July yoga pose of the month: Downward Facing Dog

Each month I'll break down a different yoga pose including the benefits, how to properly do each pose and ways to modify.

Benefits: Down dog has so many benefits! It helps lengthen your spine and hamstrings, stretches your calves and strengthens your legs and arms. As with other inversions, it relaxes your heart and serves as a reset button. It also relieves fatigue, headache, back pain and insomnia, improves digestion and energizes your entire body. 

How to:

• Begin in table top

• Walk your palms one handprint forward

• Curl your toes

• Lift your hips up and back

• Spread your fingers wide across your mat as you melt your chest back towards your thighs

• Drop your heels towards the mat

• Pull your lower belly up and in as you ground down on all four corners of your hands

• Rotate your shoulders in to widen your upper back

Modifications:

• Sore wrists: try dolphin pose or put your hands on blocks

• Place a block between your thighs to help with alignment

• Bend your knees to release the pressure off of your low back and wrists

• Micro bend your elbows if you have extra flexibility

Avoid this pose if you had a shoulder, hamstring or wrist injury.