Karen Watson Reeves demonstrates Revolved Downward Dog, backed by this colorful mural created by Paint Shaman, Bethannie Newsom Steelman. —photo by Fred Padilla.
By Karen Watson Reeves
One of the fun things about yoga is that so many of the poses have variations and modifications that can make the posture more challenging or more accessible, or sometimes just more enjoyable. Downward Dog is a very recognizable pose with several benefits, and incorporating one of the variations can add more benefits and make the posture feel different.
Our pose this month, Revolved Downward Dog, intensifies traditional Downward Dog by adding a spinal twist, which enhances thoracic mobility, deepening the stretch in the shoulders, lats, and obliques, and strengthens the core and shoulders. The ankles, calves, and hamstrings are stretched. Revolved Downward Dog is not only a twist but is also a forward bend and inversion—a three-for-one, if you will.
The opening in the upper back increases flexibility in that area of the body. As the pose is held for several breaths, the core muscles engage, and arms, shoulders, and wrists are strengthened from being weight-bearing.
In this space last month, I offered a free class to the first person to recognize the trend in the photo for this year to date. Someone did that very quickly (the poses are all twists). There are actually two trends, so the first person to text me with the other one also gets a free class.
Get twisty, my friends! It makes the whole body feel better.
Karen Watson Reeves has called Hot Springs home since 2006. Owner of The Yoga Place, at 301 Whittington Avenue, she became a registered yoga/children’s yoga teacher in 2011. When not on the mat, Karen enjoys the beautiful outdoors of the National Park, especially from her bicycle. Please find more information about her studio and her schedule of classes at www.theyogaplacehs.com.
{Karen’s yoga poses are archived on our website at thespringsmagazine.com/category/health-wellness/yoga/.}
