Upward-Facing Dog
Up Dog is the counterpose to all the forward folding and slouching most people do daily: straight arms lift the chest and thighs off the floor while the back extensors do real isometric work. It stretches the abs, hip flexors, and pecs at the same time. Treat it as a strength-tinged backbend rather than a passive slump into the lower back.
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Type
- Stretching, Yoga
- Browse by muscle
- Erector Spinae
- Target
- Erector Spinae
- Secondary
- Triceps Brachii Long Head, Triceps Brachii Lateral Head, Triceps Brachii Medial Head, Gluteus Maximus, Deltoid Anterior
- Tertiary
- Trapezius Middle, Trapezius Lower, Upper Rectus Abdominals
How to do it
- 1
Lie face down with the tops of the feet on the floor and hands beside the lower ribs.
- 2
Press firmly into the hands and straighten the arms, lifting the chest and hips.
- 3
Roll the shoulders down and back to open the collarbones.
- 4
Lift the thighs and knees clear of the floor so only hands and feet bear weight.
- 5
Draw the tailbone toward the heels to protect the lower back.
- 6
Gaze forward, breathe, then lower with control.
Tips
- Keep the shoulders stacked over the wrists, not sunk down by the ears.
- Squeeze the glutes lightly to distribute the backbend away from the lumbar spine.
- If the thighs cannot lift, build strength in Cobra first.
Variations
Common mistakes
- The knees never leave the mat, so the shape collapses into a slumped backbend carried by the lower back rather than a press shared by the arms and the legs.
- Hands set too far forward keep the elbows bent at the top, so the arms never finish the press and the chest hangs between the shoulders.
- Tucking the toes under leaves you in a half-plank instead of Up Dog; the tops of the feet belong flat on the floor so the ankles can extend.
- Throwing the head back to look at the ceiling closes the back of the neck, when the gaze belongs forward with the throat long.
- Once a flow gets long, the low back starts to pinch right above the belt line, which is the signal to take Cobra for the remaining rounds.
Frequently asked
- How long should a beginner hold Upward-Facing Dog?
- Hold for three to five slow breaths, roughly 15 to 30 seconds, and take it two to four times in a session or once per round of a flow. Build the hold time before you chase a bigger arch: a short, honest lift with the thighs off the floor does more for the back extensors than a long sag. If the arms fatigue before the back does, that is normal early on, and a set of Cobras between rounds keeps the spine working while the arms recover.
- How do I make Upward-Facing Dog easier or harder?
- To make it easier, drop back to Sphinx on the forearms or to Cobra with the thighs down, both of which build the same extension without asking the arms to hold the whole body. To make it harder, add breaths to the hold, slow the transition in and out so the chest leads the whole way, or lift one leg off the floor once the two-legged version feels steady.
- What is Upward-Facing Dog good for, and when should I skip it?
- It works the spinal extensors while opening the abs, hip flexors, and chest, which makes it a useful counter to a day spent folded over a desk. It is a poor choice if extension already provokes your low back, or on a day when the wrists are sore from pressing work; Sphinx gives you the same chest opening with the forearms taking the load. Sharp pain in the low back is a stop, not something to breathe through.
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