Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) – Benefits, Adjustment & Cautions

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) – Benefits, Adjustment & Cautions

The words Adho Mukha Svanasana come from the Sankrit. Adho means Downward, mukha stands for facing and Svan means dog. The Downward-facing Dog Posture is also known as Down Dog. Often Adho Mukha Svanasana is seen to be the same as Parvatasana or Mountain Pose, but it is not! Today we discuss with you the step-by-step instructions, benefits, and cautions of this pose.

Instructions for Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog:

  1. Stand in Tadasana and close your feet together
  2. Inhale raise your arms up
  3. Exhale and bend forward
  4. Place your hands next to your feet and jump back
  5. Open your feet hip wide apart
  6. Straighten your arms and legs
  7. Reach your heels to the ground
  8. Keep your spine straight
  9. Your head, neck, and spine should be in one line

Note: Don’t arch your back! In Adho Mukha Svan Asana the legs are separated and the back is always straight. Don’t confuse Parvatasana.

 

Benefits of Adho Mukha Svanasana:

  • Strengthens the legs, arms, and back
  • Improves the flexibility of the hamstrings and calf muscles
  • Increases strength in the neck and shoulders
  • Improves the blood circulation in the legs

 

Cautions:

Avoid Adho Mukha Svanasana if you have high blood pressure or an injured Achilles tendon.

Practicing Yoga Safely

To be sure that you practice an asana correctly, we recommend learning with an experienced and qualified teacher.

Lots of online materials, Youtube videos, and Instagram instructions make it easy to practice at home. Nevertheless, you should be careful about your alignment and postures. Not every pose is suitable for everyone! Also, literally, anyone can upload videos and photos without being a qualified teacher. So make sure you actually practice with an experienced teacher who can guide you individually and teach you how to practice yoga safely. This does not only ensure the maximum benefit, it also reduces the risk for injuries.

 

Doing a Yoga Training to expand your Yoga Practice and Knowledge

If you haven’t heard of it already, Yoga Teacher Training is an intensive yoga course which advances your yoga practice and knowledge tremendously. It enhances every aspect of your life by providing you with yogic techniques, tools, and practices for a happy, peaceful and healthy life. Usually, a yoga teacher’s training takes 3-4 weeks and covers 200 Hours in total.

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6 Responses

  1. Hello dear yogis and team…im so much looking forward to joining your Yoga teacher Training India this spring! I am very much looking forward to meeting you all..! I hope the 200 Hours Yoga teacher Training in India wont be to hard 😉

    1. Namaste Lia, We are also looking forward to having you on our 200 hour yoga teacher Training in india soon!
      Don’t worry, a Yoga Teacher Training in India is always challenging, but you will be fine! 🙂

      Happy Journey,
      Your Yoga India Foundation Team

  2. My 200 Hours yoga teacher training at Yoga india foundation has been a truly life changing experience for me…I grew into a confident and kind man and removed a lot of garbage from my shoulders. I wish to thank the entire yoga india foundation team. Joining your Yoga teacher Training in india was one of the best decisions ever.

    1. Namaste Pete, thank you for sharing your Review about our 200 hours yoga teacher Training in india! We are very happy that you had a wonderful time and learnt well. It was a pleasure to have you here and we hope to meet you again! Maybe we will see you for your advanced 300 hours yoga teacher Training this year!

      Much love,
      Your Yoga India Foundation Team

  3. Is the 200 hours yoga teacher training india the level 1 course for beginners? I’m curious because I am a beginner and would like to join the 500 hour yoga teacher training…is this possible? Yoga is my passion really and it has been my dream to learn yoga in India! I understand that the 300 hours yoga teacher training course is for yoga teachers already , correct? I’m seeing that you have limited availability for March. Is there one seat left?
    Thanks for answering my questions!
    Yann

    1. Namaste Yann, Yes you are right, the 200 hours yoga teacher Training is for beginners. You can say ist a Level 1 Course. The 300 Hours Yoga Teacher Training is for experienced yogis who have completed a foundational 200 hour yoga teacher Training before. You can join our 500 hour yoga teacher Training if you practise yoga for at least 2 years now. Ist a very intensive 7.5 week Course. We have only 1 spot left for our March 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, so if you want to join, we recommend to Register quickly:)
      You can also DM us for more Infos!
      We hope to meet you soon!
      Love and Light,
      Your Yoga India Foundation Team

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