An educator with the New York Department of Education, Samantha Levine holds a master of science in reading from City University of New York-Brooklyn College. Outside of work, Samantha Levine enjoys practicing yoga in her free time.
Downward-facing dog is one of the most fundamental poses in yoga, and one of the most challenging for newcomers. Here are three tips to help you improve your downward dog.
1. Set up your “four legs” - Place your hands shoulder distance apart and keep your feet hip distance apart. This alignment allows you to use your shoulders and hips as support for the rest of your body, minimizing the strain on the muscles in your arms and legs.
2. Rotate your upper arms externally - Once you have established your base, rotate your shoulders away from your ears, like you are trying to hide your underarms from the people next to you. Because this alignment transfers the weight from your deltoid muscles to your rotator cuff muscles, it may feel difficult at first.
3. Keep your hips up - Elevate your hips by bending the knees slightly and drawing the belly in toward the spine. This ensures that your back will be straight and aligned with your head and neck.
