Grasp the Downward Canine Pose to Stretch Out Your Tight Hamstrings

You might have seen downward canine pop up in your newest move, however that’s not the one use for this basic yoga pose. Certain, it might be a staple asana in your common vinyasa or hatha yoga class, however it’s additionally generally carried out as a part of a dynamic warm-up earlier than lifting weights, tacked on after your run as a soothing cooldown stretch, or just used to shake off the sedentary cobwebs after a ton of time sitting. In different phrases, it’s extremely versatile.

And if it’s not a part of your routine already? Effectively, weaving in downward dealing with canine—often called adho mukha svanasana in Sanskrit—can ship some severe advantages, like lengthening tight hamstrings and strengthening wobbly shoulders, to call a number of.

Right here, we cowl all it is advisable know concerning the downward dealing with canine pose. Then, we share step-by-step directions for nailing it by yourself. Seize your yoga mat and prepare for an energizing full-body pose!

What muscle tissue does a downward canine hit?

Downward canine works your muscle tissue in two alternative ways. First, there’s the lengthening, which primarily happens behind your physique: Down canine stretches each your calves and hamstrings, and in addition lengthens by way of your lats (the broadest muscle in your again), Tara Salay, DPT, a bodily therapist and registered yoga teacher, tells SELF. Then, there’s the power facet: As you maintain the posture, your shoulders work to assist stabilize you and your core fires as much as assist your backbone, Dr. Salay explains.

What’s downward canine good for?

Think about downward canine a “two-in-one” sort of pose, Dr. Salay says, because it supplies flexibility and power advantages. Do it on the reg, and also you’ll improve the size in your hamstrings, calves, and again, which means it’s nice for runners, individuals who simply strength-trained their decrease physique, and folk who spend an enormous chunk of the day sitting, Dr. Salay says. And it’ll additionally bolster the power of your shoulders and core, which might profit just about anybody. The truth is, analysis confirms down canine is efficient for reinforcing core power, particularly within the exterior obliques, or the muscle tissue on the edges of your torso.

Past that, it’s additionally a superb “check-in” posture, Dr. Salay provides, since hanging out in down canine provides a terrific probability to take a second and assess how your physique is feeling from head to toe. You may discover issues like how your ankles and the muscle tissue on the backs of your legs really feel, Dr. Salay says. And it may be fairly invigorating too. “Shifting into that first downward canine of a observe feels so good each bodily and energetically,” Dr. Salay says.

Does downward canine assist with again ache?

Honest query, since analysis suggests yoga as a complete could also be useful for folks with continual decrease again ache—and separate research additionally assist constructing core power for relieving the aches as nicely. However don’t count on down canine to be a cure-all: Again ache can have many causes, and there’s not one pose that may tackle all of them, Dr. Salay says. In her expertise, most individuals who battle with an achy backbone usually have points with their discs, which yoga wouldn’t be the most suitable choice for fixing.