practitioners of the pose. Whether you choose to Up Your Dog in your daily sun salutation &/or chaturnaga, or incorporate it into a vinayasa, up-dog is an amazing core-activating, energy-boosting, heart-opening back bend that combats fatigue & depression. If your upper back is tight, your lower back will most likely overcompensate, so it’s important to warm-up with poses like Sphinx, Cobra or Bridge. For many yogis, our UpDog´s kissing cousin Cobra is enough of a back bend - no worries; it´s all good. In full Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, you´ll find yourself actively pressing the tops of your feet onto the mat in order to lift your kneecaps up, & this will engage your quads. (If lifting your legs is not available to you, keep your knees on the ground.) Focus on staying active through your legs rather than over-arching your back - you´ll find that you´ll achieve more length that way. Like other poses that encourage you to look up, raise your head (if this is accessible to you) only towards the crease between the wall & the ceiling. That should be your drishti point - if your neck allows it. Remember to reward yourself afterwards with some Locust Pose, Down Dog, & Child´s Pose - traditional or Extended. And then ask yourself: who´s a good yogi? (I am! I am!)

​ Benefits:

• ​strengthens your wrists, arms, shoulders, pelvis, & back muscles

• stretches, strengthens, & lengthens your quadriceps, psoas, shin muscles, & posterior ankles

• opens the heart (the diaphragm expands, & your breath capacity increases)

• increases flexibility & range of motion

• stimulates the abdominal muscles

• lengthens the spine

• boosts energy & fights fatigue

• energizes the mind & body

• stimulates the endocrine & thyroid glands

• helps to improve your posture

• can be therapeutic for asthma.

Remember: draw your hips & chest slightly forward as you press through the palms to bring expansion despite the strain. Also, be mindful about "turtling" your neck! Draw your shoulders away from the ears by lengthening down along the back armpits, pulling the shoulder blades towards your tailbone. Distributing your weight evenly is the key to this pose.

Props: Use a block under your palms if you need help pulling your shoulders away from the ears. A block will also give you added support as you tuck your toes under. A folded blanket under your thighs will give you added comfort & support by taking pressure off your lower back. For many, your yoga mat on a chair positioned against a wall will be an excellent introduction or alternative to Upward-facing Dog on the floor.

Avoid or modify Upward-facing Dog if you:

• have any wrist (like carpal tunnel syndrome), ankle, neck, &/or shoulder injuries

• have undergone recent knee, ankle, shoulder, wrist, hip, or spinal surgeries

• suffer from back pain, be mindful how deeply you go

• suffer from cervical-spondylosis (wear & tear affecting the spinal disks in your neck)

• are pregnant; be mindful how much you stretch your abdomen forwards.