Lower back, upper back, neck, shoulders, wrists, hips, knees and ankles

Downward Dog: Forearms (Dolphin)

Forearm support takes the strain off your wrists while still building real shoulder and core strength: a wrist-friendly way into the classic Downward Dog shape.

How to do it

1. 1

   Set your forearms down with elbows under your shoulders

   Knees under your hips, forearms parallel and pressing into the floor. Your wrists are not bending back at all here, the forearms carry the load instead.

2. 2

   Tuck your toes and lift your hips high

   Press the forearms down firmly and send your hips towards the ceiling. Keep your knees bent as much as you need to.

3. 3

   Push the floor away and keep your chest wide

   Actively press down so your upper back stays lifted rather than sinking between your shoulders. Your head stays between your arms with the neck long, not resting on the floor.

4. 4

   Treat this as strength work, not a rest

   It should feel like effort in your shoulders and along your middle. For an easier route, keep the knees well bent and walk the feet in closer.

5. 5

   Hold for 60 to 90 seconds, then lower slowly

   Come down to your knees and sit back for a few breaths. Come down sooner if your head feels light or the position stops feeling steady.

What to watch for

Your shoulders creeping up towards your ears while your upper back sags between them. That is the hold finishing, so come down and rest rather than waiting it out.

If this one is too much today

Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.

• Downward Dog: Bent Knees

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Downward Dog versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Downward Dog: Bent Knees
• Downward Dog: Chair Supported
• Downward Dog: Classic
• Downward Dog: Hands on Blocks
• Downward Dog: Hands on Wall
• Downward Dog: Movement

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.