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Raised Leg Downward Facing Dog Pose, Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana: Yoga Inversions – Hatha Yoga Classes in Milton Keynes

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana – Raised Leg Downward Facing Dog Pose requires stretch in the shoulders and wrists and increases flexibility in the hamstrings. It is more of an inversion than the classic pose and therefore increases the cardiac response.
– Yoga Lily, Hatha Yoga Classes in Milton Keynes
1. From Downward Facing Dog Pose, bring the feet close together. Raise the left leg up, parallel to the floor. Extend the right heel closer to the floor as you press the left heel farther away. Rotate the left thigh in so that toes point straight down. Press the palms of your hands evenly into the floor and move the chest toward the thighs. Keep both shoulders an even height from the floor. Stay for five breaths, then lower the leg. Rest down if necessary. Repeat on the other side.
Downward Facing Dog Pose
2. If you can raise your leg high, the following variation will give and increased stretch. From Downward Facing Dog Pose, turn your left toes out and raise the leg up toward the ceiling as before but this time don’t keep the shoulders level. Allow the left shoulder to move forward as the right shoulder moves back slightly, while you spiral the chest toward the left and look up from under the left upper arm.
Raised Leg Downward Facing Dog Pose, Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana - step 2
3. Bend the left knee and let the heel fall near the buttocks. Extend the bent knee higher back and up. This will work into the abdomen and help tone for organs. Feel the whole outer edge of the left body stretch upward, from the inner left wrist through the left under arm and along the side of the left chest to the left hip. Lower the left leg on an exhalation, then repeat on the other side.

eka-pada-adho-mukha-svanasana-3

Tips

Gaze: Navel
Counter Pose:

  • Mountain Pose, Tadasana

Lighten:

  • Don’t raise the leg as high
  • Keep the raised knee bent
  • From all fours position, raise one leg back

Effect: Restorative, calming
 

Raised Leg Downward Facing Dog Pose, Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana Counter Pose

In yoga we use a counter pose in a sequence; For example, a twist follows a backbend to “neutralise” the spine, or a forward bend follows a backbend to help lengthen the spine and calm the nervous system.
 

Mountain-Pose-Tadasana

Mountain Pose, Tadasana