Healthy Living Blog

Forget Me Not Friday:
Up Dog – Urdhva Mucha Svanasana
And how it differs from Cobra!
In this pose, your legs, hips, and thighs are away from the floor.
Your really active through the arms, shoulders, and back.
However, that is not the focal point of your strength.
The stretch and engagement through the front body from the sternum to the kneecaps should be where your strength comes from.
Tightening kneecaps up, engaging thighs, using your mula bandha/core to lift the pelvis and draw up through the chest, shining out your heart center to sternum. This is where your power comes from.
Not to mention peeling your back away from the floor for an extension of the spine.
One thing to notice is that in Cobra, your pulling the legs and pelvis down into the ground while lifting through your core and back. Another is to keep your arms by your side. Your not looking for lengthening through the whole body yet.
In Up Dog, legs and pelvis lift away from the floor to powerhous and lengthen the body for a full stretch. Then arms and back engage for a back extension. Shoulders should always be away from your ears.
Try both and see the difference, especially which one works for you the best. That way when you do your next flow you can pick that one to do from Down Dog to Plank to Chaturanga then to either Up Dog or Cobra. Find the pose for your body, right now.
Happy Searching!