Downward Dog - Downward Facing Dog Yoga Tutorial

In this yoga pose tutorial, yogis Alba Avella and Ashton August from YogiApproved.com show you the proper alignment for Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).
Downward Facing Dog, commonly referred to as Down Dog, is a common yoga pose practiced in most yoga classes. For this reason alone, it’s really worth taking the time to practice it and understand proper form.
Downward Facing Dog also comes with a huge list of physical benefits including: strengthening the arms and legs, in addition to stretching the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves. This foundational yoga pose is perfect for strengthening and preparing the body for more advanced poses. Downward Dog also helps you learn about the inner workings of your own body: where your tightness and tension lie, and where you need to correct any imbalances.
Thanks for watching, and stay tuned for the next yoga pose tutorial here on YogiApproved.com!
www.yogiapproved.com

[@youaligned]

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[@nikolinacergar2568]

Way fast talking and too short video

[@TheRealHonestInquiry]

The cat/cow to find neutral was helpful, as was the reminder that the heels don't need to touch when starting out... my Wii Fit Trainer didn't go into that much detail :) Your replies to some of these comments are very helpful as well, thank you both!

[@youaligned]

Thanks so much for your feedback and we're so glad you found this video useful! Namaste =)

[@jellifirelli5953]

That the heels don't have to touch the ground is a total game changer to me! Now I can finally do this exercise, thank you so much! :)

[@youaligned]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for practicing with us ❤️

[@trashcan9153]

Anyone has trouble planting their feet on the ground? I physically couldnt shift my weight back...

[@youaligned]

Hey valencia, try bending your knees generously while pressing the mat away from you with your hands, so you're distributing the weight more. We hope that helps!

[@TheBilalblanco]

probably the best I have seen someone explain something, awesome.

[@mackenziedevincent674]

Thank you, I have been doing toys for only day and I found downward dog though but now I know what I have been doing wrong your channel is really good you explain stuff and go from a warm up to the actual thing.

[@user-ey9iv1of6h]

I finally understood how to do this pose! Thank you!

[@jb3344]

the best explanation so far

[@danslater1542]

Thanks. Really good explanation.

[@commentscorner617]

Simple, Clear and to the point. Much appreciated

[@youaligned]

Thank you!

[@realsteel222]

Really instant relief

[@Morfeusm]

Thank you that was awesome, finally i nailed that Dog Pose!

[@youaligned]

YES!! That's awesome, Morfeus! High fives through the computer screen. Thanks for watching and commenting =)

[@paulc6597]

Good tutorial, subbed

[@ravigad3231]

Thank You so much. I was kinda struggling with technique many thanks to the Yogi for demonstrating correct pose.

[@youaligned]

We are so glad this video helped you, RAVI! Thank you for watching and sharing your feedback!! Namaste :)

[@ravigad3231]

@@youaligned You guys are doing an excellent job. 🙏

[@youaligned]

@@ravigad3231 Thank you so much!!

[@sethe-c260]

All about that energy flow

[@youaligned]

All about that energy!! Thanks for watching Seth =)

[@whydoihavetohavemyownchann4747]

I really wish this was a resting pose for me, but I still feel so much tension in my shoulders even though I shift my weight to my legs.

[@youaligned]

Hey Why do I, Thank you for your comment! This is a common issue for students that can be caused by several potential factors. It may be your alignment in the pose, so try adjusting the length of your Down Dog by shifting forward into Plank Pose and make sure you're able to shift between each pose without having to move hands or feet. Hope that helps! Namaste!

[@ManmadeM0nster]

Thank you for the quick tutorial. I realized I've been looking forward and scrunching my neck. Thanks again!

[@youaligned]

That's great feedback to hear, Travis! Thanks so much for practicing with us and commenting. Namaste =)

[@simontaylor647]

How do you distribute weight more evenly? I find all my weight is forward and it's hard on my arms and shoulders

[@maevecardenas7117]

This helped me so much. I could never figure it out before and my weight was positioned really weirdly. I also now figured out the cat position because of this so thank you for that. Super helpful video.

[@youaligned]

Namaste, Abigail! This is great feedback and we so appreciate you sharing and practicing with us on YogiApproved. =)

[@AxelAlexK]

Thanks, this helped. I'm trying to do some yoga to hopefully help with my back pain.

[@grldchg474]

is it getting better? I also had back pain for 4 months and just wanted to heal it

[@jaynjennrogers403]

I've had 7 spinal surgeries with 6 of them being fusions. I just started yoga 19 days ago and I try to get at least 30 minutes everyday. The bending over forward with your knees slightly bent reaching for the floor has really really helped me. I live in constant pain and take powerful pain meds daily without much relief and thankfully yoga is actually helping relieve some of the pain. Just remember to listen to your body. Make modifications when necessary. Best of luck Ladies!

[@shawniwanciw254]

Your awesome Ashton.

[@youaligned]

Thank you so much Shawn! -Ashton from YogiApproved

[@ReBStreetWise]

Thank you!😊💯

[@youaligned]

You are welcome, No Stress Ent.! Thank you for practicing with us =)

[@nishas3980]

Very helpful for a beginner. Thanks!

[@youaligned]

Thank you for watching and we are so glad you found this useful for beginners! Mission accomplished. =) Thanks again for your comment, Nisha!

[@nishas3980]

Welcome 👧👍

[@kinya_k4076]

Thank you , too !

[@youaligned]

😊😊😊

[@hansikadevarakonda9908]

Thank you , I've got it at last

[@youaligned]

AMAZING, devarakonda Hansika! Mission accomplished =) Thank you for sharing, and namaste

[@bhavusuresh]

Beautifully explained,!! Thanks

[@aashisingh2499]

Do we have to stay in that position continuously or just come back to original position and then the downward dog position and then this same process???

[@dingsda2318]

cool

[@CowboyBebop444]

Awesomeness

[@youaligned]

Thank you Iron Wrath!! =)

[@rubberbumm]

Thanks cool excersize

[@youaligned]

Thank you Ruben! Glad you enjoyed =)

[@michellepz2708]

Are the knees locked when you do the downward dog?

[@plywoodd]

I just started trying this today. Totally new to everything, can you tell me how long do you hold a pose and how many reps in a workout?

[@psychedelicpolly]

Depends on the class, teacher etc

[@stefanwolf8558]

Usually you hold a pose for 3-5 deep breathes.

[@arayangalloway7181]

Thanks for the clip, as a budhism, I feel sad to see head of the budha on the floor, I try hard understand.

[@benjaminkugler3811]

i understand your feeling, as christian i dont understand why there is no cross on the wall

[@castronancy1988]

@@benjaminkugler3811 WOW, what an ugly person you are

[@kazikmajster5650]

Is it dangerous to press the heels down? I'd like to achieve it with my palms as far forward as possible.

[@youaligned]

Hey Kazik - for some people pressing the heels down is easy, and for others it may never happen. We would suggest just listening to your body on any given day. If you are never able to get your heels down that is totally okay!

[@strongsyedaa7378]

How to Overcome Doming while doing it ?

[@theshadowgamertsg5338]

I literally physically cannot plant my heels to the ground, it puts so much tension on the calves that it is extremely painful

[@johnb6723]

It is a difficult yoga move for most people. Only the most supple manage to do it at all well.

[@FlwrCats76]

I've been doing a restorative, gentle yoga class (mild, basically pre-natal). For days after, I always have a very sore neck and upper traps. Based on this video, I'm sure I have the correct posture and form. Can you get shoulder, trap, and neck pain from downward dog? Or maybe it's from the plank position. :(

[@youaligned]

Oof -- sorry to hear that! It's hard to say....are you very tense in those positions?

[@riffsfromthesea]

Hi! When I get on the downward facing dog pose, I have trouble on making my spine straight, insted, it’s rounded. What can I do?

[@youaligned]

Great question Deniz! To get your spine straighter, start with bent knees. Focus on pressing down and forward into your mat with your hands to help roll the shoulders back slightly, and gently pressing the chest toward your thighs. Keeping the knees bent will help facilitate this. Try using your breath to adjust your Down Dog. Come into the pose, then inhale to lift your heels. Exhale to bend your knees deeply. Inhale, press your chest towards your thighs and exhale to gently press your heels down. We hope that helps! Namaste!

[@Robnas621]

After a while this really makes my triceps burn and it becomes harder to maintain the pose, is this normal?

[@youaligned]

Hello Alexios, great question! You may be putting too much weight in your hands and arms. Think about pressing down and forward into the hands and try to roll your shoulders back away from your ears. Try to use your shoulders and back muscles more than your arm muscles. Also, work on using your hips and legs to shift the weight and find some more balance throughout the body in Down Dog. This takes practice, but over time you'll find this balance. We hope that helps! Namaste =)

[@Sarah-fj2sb]

I'm new to yoga and am really enjoying it so far, but my wrists always hurt really bad when i try a downward facing dog :(

[@youaligned]

Hi Sarah! This is a common issue for many people, but don't worry! There are wrist stretches and warm-ups you can do to help, and also modifications you can make in many poses to take the pressure off. We have a video with all these things: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJzXlYmsqrGWopo Namaste!! ❤️

[@Sarah-fj2sb]

Hi @@youaligned, thank you so much for your response! Will definitely look into that 🧘

[@michaelgorloff47]

1:02 to 1:20

[@MariaKhan-mv5bh]

I m 20 weeks expectant mom. Can I do it?

[@elizabetheowynbelle]

I love doing downward dog, but lately I feel the stretch in my calves instead of my hamstrings, and sometimes my right calf gets a bit sore. Am I doing something wrong? If so, how do I correct it?

[@youaligned]

Maybe try lifting your heels off the ground a little farther next time to alleviate the stretch in your calves. Your heels do not need to touch the ground if that causes discomfort :)

[@MissyP166]

Thanks great vid but if I do too many hamstring stretches in yoga it will trigger some sciatica few days later.. Any ideas how I can avoid triggering it during my yoga sessions? I get conflicting info, some same DO stretch out the hamstrings , other say defo AVOID. I am more the latter, as I think stretching the hams is the culprit xx.

[@youaligned]

Hello pollyg1980, Thank you for your comment and great question! Sciatica nerve pain can be very frustrating. Consider the idea of strength and flexibility as well as hip joint mobility to help reduce sciatic pain. Avoiding the pain is typically not the answer, and working through some of that discomfort can often be beneficial. Combining strength and flexibility by working the hip and socket joint with some mindful movement and mobility exercises often helps to relieve sciatic pain. The sciatic nerve runs along the front of the body, so working to strengthen the top of the hip, the quadricep, and the IT band can be beneficial. For example, Half Pigeon pose (or Reclined Figure Four for a gentler version) can provide relief for sciatic nerve pain especially if you sit at a desk or in a car all day. Most importantly, always listen to your body and modify poses to meet where your body's at that day. For example, keep your bent knees in Down Dog to help avoid over-stretching the hamstrings. If you'd like to learn more about sciatica and how yoga can help, please check out this article on our site: www.yogiapproved.com/yoga/5-yoga-poses-to-soothe-your-sciatica/ Feel free to ask any further questions, and thanks again for watching! -Alba Avella with YogiApproved

[@MissyP166]

Thank you for your answer! I will try focus on on hip stretching types of yoga - do you know which types would focus more on strength and flexibility? All of them I guess? But especially would lik to focus getting my hips sorted. Once again, thanks for the advice! x

[@youaligned]

Another great question! Pigeon pose, Crescent Lunge, Standing Wide Leg Forward Fold, and any sort of squat are a few great poses to help strengthen and lengthen at the same time. Thanks again!

[@MissyP166]

Amazing, thank you!

[@youaligned]

You are so welcome, pollyg! Best wishes and namaste =)

[@YogalignKauai]

How about the spine curve? Keeping the navel drawn to the spine compresses the lumbar sacral curve needed for shock absorption and recoiling during movement. The downdog puts the human body in a right angle of trunk to legs which undermines the natural loaded spring actions of the spine, knee and foot. See www.yogainjuries.com

[@armondo22]

This is the pose that always kicks my but, thanks for the tips

[@youaligned]

Happy to help! Join us for practice next time 🥰

[@ferdousiakter3687]

Is this exercise helpful to get taller?

[@lisamh9037]

Doubt it... but Yoga will make you stronger in no time and improve your natural posture! So you may look and feel a little taller.

[@francisezung691]

How long do we need to do this

[@youaligned]

Hey francis, great question! If you're just starting out, try to hold this pose for 5 full rounds of breathing. From there, you can work your way up to 30 seconds or a full minute. Typically in a yoga class, you'll stay in this pose for 5-10 breaths at a time. Namaste!

[@nazaninmazkoori5462]

How long to be in this position?

[@youaligned]

Namaste, Nazanin. If you are new to this pose, try holding it for 3-5 breaths. As you gain strength, see if you can hold it for 10 breaths. Eventually it will become more of a resting pose. Namaste!

[@nazaninmazkoori5462]

@@youaligned what are the benefits of this pose?

[@youaligned]

@@nazaninmazkoori5462 Down Dog has a huge list of physical benefits including: strengthening the arms and legs, in addition to stretching the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves. This foundational yoga pose is perfect for strengthening and preparing the body for more advanced poses.

[@sasmitabisoi2509]

@@youaligned I am the age of 22.. my height is 5'1 can I do this excercise for increase my height.. please reply

[@penguin0101]

What does melt mean?

[@youaligned]

Hey Arif, Great question! In this context, "melt" is meant to relax, soften or loosen that part of the body to access the stretch. For example, "soften your knees" or "relax your hamstrings." We hope that helps! Feel free to reach out with any additional questions. =)

[@chuchuchimlumlumli20]

it's just mistaken terminology used by westerners who profit from appropriating elements of marginalized cultures while ignoring or not actively participating in anti-racist and anti-imperialist politics. Namaste!

[@mahakjain9008]

Is it useful for growing height?

[@youaligned]

Downward Dog is a full-body stretch and can help to elongate the spine and support good posture. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@aritraabarat6334]

Can you please reply me soon in this downward dog exersice the heel should touch the ground ? I couldn't do it , it was putting stress in my calf muscles. Is it necessary tht the heels should be touching the ground ?

[@rosannasmom1]

Works great if you’re petite and already very flexible, otherwise not so much 😕 If you’re very tall and not flexible at all it’s near impossible to bend into a perfect triangle like that.

[@youaligned]

Thank you for your feedback Anne - you're totally right. Not so easy for all body types. Namaste.

[@ajeeshgkv445]

How long to stay in this position??

[@youaligned]

Hello Ajeesh! You can stay in Downward Facing Dog for 3 breaths to start. You can work up to 5 breaths, then start to increase it by increments of 30 seconds. Remember to keep breathing while you're in this pose! :)

[@AjeetSingh-gb4hc]

Astin looks beautiful...🥰

[@myperfectworld]

What does

[@youaligned]

It's a heart :)

[@krishnapandurangmate963]

Is downward dog usefull to increase height ?🤔

[@gamingwithkk8794]

Yes

[@anyssa-kimwolfson1311]

*does Yoga*

[@myperfectworld]

I really really like your hair and your necklace and your black yoga sports bra and your yoga tight pants Ashton, they look beautiful on you😍😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@youaligned]

[@BMV0917]

The subtitles cover her arms and elbows.

[@worldofpeoplem.e.andthewor2615]

If you're on a computer, you can move the subtitles by dragging them.

[@GreenAndTheToe]

This is not a resting pose for me 😂

[@YogawithAliBeale]

I used to say the same thing 😄 just keep it up and one day just like that you're coasting in your dog like it's nothing. It took a long time to build my upper body.

[@unesalotte3419]

i’m doing these exercises to grow a few centimeters

[@georgemwaniki9279]

haha,,will start too

[@Rob-uc2jh]

Energy is the capacity to do work. Explain to me how bending the neck hinders "energy flow". Is this Dragon Ball Z? Are you about to unleash a Kamehameha attack? What hogwash.

[@danslater1542]

just try it.

[@Rob-uc2jh]

@@danslater1542 wow you're totally right! I did some yoga and now have complete control over my midi-chlorians! I take it all back! I do yoga all the time. I have somehow avoided experiencing any of the metaphysical garbage so many yogis peddle.

[@Gonken88]

This is one of the most hippie things I've ever seen. And all from a Hansen vs predator episode.

[@JustForFun77077]

Soooo does Ashton have an onlyfans?

[@Nina-wk9oy]

Thank you for the instruction, but please do not have the Budha on the floor. It is not good for you.

[@sebastiancurd4620]

god...sounds like she's commentating a football game for one yoga pose- not the most relaxing.

[@aashisingh2499]

Do we have to stay in that position continuously or just come back to original position and then the downward dog position and then this same process???