Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana involves lifting and opening the chest. Shvana translates as “dog”. This yoga pose resembles a stretching dog, its head raised upward.
Execution Technique
Step 1:
Lie face down on the floor. Spread your feet 20-25 cm apart, toes pointing back. Actively stretch your legs back, knees tucked in, the back of your feet on the floor. Bend your arms at the elbows and place your palms on the floor on the sides of your torso – at waist level; your forearms should be relatively perpendicular to the floor. Your fingers should point straight ahead. Your chin should be forward.
Step 2:
Inhale and press your palms firmly to the floor, stretching them and slightly back, as if you are trying to push yourself forward along the floor. Then, on the inhale, straighten your arms and simultaneously lift your torso and legs a few centimeters off the floor. Keep your hips firm and slightly tuck them inward. Tense your arms and slightly turn them outward so that your elbows point directly back, not to the sides.
Step 3:
Bring your shoulder blades together and pull them down, stretching your sides in the chest area forward. Stretch up with your entire chest, but do not protrude your front ribs, this will only block the lower back from further stretching. Look straight ahead or slightly tilt your head back. Do not pinch the back of your neck and do not strain your throat, for this actively take your shoulders back and down, following the shoulder blades.
Step 4:
Stay in the pose for 15-30 seconds (a couple of breathing cycles).
Exiting the Pose
On the exhale, curl your toes, bend your elbows and gently lower your hips and torso to the starting position lying down. If you are performing Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana as part of a Surya Namaskar sequence (Sun Salutation), the next asana will be Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward-facing Dog). With an exhale, curl your toes (in a jump or by rolling over your toes), and on the inhale smoothly return to Chaturanga Dandasana (Staff Pose) and then rise into Adho Mukha Shvanasana.
Asana Adjustment / Control Points
- do not bend your arms at the elbows. Actively push off the floor with the entire surface of your palms, stretching your arms.
- squeeze your buttocks and pull your inner thighs towards them;
- do not squeeze your ribs with your hands.
Benefits
- improves posture;
- strengthens and rejuvenates the spine, arms, wrists;
- opens the chest, shoulders;
- stretches the abdominal muscles;
- strengthens the buttocks;
- stimulates the work of the abdominal organs;
- helps relieve mild depression, fatigue;
- activates the respiratory system and facilitates the treatment of asthma;
- increases blood circulation in the pelvic area;
- effective for spinal disc displacement or herniation and for lumbosacral radiculitis.
Contraindications
- spinal injuries;
- headache;
- pregnancy;
- carpal tunnel syndrome.
Preparatory Yoga Exercises
Advanced Practice
To increase the effectiveness of this asana, strongly stretch and tense your knees and calves, press your heels through your feet into the floor. While the backs of your feet are more strongly pressed to the floor, lift the collarbone area even more and stretch your chest forward.
Variations
Simplified Version Beginners often have two problems with this pose: A. shoulders rise to the ears; B. arms bend at the elbows. To solve these problems, place two blocks/bricks under your arms as a support. Watch video on YouTube Video taken from an open source from YouTube on the channel Unagrande YogaClub
Marianna
The Upward-Facing Dog pose helped me deal with my slouching; it was uncomfortable to keep my back straight, as I had a habit of slouching since childhood. In this pose, the back becomes as straight as possible, and the spine is strengthened. It also relieves nervous tension, and at the same time, it tones the glutes, no fitness is needed, daily practice replaces it.
Svetlana
My mom really loves the Upward-Facing Dog pose; with this exercise, she treats her osteochondrosis and sciatica, and it helps her a lot. This asana serves as a substitute for a dog hair belt, and it warms her back as circulation improves and muscles are loosened. If there are any pinched nerves, everything goes away.