Downward Facing Dog Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Yoga
- Type
- Stretching
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) is a bodyweight yoga stretch and mobility hold performed on your hands and feet in an inverted-V shape. It lengthens the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, spine, and back while the arms and core work lightly to keep the shape steady. It's a foundational pose that resets the whole back of the body and shows up in nearly every yoga sequence.
How to do the Downward Facing Dog Adho Mukha Svanasana
- 1Start on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- 2Spread your fingers wide and press evenly through your whole palm and knuckles, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart.
- 3Tuck your toes under and, on an exhale, lift your knees off the floor, sending your hips up and back toward the ceiling.
- 4Straighten your arms and legs as much as is comfortable so your body forms an inverted V, lengthening through your spine.
- 5Press the floor away through your hands and rotate your upper arms outward to draw your shoulders away from your ears.
- 6Reach your heels toward the floor without forcing them down, and pedal your feet to ease into tight calves and hamstrings.
- 7Let your head and neck hang relaxed between your arms, gaze toward your feet or navel, and breathe slowly through your nose.
- 8Hold for several steady breaths, then lower your knees to the floor to release and rest in a brief child's pose.
Form tips
- Press firmly through the base of your index finger and thumb so the load doesn't dump into your wrists.
- Bend your knees generously if your hamstrings are tight — prioritize a long spine over straight legs or flat heels.
- Externally rotate your upper arms and slide your shoulder blades down your back to keep the shoulders open and supported.
- Keep your neck soft and head relaxed rather than craning it up, letting the stretch travel through your shoulders and spine.
- Ease deeper on each exhale and back off if you feel sharp pain in the shoulders, hamstrings, lower back, or wrists.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the upper back and dropping the chest, which shortens the spinal stretch and shifts strain to the neck.
- Letting the shoulders creep up toward the ears, which jams the shoulder joint and loses the length through the upper back.
- Forcing the heels flat and locking the knees hard, which overstretches tight hamstrings and calves instead of easing them open.
- Collapsing the weight into the wrist creases instead of gripping the floor, which pinches and overloads the wrists.
- Holding your breath while gripping the pose, which builds tension and cuts the hold short rather than letting it relax open.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Downward Facing Dog stretch?
It primarily stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, and the spine and back, while the arms and core work lightly to hold the inverted-V shape steady.
What's the difference between Downward Facing Dog and Dolphin Pose?
Both are the same inverted-V shape, but Downward Dog is supported on the hands with straight arms, while Dolphin Pose comes down onto the forearms. Staying on the hands gives a longer base and loads the wrists, whereas the forearm version puts more demand on the shoulders and upper back.
Is Downward Facing Dog good for beginners?
Yes. It's a beginner-friendly stretch, and you can make it easier by bending your knees and keeping a slight lift in your heels so your spine stays long without forcing the hamstrings or shoulders.
How long should I hold Downward Facing Dog?
Hold for about 5 to 10 slow breaths, roughly 20 to 60 seconds, and repeat for 2 to 3 rounds. Come down to rest any time you feel sharp pain or your shoulders start to collapse.
Why do my wrists hurt in Downward Facing Dog?
Wrist pain usually means weight is dumping into the wrist creases. Spread your fingers, press through the knuckles and the base of the index finger, and shift a little more weight back into your legs to unload the wrists.
