This quintessential yoga posture stretches the calves and hamstrings, properly aligns the spine, improves shoulder mobility, and strengthens your hips, back, and core. It’s great for athletes to improve lower-body strength and flexibility, and for weight lifters who need to stretch tight muscles and recover quickly.
Downward Dog Target Muscles
- hamstrings
- hips
- core
- shoulders
- upper back calves
Downward Dog Benefits
- Increases hamstring mobility
- Improves shoulder strength and mobility Stretches calves to relieve ankle and knee tension
How to do Downward Dog for Beginners
- Start in Plank (see p88) with your shoulders over your hands, core engaged, feet hip-width apart, and toes tucked. Lift hips to form a straight line from shoulders to heels.
- Lift your hips back and up to form a pyramid shape with your body. Focus on creating a straight line from hands to hips. Squeeze your upper thighs and abdominal muscles toward each other. Rotate biceps slightly forward to open your shoulders and release tension in the neck.
- Squeeze your arms and shoulders toward each other to engage the upper body. Relax your neck to look back at your feet. Release heels toward the floor to stretch the calves. Hold the posture, inhaling as you lengthen and lift, and exhaling as you deepen the stretch and increase engagement.
Cues for Downward Dog
- Squeeze arms and shoulders toward each other
- Squeeze core and upper thighs toward each other
- Lengthen hamstrings to help flatten lower back
- Slightly rotate thighs inward and squeeze legs toward each other
- Relax heels toward ground, lifting toes if possible
YOU SHOULD FEEL
- Stretch in hamstrings, mid- and upper back, and shoulders
- Engagement of quadriceps and core
YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
- All your weight in shoulders and wrists; if so, pull shoulders away from ears and transfer weight to upper back, palms, and fingers
Downward Dog Pro Tip
Once you’re in the final pose, use a mirror to view yourself from the side, and focus on making your back flat. If you have trouble flattening it, walk your feet farther away from your hands, or bend your knees.
Downward Dog Modification
If it’s difficult to engage the correct muscles, firmly plant your feet, hinge at the hips, and press your hands into a sturdy external support to form an L-shape with your body. Keep ribs drawn in, and avoid splaying open the chest. Notice what proper engagement feels like, then try on the floor.
About Dean Pohlman, Founder & CEO of Man Flow Yoga, Author of Yoga Fitness for Men, Expert on Yoga Fitness for Men.
Dean Pohlman is making yoga more accessible to fitness-minded men. A former collegiate lacrosse player, Dean discovered yoga while recovering from injuries and quickly realized its potential to boost strength, mobility, and overall performance.
Since launching Man Flow Yoga in 2013, Dean Pohlman has built a global community that speaks for itself:
- 195,000+ customers
- 42+ million YouTube views
- 200,000+ followers across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok
Dean’s book Yoga Fitness for Men has sold over 50,000 copies, while his Body by Yoga DVD series has surpassed 120,000 units sold, earning him consistent #1 rankings on Amazon and thousands of five-star reviews. He’s also been featured in Men’s Health, Muscle & Fitness, GQ Magazine, Fox Tampa Bay, The Chicago Sun, and on influential podcasts like The Ready State and Ben Greenfield Fitness.
With a focus on real results, community, and technique-focused instruction, Dean Pohlman continues to change the conversation around yoga. He’s not just teaching poses—he’s helping people build stronger, more capable bodies for life.
