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Exercise guide
Puppy Pose
A kneeling pose halfway between child's pose and downward dog: the hips stay over the knees while the chest melts towards the floor, opening the shoulders and the upper back.
What this exercise works
- Muscles
- latissimus dorsi · posterior deltoid · erector spinae · trapezius
- Goals
- mobility
- Equipment
- No equipment
- Category
- Stretching
- Difficulty
- beginner
Demonstration
Step 1
How to perform the movement
- Kneel on all fours with the hips over the knees and the hands under the shoulders.
- Walk the hands forward and lower the chest towards the floor, keeping the hips high.
- Rest the forehead or the chin on the mat and let the armpits soften downwards.
- Hold the position for the prescribed time, breathing into the upper back.
- Walk the hands back and sit onto the heels to come out.
Technique cues and common mistakes
- Keep the hips stacked over the knees; sitting back turns this into child's pose.
- Press the palms down and lift the elbows off the floor to keep the arms working.
- Rest the forehead on a block if the chest does not reach comfortably.