Upward Facing Dog: Yoga Posture For Children
Upward facing dog is often one of the first yoga poses children learn. In addition, it is also usually one of the ones they like the most. First of all, this pose is very interesting because it is part of some of the most important posture sequences in yoga, such as the sun salutation. Likewise, it works very well for other types of sequences and its teaching can be very creative and stimulating for children.
Benefits of the upward facing dog pose for children
The upward facing dog, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana in its original name, is a posture that helps to strengthen the spine. It also helps to stretch the back and open the chest. On the other hand, it also helps relieve fatigue and stress, and is very helpful in relieving asthma symptoms.
Likewise, the upright dog can also strengthen the wrists and arms and back, free the lungs and open the heart. Also, it should be noted that they are considered an “outgoing” posture, which means that it can balance the tendency to curl up in oneself when feeling sad or overwhelmed.
Other very interesting benefits of the upright dog pose for children is that it stimulates the thyroid gland, which secretes thyroid hormone. This hormone influences the metabolic rate and protein synthesis of the human body, which also helps in the development of the human body.
It also stimulates the pituitary gland, which aids in the secretion of various hormones that control growth, blood pressure, and keep the body’s metabolism under control.
How to do the upward facing dog?
Performing the upward facing dog pose is fairly straightforward. Children usually have no difficulty doing it. However, it is important not to force in case they cannot finish it.
The upward facing dog pose, step by step, is performed as follows:
- Tell the child to lie on the floor, face down, on his stomach.
- Next, tell him to place his hands in front of his shoulders, flat on the floor.
- From there, tell him to press your hands to the ground while he takes a breath.
- It is interesting that the little one stretches his arms completely and, above all, that he raises his head, as if looking with his chest up. In this pose your pelvis will be raised off the floor. This is good. The knees can even be separated from the ground, leaving the back of the feet as the only support.
- It is okay if the child cannot fully stretch their arms, but it is very important that they do not stick their elbows out and keep them close to the body.
- The pose can be held between 30 and 60 seconds, while inhaling and exhaling.
- To get back to the ground, simply tell her to bend her arms slowly and lie back down as she exhales.
Contraindications
In some cases the upright dog posture is not recommended, for example if there is a problem with the vertebrae. If so, it is important to consult with your pediatrician before performing not only this pose, but any other yoga pose.
Other contraindications to performing the upward facing dog pose include weakness problems in the wrists and elbows. In these cases, it is important to strengthen these joints by other means, as this posture is very demanding for them.
Lastly, upward facing dog should not be performed by children with spondylosis, as deep stretching in the upper back, including the neck and head, may not be suitable for them.
