Puppy pose (aka anahatasana or melting heart pose) is a juicy upper-back and shoulder opener that requires little-to-no exertion. And probably one of my top-five favorite poses!
Table of Contents
puppy pose – set up
- Begin in table top, shoulders over wrists and hips over knees
- Walk your hands forward while keeping your hips aligned over your knees – toes can be tucked or untucked
- Forehead comes down to the floor with arms extended in front of you
puppy pose – working within the pose
upper/mid-body
- If you have the mobility, chest and chin can come to rest on the floor instead of forehead
- Soften wherever you can, and allow gravity to be the driving force that coaxes your body into the shape
- If you want to have a more active puppy pose, you can either tent your finger tips and lift your elbows, OR, you can actively draw your armpits down to the floor if you’re looking to increase spinal mobility
lower body
- Be sure to keep your hips aligned over your knees
- Check out some different leg variations you can play around with below ↓↓↓
puppy pose – benefits
- Stretches spine
- Opens shoulders
- Improves spinal flexibility
- Stretches pecs and upper back muscles
puppy pose – modifications
- If you need more space to work with, try putting a rolled up blanket or bolster between your calves and thighs
- Option to play with different leg variations – lotus or half-lotus legs, extending one or both legs straight back behind you, etc.
puppy pose – contraindications
- Knee injury
- Neck injury
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