Upward Facing Dog Pose | Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Upward Facing Dog Pose Instructions

1. Lie on your stomach with your forehead on the floor, palms beside your waist, and your legs stretched back.
2. Inhale, straighten your arms, lift your torso up, press the top of your feet into the floor and lift your thighs.
3. Stay in Urdhva Mukha Svanasana for 15 to 30 seconds.

Mindfulness Practice

Straighten your arms and keep them perpendicular to the floor, open your chest and draw the shoulder blades onto your back. Face front, bring your tailbone toward your pubic bone, and draw the navel in and up.

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Urdhva Mukha Svanasana Benefits

The upward facing dog pose opens the heart, chest, and lungs, improves posture, and stretches the front of your body and your upper back. It also strengthens the arms, shoulders and spine, and stimulates the abdominal organs.

Contraindications

Headaches, pregnancy, or back injury.

Preparatory, Complementary and Follow-Up Poses

Start with bridge pose or cobra pose and follow-up with downward facing dog or backbends.

Related Yoga Poses

Try these other yoga poses to relax and relieve stress and tension:
High lunge pose
Plank pose
Knees chest chin pose
Low plank pose