The following is a continuation of an article I wrote for my yogaonline.com
In a previous post, we discussed the foundation of downward dog, actions of the upper body and the core. Let's continue, looking at the actions of the lower body.
Lower Body
As the hips move up and back, imagine an inward spiral of the groin muscles. Keeping that inward rotation, gently tuck the tailbone under, aiding the engagement of the transversus abdominus. The adductor muscles of the inner thighs move towards each other, as if holding a block between the thighs. Lengthen from the attachment of the hamstrings at the sitting bone, all the way through the gastroc and soleus muscles of the calves. There is a co-ordinated opposite action here of active lengthening through the calves, countered by the active dorsi flexion of the foot by the tibialis anterior on the front of the shin.
Benefits & Considerations
Downward dog requires a lot of openness through the chest and shoulders. If you are unable to raise your arms to at least the level of your face, you should consider one of the variations below.
· Childs pose / Balasana: Sitting back on your heels, stretch your arms out in front of you. Use the same action of the arms as above, but childs pose allows you to control the influence of gravity without over extending at the shoulders
· Modified Downward dog at the wall: Stand in front of the wall with your hands on the wall, shoulder width, slightly below shoulder height. Keeping your feet hip distance, slowly back away from the wall, using the same principles of alignment as above but slowly moving into an open chest and shoulder girdle.
If you are unable to correct a pinching sensation in the front of your shoulder, it is possible you may have impingement in your shoulder joint and should consult a health practitioner familiar with yoga.
Conversely, because downward dog requires this level of openness through the shoulders it can be a great shoulder and chest opener. It is important that we do not sag into the anatomy however. We must keep the active actions in the shoulders, then once aligned, open to the pose. Downward dog can also be a source of relief for people with mid-back or lower back pain. The muscles that attach from the skull to the pelvis, the erector spinae group, are lengthened actively. In addition, with the arms overhead in this position, the lattisimus dorsi muscles, attaching from the ribs and fascia of the lower spine into to the arms, are lengthened.
Now Breathe
Downward dog is foundational pose that brings us back to our centre. It can act as our home base, where we check in with our alignment in a very active and functional way. There are few poses more powerful than a well-aligned downward dog that is fueled by a steady flow of breath.
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