40 ·^ COSMOPOLITAN
AS TOLD TO CATRIONA INNES. PHOTOGRAPH GETTY IMAGES. YEHYOGA.COMIt’s a yoga classic, but are you doing it right? Yeh Yoga founder Emily Harding
explains how to get down...
How to nail the
perfect downward dog
YOUR STARTING POSITION
Begin in a high plank, with your
hands shoulder-width and feet
hip-width apart, heels pushing back.
From here, keep your hands and
feet exactly where they are, and start
to lift your hips up and backwards
towards the sky, sending your
chest towards your thighs.YOUR HANDS
Keep them shoulder-width apart, with the fingers spread
as wide you can and your middle fingers pointing
forwards. Your wrists shouldn’t hurt; if they do, make
sure your hands are facing forwards and you’re not just
driving the base of your palm into the mat. Press firmly
down between your index finger and thumb to stop you
slipping and take the weight away from your wrists.YOUR ARMS
Ensure your arms are straight,
strong and in line with your ears
(your ears should be between
your upper arms). Twist your
elbows inwards towards the floor,
which rotates the shoulders out
to stretch the back.YOUR HIPS
Lift them up and direct
your chest towards your
thighs – this opens up
the shoulders and chest.
Keep your pelvis neutral,
it shouldn’t vigorously
tilt one way or another.
Pushing your bum up
and away from you
slightly should keep your
hips in the right position.YOUR LEGS
The legs need to be hip-width apart, and
lengthen down in a straight line behind
you. Imagine pushing your heels towards the
floor, but don’t worry if they don’t get there.
Squeeze the front of your legs to activate your
quads and lift your kneecaps. You’re trying to
find length through the back of your knees.
If you have tight hamstrings, keep a soft bend
in the knee. This can also help straighten
your back if you find that it’s rounding.YOUR FEET
The outer edges of your feet should
run parallel, which will make you
very slightly pigeon-toed and help
to engage the front of your legs.
Grip the ground firmly with all
10 toes; it should feel like you’re
trying to pull your mat apart.YOUR NECK AND GAZE
Tuck your chin down towards your
chest to lengthen the neck. Look
towards your belly-button or, if that’s
too intense, move your gaze down
to your knees. Draw your shoulders
away from your ears, so you’re
not scrunching up your neck. Don’t
strain your head through your arms- this will only create tension in
the neck and shoulders.
move fitness
FYI,
try to prioritise
finding a straighter
back over
straight legs.