Upward-Facing Dog
- Intermediate
- Yoga
- Mobility
Upward-facing dog presses your chest up into a backbend from lying face down, with only your palms and the tops of your feet on the floor. The straight-arm position opens the chest, front delts and triceps while your lower back and abs hold the arch. Intermediate practitioners use it as a warmup, a cooldown or part of a recovery flow, held for time.
- Muscles
- Chest, Front delts, Triceps, Lower back, Abs
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Logged as
- Timed hold
How to
- Lie face down, hands under your shoulders.
- Press up until your arms are straight and hips lift off.
- Roll your shoulders back and open your chest.
- Only palms and feet touch; hold, breathing steadily.
Form cues
- Press the tops of your feet firmly into the floor.
- Keep your legs active and your thighs lifted.
- Keep your neck long and your gaze forward, not up.
Common mistakes
- Shoulders creep up toward your ears. Draw your shoulders down away from your ears.
- Thighs and hips rest on the floor. Lift your thighs and keep only feet and hands down.
- Elbows lock out stiffly and flare wide. Keep a soft bend and hug elbows toward your body.
Wellboy is a wellness and fitness app, not a healthcare service, and it does not provide medical advice. Talk to a doctor or another healthcare professional before starting a new exercise or diet routine if you have a medical condition, an injury, are pregnant, or have symptoms.
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