Does Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) Hurt You?
You’ll hear instructors say that the downward-facing dog position is an easy one. It’s a good resting position. If you have cruddy upper body strength, then you know this is pure bull. If you want to reduce stress on your wrist and hands (the common complaint about this pose) you should press down with your fingers (index and thumbs in particular) and borders of your palms. Push the hips up and backward. I personally find that if I do a good warm up (and not let all of the attention go to my leg and back muscles) I don’t have The Flaming Arm. A good yoga mat works too. The extra cushy ones take a lot of the stress off your wrists.
