What should you do during the inhale in Upward Facing Dog?

What should you do during the inhale in Upward Facing Dog?

• A. Take a moment to fully engage your inhale
• B. Push your hips up and forward
• C. Tuck your chin toward chest
• D. Lock the elbows straight

Answer: (D)

Inhale in Upward Facing Dog is about extending through the arms to lift the chest. Keeping the elbows straight creates a long, stable line from wrists to shoulders, helping you engage the backs of the arms and upper back so the heart can open forward while the neck stays protected. The hips stay grounded on the mat and the legs stay active, so the backbend stays strong and controlled rather than collapsing. Moving the hips up and forward or tucking the chin would shift the alignment to a different expression and can strain the neck, and simply focusing on the breath without maintaining that arm extension wouldn’t deliver the lift this pose requires. So, the inhale is used to lock the elbows straight, sustaining the lift and open chest of Upward Facing Dog.

Inhale in Upward Facing Dog is about extending through the arms to lift the chest. Keeping the elbows straight creates a long, stable line from wrists to shoulders, helping you engage the backs of the arms and upper back so the heart can open forward while the neck stays protected. The hips stay grounded on the mat and the legs stay active, so the backbend stays strong and controlled rather than collapsing. Moving the hips up and forward or tucking the chin would shift the alignment to a different expression and can strain the neck, and simply focusing on the breath without maintaining that arm extension wouldn’t deliver the lift this pose requires. So, the inhale is used to lock the elbows straight, sustaining the lift and open chest of Upward Facing Dog.