Yoga posture - Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana
Translation: One Leg Downward Facing Dog
This yoga posture can be entered easily from
Downward Dog Pose. The hands are placed
down and the first finger or the middle finger points forward.
The arms are stretched away from the body. They can be extended in line
with the spine or sometimes a slight angle is made between the arms and the
body for a deeper shoulder stretch.
The top of the head can be pointing down towards the mat or in line with
the direction of force through the arms. One way stretches the neck the other
way strengthens it.
The navel is raised upwards towards the chest and the tailbone is raised
upwards. This will straighten the lower back.
Then one leg is raised up and back. Try to keep the hips in line.
You can also open the hips and raise the leg higher. Most of the weight
and force will move to one arm. It is easier to balance the weight over both
arms if the hips are aligned but the hamstring muscles and calf muscles must
be flexible.
Benefits
This pose increases the strength and flexibility of the shoulders. The hamstrings,
calf muscles (gastrocnemius and the soleus) and the achilles tendon are stretched.
The hamstring muscles in the raised leg (the biceps femoris, semitendinosus
and the semimembranosus) Gluteus Muscles and some lower back muscles are toned.
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