Head and neck position for down dog. I’ve heard some instructors say “let is dangle” I’ve heard other instructors say “tuck your chin to look at your feet” Those are both wrong. Letting your head dangle doesn’t teach your neck how to stabilize the neck against the weight of the head. The other option starts to pull you into a rounded position and they both encourage bad head position which will in turn lead to neck problems, Dowagers hump and then down into the shoulders

In the first 4 videos I gave a bit of a background as to why someone would have difficulty finding a down dog position. In the previous videos you can start connecting with the concept of the pose conforms to you. That everyone's pose will have similarities and differences based off genetics, life experience that made these bodies, and available strength. The next set of videos will be covering why the hamstrings aren't the only muscle group that would be restricting this mov

If the person is shifted forwards in their down dog and the gleno-humoral joint (shoulder) is positioned closer to the hands or over the hands, there is a line of force that is going to pass down through and into the floor via the arms and hands. If I was wanting them to do a charuranga this is close to the position that i want but not for down dog As we start to moving into positions that is asking us to lifting heavier and heavier the weakness will come through and you wi

There’s more to downdog than meets the eye! It’s great to start with what the pose looks like for someone who holds the orthopedic profile for it. What do you do for the person that doesn’t have it? You can’t force them? Stretching won’t necessarily get it done. The pose conforms to the person but you have to know how to conform the pose or simply scrap it altogether. It’s important to take a wider stance with your hands in #downdog to be in the scapular plane for the #shoul

Down Dog and Shoulder Pain Part 2 --Thoracic Extension In part one of this series I went over briefly the three things I look for in the upper quarter of the body for not only down dog, but this holds true for any time the arms are going over your head. This will be especially important when the upper body is loaded such as table tops, planks but more so for down dog and certain arm and forearm balance postures. In a group setting I am not able to do one-on-one assessments. S

Down dog is one of yoga's signature poses. It is also a deceptive pose as it is one of the hardest poses to master. We have people who find it very easy to get into and it feels like a rest pose to them. While others struggle and it's hard and it hurts. They get frustrated and want to quit. You also have instructors that leave their class in down dog for an unusually long time. Whether you find it hard or easy to be in, down dog is NOT a rest pose. Down dog requires a bit of

How can you begin to minimize the load being placed onto the wrist, the passive structures of the shoulders and the neck? There is a concept called ‘Spreading the Floor’. This is a concept not only used in powerlifting and strength conditioning, but I have seen references in yoga books (very few but I have found them). I use this concept all the time and is game changer for people! Especially when taught the intricacies of spreading the floor or in this the mat. You will get

Down dog is a pose that I consistently see people having trouble with and/or find painful. The client’s posture speaks volumes why they would have trouble with the asana. Forward head posture, rounded upper back (thoracic kyphosis), rounded shoulders are common place and leads to many dysfunctions from headaches, neck/shoulder pain, loss of lung capacity and even gastrointestinal agitation. They come to class hoping to correct the postural dysfunction or at least relieve the