ONEONE
Stretch your bottom ribs away
from your hips, which will help
you find more space in the sides
of your torso and prevent you
from rounding your back.Internally rotate your inner thighs toward the
space behind you. This action will help you prep
for all inversions because it activates your pelvic
floor—a crucial set of muscles that enables you
to balance when you’re upside down.ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
This is one of yoga’s feel-good poses: It’s an all-over stretch
that opens the back of your legs, lengthens your spine, and
can even relieve lower-back pain. Down Dog can be challeng-
ing to hold for long stretches of time at first. But when you
practice it regularly, it will quickly begin to feel like a resting
pose, even as it helps you build the arm and shoulder strength
you need to move on to more challenging inversions.HOW TO From Tadasana (Mountain Pose), fold forward, bend-
ing your knees if your hamstrings feel tight. Then, step back
into Plank Pose and look down at your hands, making sure
they’re shoulder-width apart with your fingers turned slightly
outward, which will help externally rotate your shoulders and
engage your triceps. From here, begin to lift your hips, pulling
them up and back into Downward-Facing Dog Pose.