Part 10 of 10...Structural anomalies or an orthopedic profile that has maybe changed because of life experiences. These will dictate the posture looming different. Once agin the posture conforms to the person. The ones that are most significant for down dog will be really long legs, short torso. These people will need blocks under their hands to helps them out if they want help. The next one will be scoliosis. Depending on the severity of the curvature will depend on what y

Just like any pose, lift or technique the pose must adjust to the body. We can only make so many adjustments before the pose, lift or technique just might be thrown out because the risks out way the benefits. Believe it or not it’s your “simpler” poses like child’s pose or happy baby that get thrown out. Hands in down dog are not always best flat. There may be too many issues going on in the wrist for this to work out in the long run. I will have clients cup their hands, m

Head and neck position for down dog. I’ve heard some instructors say “let is dangle” I’ve heard other instructors say “tuck your chin to look at your feet” Those are both wrong. Letting your head dangle doesn’t teach your neck how to stabilize the neck against the weight of the head. The other option starts to pull you into a rounded position and they both encourage bad head position which will in turn lead to neck problems, Dowagers hump and then down into the shoulders

In the first 4 videos I gave a bit of a background as to why someone would have difficulty finding a down dog position. In the previous videos you can start connecting with the concept 'the pose conforms to you'. That everyone's pose will have similarities and differences based off genetics, life experience that made these bodies, and available strength. The next set of videos will be covering why the hamstrings aren't the only muscle group that would be restricting this move

If the person is shifted forwards in their down dog and the gleno-humoral joint (shoulder) is positioned closer to the hands or over the hands, there is a line of force that is going to pass down through and into the floor via the arms and hands. If I was wanting them to do a charuranga (high plank) then this is a position to do that from BUT not for down dog. As we start to moving into positions that ask us to lift heavier and heavier, the weakness will come through and yo

Down dog is one of yoga's signature poses. It is also a deceptive pose as it is one of the hardest poses to master. We have people who find it very easy to get into and it feels like a rest pose to them. While others struggle and it's hard and it hurts. They get frustrated and want to quit. You also have instructors that leave their class in down dog for an unusually long time. Whether you find it hard or easy to be in, down dog is NOT a rest pose. Down dog requires a bit of

How can you begin to minimize the load being placed onto the wrist, the passive structures of the shoulders and the neck? There is a...