How to do Downward-Facing Dog
- Begin on hands and knees, with hands about shoulder-width apart. Spread your fingers and press through your palms.
- Tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back. Keep your knees bent while you find length through your back.
- Let your head rest between your upper arms. Send your hips back rather than pushing your chest toward the floor.
- Gradually explore straighter legs while keeping your back long. To come out, lower your knees to the mat.
Benefits
This pose stretches the backs of your legs and asks your arms and shoulders to support part of your weight. Bent knees can help you explore length through your spine without chasing the floor with your heels.
Variations
Keep a generous bend in your knees. Notice whether that gives your back more room to lengthen.