Unlocking Downward Dog

[[DW]]

Yet another clip from last Wednesday's filming sesh @ Sydney Stretch Therapy. This one is a nice progression for unlocking Downward Dog.

[Jim Pickles]

Replied on Youtube so the gen public can see, but this is what I wrote:

Nice one! It seems to me that because Downward Dog LOOKS simple and basic, people get thrown into it without proper instruction, and not only end up doing it badly, but because they dont know how to address proper form, make only poor progress over time. It seems to me that it is one of the most important poses, and the one that often gets short-changed in teaching. Thanks! Jim.

[[DW]]

Thanks for the kind words, Jim! I agree in regards to the importance of this pose, too.

[Kit_L]

This one from Cherie needs to be positioned with the ladders bar routine from Olivia the other day:

And one more comment: a strong hamstring stretch can be achieved in the downward dog IF you position your lower back the way Cherie and O demo, AND you do one leg at a time). And a floor lunge hamstring pose could be added too (thinking of a routine for a class here).

Most people are just not strong enough to use their trunk muscles to hold the spine in the slightly arched position against combined hamstring/calf/posterior line tension—and the easiest way to avoid this tension (or reduce it, anyway) is to let the spine flex, and that's what we see everywhere. This observation is why I developed the SLDP.

The reason beginners can't anteriorly tilt the pelvis is not the lats; it's the whole posterior line from hips to toes. Once that has been loosened via OP's routine, and perhaps a floor hamstring stretch, then Cherie's becomes much more accessible, I believe, and her kneeling lat stretched will definitely help to achieve the perfect shoulder flexion she demonstrates.