How to Master the Downward Dog Pose to Stretch Out Your Tight Hamstrings

You’ll have seen downward canine pop up in your newest move, however that’s not the one use for this basic yoga pose. Certain, it could be a staple asana in your common vinyasa or hatha yoga class, but it surely’s additionally generally carried out as a part of a dynamic warm-up earlier than lifting weights, tacked on after your run as a soothing cooldown stretch, or just used to shake off the sedentary cobwebs after a ton of time sitting. In different phrases, it’s extremely versatile.

And if it’s not a part of your routine already? Effectively, weaving in downward going through canine—referred to as adho mukha svanasana in Sanskrit—can ship some critical advantages, like lengthening tight hamstrings and strengthening wobbly shoulders, to call just a few.

Right here, we cowl all you could know concerning the downward going through canine pose. Then, we share step-by-step directions for nailing it by yourself. Seize your yoga mat and prepare for an energizing full-body pose!

What muscle mass does a downward canine hit?

Downward canine works your muscle mass in two other ways. First, there’s the lengthening, which primarily happens at the back of your physique: Down canine stretches each your calves and hamstrings, and likewise lengthens via your lats (the broadest muscle in your again), Tara Salay, DPT, a bodily therapist and registered yoga teacher, tells SELF. Then, there’s the energy facet: As you maintain the posture, your shoulders work to assist stabilize you and your core fires as much as assist your backbone, Dr. Salay explains.

What’s downward canine good for?

Think about downward canine a “two-in-one” sort of pose, Dr. Salay says, because it gives flexibility and energy advantages. Do it on the reg, and also you’ll enhance the size in your hamstrings, calves, and again, that means it’s nice for runners, individuals who simply strength-trained their decrease physique, and people who spend a giant chunk of the day sitting, Dr. Salay says. And it’ll additionally bolster the energy of your shoulders and core, which may profit just about anybody. In actual fact, analysis confirms down canine is efficient for enhancing core energy, particularly within the exterior obliques, or the muscle mass on the edges of your torso.

Past that, it’s additionally a wonderful “check-in” posture, Dr. Salay provides, since hanging out in down canine gives a fantastic probability to take a second and assess how your physique is feeling from head to toe. You possibly can discover issues like how your ankles and the muscle mass on the backs of your legs really feel, Dr. Salay says. And it may be fairly invigorating too. “Transferring into that first downward canine of a apply feels so good each bodily and energetically,” Dr. Salay says.

Does downward canine assist with again ache?

Honest query, since analysis suggests yoga as a complete could also be useful for individuals with persistent decrease again ache—and separate research additionally assist constructing core energy for alleviating the aches as nicely. However don’t anticipate down canine to be a cure-all: Again ache can have many causes, and there’s not one pose that may tackle all of them, Dr. Salay says. In her expertise, most individuals who battle with an achy backbone typically have points with their discs, which yoga wouldn’t be the most suitable choice for fixing.