This energizing pose brings fresh blood to the brain, helping you to focus and clear your head. It requires strength and flexibility in both the upper and lower body, toning and lengthening your achilles tendons, calves, and hamstrings, while opening through the chest and armpits. It strengthens the wrists, forearms, and triceps, and builds a strong core as you lock your abdominal muscles to your spine.
Begin in child’s pose, with your hips resting on your heels and your arms stretched out in front of you. Spread your fingers wide on the mat and curl your toes under. Press down through your palms while lifting your sitting bones up to the ceiling. Bring your navel strongly toward your spine and flatten out your lower back. Keeping a soft bend in the knees, make sure your feet are about hip distance apart, with your toes pointing straight ahead toward the front of your mat. As your hamstrings become longer, you can work towards bringing your heels flat on the floor. Let go of all tension in the head and neck, while pressing your shoulders away from your ears.
Kids love the feeling of being upside-down. Use this pose when your child is acting hyper or overstimulated to help redirect his energy in a positive way. Inversions of all kinds are particularly beneficial for children with ADHD.
When teaching Down Dog to your child, demonstrate the pose and tell her to make a triangle shape with her body. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to feel good and be comfortable for the child. Together you can try lifting one leg up toward the sky, or walking back and forth in your triangle shapes. Encourage them to think of other things that are shaped like a triangle. Are they a mountain, or a tall Pyramid, or the sails of a boat? After holding the pose for a few breaths, drop down into child’s pose (see previous post) and relax!
