You see Downward-facing Dog in most power, flow, and Vinyasa disciplines and each lineage has a different approach. If you’ve ever heard of a hard and fast rule like you MUST keep a bend in your elbows or your middle fingers MUST be parallel, you know what I’m talking about. In the field of yoga, some people will take you into the ring to prove their approach is correct.
So who's right and who wins? NOBODY.
There’s no one approach to any movement practice that works for all people. That’s why we’ve created this simple tutorial to help you understand what’s being asked of your body and what you’re capable of for movement. Watch below to learn the prerequisites for Adho Mukha Svanasana.
When we adhere to alignment cues without exploration or assume the same approach works for all yogis, we're bound to make some big mistakes, particularly if you have a lifelong practice.
Down Dog has a LOT of prerequisites, so let's be sure you're exploring yours and making Down Dog work for YOU, regardless of what you were told.