5 Common Downward Dog Mistakes

Downward dog is one of the most common and well-known yoga poses out there. If you’re new to yoga, it can be perceived in many ways. Some teachers might refer to it as a “resting pose”; perhaps while the arms are burning and the breath is laboured. Some studios host workshops on this posture alone. Therefore, it’s important to get a basic understanding of this foundational pose to help build your practice.

The more you understand the foundations, the more you can expand the rest of your practice. So here are so helpful tips on the beloved Downward Dog, and what to avoid.

Tented Fingers

It’s common tent the fingers in Down Dog — but this leads to dumping the weight into the wrists. Instead, spread your fingers wide, and press down through all the knuckles of each finger (especially the base knuckles!). Imagine you are trying to push the floor away with your palms.

Rounded Back

Flexibility in the spine is quite variable from person to person. If you can feel your back rounding in this pose, there’s a simple solution — bend your knees! When you bend your knees, this gives more space in the lower back to extend and get a nice stretch in this pose.

Forcing the Heels Down

A common cue in this posture is to press your heels down towards the floor — which is great for a hamstring stretch. However, it’s not necessary, and having the heels lifted off the mat is completely fine to ensure you find that elongated spine.

Shoulders by the Ears

Most of us hold a lot of tension in the shoulders. And if you’re new to this pose, much of the weight can find it’s way to that area, causing us to crunch the shoulders up by the ears. Bring the awareness back to the hands, press the floor away from you, and allow your shoulders to soften away from the ears.

Forcing the Legs Straight

As mentioned, it’s fine to have the legs bent as much as you need in this pose. The goal of this pose, and yoga in general, is to listen to your body and be honest with yourself. Perhaps the knees start off bent, and with time, they become straighter, the heels fall towards the floor, and the spine becomes longer. What is your body telling you?

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