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Ask the Yoga Teacher

Downward Dog Discomfort?

Answered by Kathleen Kastner, owner of Maya Yoga studio, in Kansas City, MO.

I’m a yoga instructor with a student who’s fairly agile but she has a really hard time with Down Dog because it bothers her tight upper back and shoulders. Plus, her hamstrings are tight so she has to bend her knees deeply. Her back is as elongated as it has to be and, despite giving her cues (to press into her fingers and the heels of her hands, draw her shoulders down and rotate them outwardly), she still finds this a difficult pose to hold because of the discomfort. Any advice? -Angelena

Try these techniques to help alleviate some of her discomfort:

Have your student start her Down Dog with her knees bent, and then gradually have her breathe them straight, or straighter, to release her hamstrings. To keep her mind still and calm in the pose, make sure she is breathing deep ujjayi breath and has her eyes focused on one single point towards her navel.

Once her knees begin to straighten, have her contract her quadriceps, the tops of her thighs, which will also help release her hamstrings. Ideally, you want her to use her leg muscles to pull her hips back and elongate her spine, so all the work isn’t being done by her upper back and shoulders. Put most of the work in her legs.

I wouldn’t have her hold Down Dog for more than 5 deep ujjayi breaths, especially if she is a current or former weight lifter.

Kathleen Kastner has been teaching ashtanga, vinyasa and power yoga for ten years and is also the owner of Maya Yoga studio, in Kansas City, MO.

Comments

vermont
07 May 2008, 05:57

what about pain in hands? I have done yoga a few times, but despite the directions of push into finger tips-I still feel it in the heels of my hands and wrists and cannot hold the pose for Down dog or any of the other poses where you are leaning on your hands. Any suggestions?

thanks,

Bethesda
12 May 2008, 00:23

I have the same problems as Vermont. I have been weight lifting for years and despite doing yoga (off and on and by no means considered advanced), the downward dog pose seems to really put stress on my wrist.

I also hear downward dog described as being a "relaxing" pose, but there is nothing "relaxing" to me about it. I finally had the chance to attend a few Yoga classes at my local gym and ask the instructor and she commented that a lot of new students (regardless of muscle strength) have problems with the downward dog position. I expect the tightness in my hamstrings and not being able to push my heels to the floor being similar to touching my hands to the floor in folded bend, which I can do pretty easily at this point.

Could I really be doing this position that wrongly? It's also one of those positions that is hard to "correct" in a mirror as your head is in a position that is hard to view a mirror. Any help greatly appreciated!