This week I riffle through the old mental files to an Anusara yoga class from many years ago where I learned from Maritza all about the loops and spirals of Anusara's alignment principles. As we continue to refine the upper body positioning that creates ease in weight bearing postures such as Downward Facing Dog, remember to work mindfully so that we are not adding tension to the shoulder area. 

Gentle Backbend with Arms Overhead

Lie on the back with a long-folded blanket beneath the bottom tips of the shoulder blades, right beneath the bra line. Rest the upper shoulder and head on the floor and keep the knees bent at first. Use a looped strap that is as wide as the chest and place the wrists inside the strap. Raise the arms in front of the body keeping the palms facing inwards and the arms parallel to each other. Continue to move the arms over the head within a comfortable range of motion. Reach from the underside of the shoulder blade to the pinkie fingers and from the crook between the index finger and thumb draw the inner shoulder blades down the back. 

Elevator Doors

From a sitting position, raise the arms out to the sides with the elbows bent and forearms vertical in a cactus position. As you inhale draw the shoulder blades together to open the arms. As you exhale draw the forearms together in front of the face engaging the Serratus Anterior muscles beneath the shoulder blades that help to pin the shoulder blades low and wide on the back.

Plank Pose

From all fours extend the legs back one at a time and turn the toes under so that the knees are off the floor. Draw the shoulder blades down the back and reach the sternum forward keeping the frame of the shoulder strong. Engage the belly and lengthen back towards the heels. 
Therapeutics: Strengthens the shoulders and core.

Downward Facing Dog with a Chair

Stand in front of the seat of a chair and bend forward holding the sides of the seat with the hands wrapped around underneath. Step the feet back and extend the arms over the head but do not allow the head to drop below the arms. Keep the shoulders wide on the back as you press the hips back, knees can be bent or straight with the weight of the hips over the heels. 
Therapeutics: Stretches the shoulders, lengthens hamstrings, provides traction for the spine, and encourages good alignment for Downward Facing Dog.

As promised, this month we begin our excursion into the wild and wonderful land of Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Downward Facing Dog. A ubiquitous posture that is called out by hundreds of thousands of yoga teachers every day. It is one of those postures that most teachers will assume you know how to do but students are often left wondering how do it so that the arms and shoulders are not fatigued, how do I get my hips up high enough and how in the world will I ever get my heels down on the floor? 

When I first began studying yoga, a teacher would mention Downward Facing Dog (also known as Downward Dog, Down Dog or even Dog Pose for short) was a resting posture. We beginners scoffed at the idea that anyone could get rest in such a difficult posture. But after many classes of being asked to practice Down Dog and many rounds of fine tuning over the years, it has become one of my favorite postures for stretching my tired back, stretching the backs of my legs if I have been sitting too long and even provides me with a sense of empowerment, that yes, I really can hold myself up with my own two arms!

This week we will learn all about internal and external rotation of the arms and which one is necessary for holding the posture safely and comfortably and you will learn some simple home practice exercises that will quickly build the strength and stability to transform your Downward Facing Dog.

Internal & External Rotation of the Arms
Begin seated cross-legged on floor, folded blanket or bolster. 

• Allow arms to hand by the sides with the palms facing inwards, this is a neutral rotation of the arms. 
• If you turn the upper arms inward toward the body so that the thumbs turn in towards the hips and the palms of the hands face backwards, this is internal rotation. Notice how this position rounds the upper back and collapses the chest. The shoulder blades are drawing up the back and the tops of the shoulders are shrugging in toward the neck. It would be very difficult to raise the arms over the head in internal rotation.
  
• If you then turn the upper arms outward so that the elbow creases and palms face outward, this is external rotation. Notice how this position lifts the chest and encourages the shoulder blades to slide down the back. This is the preferred position of the arm and shoulder for raising the arms over the head. 

Arms Overhead
Urdhva Hastasana

With the arms in external rotation, lift the parallel arms forward, making sure the shoulder blades are being drawn down the back. Continue raising the arms over the head slowly without shrugging the shoulders. As soon as you feel the upper arm beginning to roll in towards the neck, stop raising the arms. (This action is technically called flexion of the shoulder although many of us teachers call it extending the arms over the head).