Downward-Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana  is one of the most common yoga postures . It’s actually considered a mild inversion that strengthens and s tretches the entire body .

Step 1 Start in tabletop on all fours. Shoulders stacked over elbows and wrists. Hips are stacked over knees.

Step 2 Walk the hands 2 inches in front of your shoulders, spread your fingers wide and firmly root hands into the earth with the weight distributed evenly throughout your hands.

Step 3 On an exhale, tuck the toes, lift the knees off the earth and shift the hips up and back. Create an upside down V with your body. Gently straighten your legs. Reach your heels towards the earth (they don’t have to touch)  and press the floor away with your hands. 

Step 4 Lengthen your spine. *You can bend your knees as much as you need to in order to do this. 

Step 5 Your triceps rotate back as your elbow creases face forward.

Step 6 Draw your shoulders away from your ears, relax the hand slightly and bring your gaze to your thighs or your navel 

Step 7 Engage the quads as you rotate your inner thighs back. Micro-bend the knees and elbows so as not to lock them out. Breath deeply.

Step 8 To get out of Downward Facing Dog: On an exhale, bend the knees and gently release them back onto the earth. 

Modifications & Tips: * For Beginners or anyone with tight hamstring or tight lower back place a generous bend in your knees. * For tight calves you could place a rolled up towel or blanket under your heels. *For tight shoulders you could spread your arms wider then shoulder distance (maybe to the edges of your mat or slightly off your mat). Try a few different positions out and do what feels best for your body. *The goal is to keep the spine long and straight. Try bending the knees a bit and lifting your tailbone towards the sky. This will lengthen your spine a lot. Try to keep this length in you spine as you slowly straighten your legs to your degree.

Variations: *Try bending one knee and then the other. This is often called walking your Dog. *Try bending the elbows a bit and rolling your shoulders back. This will create more space to broaden across the collar bones. *If your calves are open and your heels are able to touch the ground try lifting your toes off the ground to increase the stretch in your calves.