Puppy Pose
Description
This exercise involves getting down on all fours, with your hands and knees on the ground, and arching your back upwards while keeping your arms and legs straight. It is often used in yoga as a gentle stretch for the spine and hips.
Muscle Group
Equipment Required
Puppy Pose Instructions
- Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
- Spread your fingers wide and press firmly into your hands to engage your arms.
- As you exhale, tuck your toes and lift your knees off the floor, straightening your legs and pressing your hips up and back into an inverted V-shape.
- Press your heels down toward the floor and lengthen your spine.
- Engage your core muscles and draw your navel in toward your spine.
- Hold the pose for several breaths, then release and return to your starting position.
Puppy Pose Form & Visual
Puppy Pose Benefits
- Stretches the hips, thighs, and spine
- Strengthens the legs and core muscles
- Improves balance and posture
- Relieves stress and anxiety
- Increases blood circulation and energy levels
Puppy Pose Muscles Worked
- Quadriceps
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Lower back
- Shoulders
- Chest
Puppy Pose Variations & Alternatives
- Downward-facing dog
- Upward-facing dog
- Three-legged dog
- Plank pose
- Chaturanga
- Cobra pose
- Child’s pose
- Warrior I
- Warrior II
- Triangle pose