Mastering Upward Facing Dog: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

We explain the Upward Facing Dog benefits
Quick Facts

Yoga Type: Hatha Yoga / Vinyasa Yoga
Age Group: All ages (with modifications for beginners or older adults)
Level: Intermediate (can be modified for beginners)
Mental Benefit: Enhances focus, reduces stress, promotes mental clarity
Physical Benefit: Strengthens the arms, core, and spine and improves flexibility in the back and shoulders

Are you struggling with back pain or posture? These typical difficulties can ruin your day and health. Feeling stiffness or discomfort when you want to move freely and feel strong is annoying. What if there was a simple solution to fix these issues and increase flexibility?

The Upward Facing Dog is a powerful yoga pose that relieves tension, strengthens your core, and opens your chest for better posture and breathing. 

Upward-facing Dog is a must-try for yoga beginners and advanced practitioners. This transforming stance can help you live healthier and more balanced lives. Stretch beyond your limitations and feel the difference in every action!

What is an Upward Facing Dog?

The back-bending yoga pose upward-facing dog stretches the back and strengthens the core. 

In Sanskrit, the language from which yoga originated, “Urdhva Mukha Svanasana” means “upward,” “face,” “dog,” and “pose.”

A Vinyasa yoga class transitions from Chaturanga Dandasana (low plank) to Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward-facing dog) with this advanced posture.

How to Prepare for Upward Facing Dog

  • Arms and Wrists: The Plank and Cobra pose improves arm and wrist strength, which supports your body weight.
  • Strengthen Your Core: Boat Pose and easy crunches help you stay stable during the Upward Facing Dog.
  • The Basics First: Practice introductory backbends like Baby Cobra Pose before trying this intermediate pose.
  • Listen to Your Body: Don’t overdo it. If you feel uncomfortable, halt and change your posture for safety.

Warm-Up Exercises

  • Neck rolls: Gently roll your neck. In Counter Clock wise and Anti Clock Wise
  • Shoulder shrugs: Roll your shoulders back and forth toward your ears. 8–10 times to relieve stiffness and enhance shoulder mobility.
  • The Cat-Cow Stretch: Arch and round your back on all fours. It extends your spine and warms your core for deeper positions.
  • Forward Fold: Bend forward from your hips, arms relaxed. This will calm the mind and stretch the hamstrings and lower back.

How to Perform Upward Facing Dog

How to Perform Upward Facing Dog
VeryFit Life
  1. Lying Face Down: Lie on your stomach with your legs straight behind you and your feet on the mat.
  2. Place Your Hands Under Your Shoulders: Place your palms on the mat under your shoulders and elbows close to your sides.
  3. Engage Your Core and Legs: Press your feet into the mat and elevate your thighs slightly.
  4. Push through your hands to straighten your arms and lift your torso and head. Your shoulders should be relaxed and away from your ears.
  5. Lift gently and arch your back to open your chest.
  6. Look slightly forward or upward to avoid neck-over extension.
  7. Maintain the pose for 10–20 seconds, focusing on your breath. Take deep breaths and exhale slowly.
  8. Slowly lower your chest and thighs to the mat to securely depart the pose.

“Take this expert-led yoga class to transform your body and mind with improved flexibility and stress. Watch now.”

Benefits of Upward Facing Dog

  • Supporting your weight strengthens your arms, shoulders, and wrists.
  • Increases spine flexibility, improving posture and reducing stiffness.
  • This stretch opens up the chest, making breathing easier and easing pain in the lungs.
  • Reduces Back Pain: Gently stretch the lower back to relieve tension.

Beginner Tips

Before Upward Facing Dog, beginners should practice Cobra Pose for strength and flexibility. Start with slightly bent elbows and focus on your core and thighs to avoid lower back pain. Breathe deeply and practice slowly—listen to your body.

Variations of Upward Facing Dog

Modified Upward Facing Dog: To reduce the soreness of your back and wrists, keep your legs on the mat and bend your elbows just a bit.

One-Legged Upward Dog: Keep one leg straight and lift it off the mat to add balance and work your core even more.

Support with Blocks: Place yoga blocks under your hands to make the pose easier and reduce the strain on your arms.

Upward Dog with a Strap: To keep elbows straight, wrap a yoga strap across your upper arms.

Dynamic Flow Variation: Move quickly from Cobra Pose to Upward Facing Dog to improve your balance and flexibility.

Expert Tips for Upward Facing Dog

Work your core and legs to protect your lower back and stay balanced in the pose. Keep your shoulders loose and away from your ears for better balance and a deeper stretch.

Safety Precaution

Use the right form and technique to ensure that your yoga exercise is safe and effective. If you have a health problem, talk to your doctor before you do yoga. Your wants can be taken into account when changing your posture.

Case Study:

My personal experience about this pose and also search on different forums. Reddit User (shifty-shoelacei) Said Definitely, I’ll give this a try! I now realize that I was more concerned with strengthening myself for upward dog than with stretching. For more knowledge visit Reddit

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The toes are curled under instead of being on top of the feet.

There are no lifts because the knees are on the floor.

Putting pressure on the lower back

Eyes on the arms should face forward instead of in. 

The back of the neck should be pressed together.

Putting pressure on or collapsing the shoulders

Source:

MasterClass. (n.d.). How to do Upward-Facing Dog: 3 Benefits of Upward Dog Pose – 2024 – MasterClass.

Yoga Journal. (2022, December 30). Upward-Facing Dog pose.

Disclaimer: The content provided on this site is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program, particularly if you have pre-existing medical conditions or concerns. The website and its creators are not responsible for any injuries, damages, or adverse effects that may result from using the information provided. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of these terms.

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Elyce Elowen is a certified yoga therapist and instructor (C-IAYT, 500-hour RYT) with nearly a decade of experience helping individuals achieve balance and well-being. She collaborates with medical experts to design programs for mental wellness, chronic pain, and stress management, and provides mindfulness training for communities and organizations. Beyond yoga, Elyce has a passion for creativity and personal growth. She’s a freelance writer, sharing insights on yoga, mindfulness, and self-improvement, and previously worked as an art instructor and community organizer, empowering others through education and self-expression. In her downtime, Elyce enjoys hiking, reading, and creating art, always inspired by her belief that true strength comes from presence and growth.

Andrea Cintulova is a passionate yoga teacher and has a deep love for movement and mindfulness. She came from a background in modern gymnastics and dance, and yoga was something she discovered in her university years and never stopped. Hatha was her starting point and then she moved on to Ashtanga, Acro, Bikram and Vinyasa, which were her favorites because they were fluid and creative. Andrea is a certified Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher and has taught Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga classes in Europe, corporate yoga in Vienna, rooftop sessions and international workshops. She is still inspiring students to build strength, flexibility, and inner peace on and off the mat through VeryFit Life.

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