What is the difference between Upward Dog and Cobra Pose?

In Cobra Pose the pelvis, thighs and tops of the feet stay on the floor and the elbows stay bent, so the back lifts the chest on its own. In Upward Dog only the hands and feet touch the floor, the arms are straight and the thighs hover, so the arms, shoulders and legs carry the body too.

Should my toes be tucked or should the tops of my feet be on the floor?

Both versions are taught. Keeping the toes tucked, as shown here, makes the move into Downward Dog smoother and lifts the legs higher, but it can deepen the lower-back arch for people with a stiffer spine, so rolling onto the tops of the feet is the gentler choice if the lower back feels compressed.

How long should I hold Upward Dog?

In a flowing sequence it usually lasts a single breath before you move into Downward Dog. Practiced on its own, hold it for 3 to 5 breaths, lower down to rest and repeat.

Is Upward Dog good for lower back pain?

It can help build back strength and extension once the back tolerates it, but it is not the place to start with an irritated back. Begin with Sphinx Pose or Cobra Pose, move to Upward Dog only when those are pain-free, and stop if it pinches.

Why do my wrists hurt in Upward Dog?

Usually the shoulders have drifted forward of the wrists, bending them past their comfortable range, or the weight is sinking into the heel of the hand. Bring the shoulders back over the wrists, press through the fingers and knuckles, or place the hands on blocks to reduce the angle.

Upward Dog

What Is the Upward Dog?

Upward Dog is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back and also engages the triceps, shoulders, glutes and abdominals. It is an intermediate-level movement in which the body is held up on straight arms and tucked toes, with the chest lifted, the spine arched and the thighs and knees hovering just above the floor. In yoga it is known as Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.

Upward Dog is one of the linking poses of a vinyasa. In a sun salutation it follows a low plank such as Chaturanga and leads into Downward Dog, so it can be repeated many times in a single class. Outside the yoga room, trainers use it as a back-extension and mobility drill in warm-ups and cooldowns, where it stretches the chest, the abdominals and the front of the hips after long periods of sitting or pressing work.

The work is shared between the back and the arms. The spinal erectors and glutes hold the backbend, the triceps keep the elbows straight, and the serratus anterior and lower trapezius hold the shoulder blades down and wide so the chest can lift between the arms. A study of 30 experienced yoga practitioners recorded trunk and hip muscle activity across 11 common poses and concluded that upward-facing dog could strengthen a back extensor along the spine, the external obliques and the gluteus maximus together. Keeping the toes tucked, as shown here, makes the move into Downward Dog smoother and lifts the legs higher than rolling onto the tops of the feet, but it can also deepen the arch in the lower back.

Upward Dog differs from Cobra Pose in where the body is supported. In Cobra the pelvis and thighs stay on the floor and the elbows stay bent, while in Upward Dog only the hands and feet touch the floor and the arms are straight, which asks more of the wrists, the shoulders and the mobility of the spine. Beginners and anyone with a sensitive lower back usually build up through Sphinx Pose and Cobra Pose first, and practice pressing up from the floor before adding the lower from a low plank.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Erector Spinae: Primary
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): High
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): High
Deltoid: Medium
External Oblique: Medium
Gluteus Maximus: Medium
Lower Trapezius: Medium
Pectoralis Major: Medium
Serratus Anterior: Medium
Rectus Femoris: Low

Instructions

Start in a low plank with the hands flat on the floor beneath the lower chest, the elbows bent and hugged into the ribs, the toes tucked under and the body in a straight line just above the floor.
Keep the shoulders no lower than the elbows, the legs straight and the thighs active.
Inhale and press the hands into the floor, straightening the arms as you draw the chest forward and up between them.
Let the hips lower toward the floor without touching it, keeping the thighs and knees lifted.
Keep the toes tucked and reach back through the heels, with the kneecaps pointing toward the floor.
Finish with the arms straight, the shoulders over or slightly behind the wrists, and the shoulder blades drawn down away from the ears.
Lift the chest and look forward and slightly up, keeping the back of the neck long instead of throwing the head back.
Hold for 3 to 5 breaths, then bend the elbows to lower back to the low plank or lift the hips into Downward Dog.

Common Mistakes

Shrugging the shoulders
Letting the shoulders creep up toward the ears instead of pressing the floor away and drawing the shoulder blades down crowds the neck and the front of the shoulders.
Shoulders ahead of the wrists
Letting the chest travel so far forward that the shoulders sit well in front of the hands bends the wrists past their comfortable range and loads them heavily.
Sagging into the lower back
Relaxing the legs and abdominals lets the hips drop and concentrates the backbend in the lower back instead of spreading it along the spine.
Turning the legs out
Letting the knees and heels roll outward tends to pinch the lower back, so keep the kneecaps pointing toward the floor.
Resting the thighs on the floor
Letting the thighs and knees sink to the floor takes the legs out of the work and removes the support they give the lower back.
Throwing the head back
Tipping the head far back to look at the ceiling cranks the neck into extension, when the gaze should move forward and only slightly up.

Injuries

Upward Dog is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The main strain points are the wrists, which carry much of the body weight while bent back close to 90 degrees, the lower back, which takes most of the backbend when the legs and abdominals switch off, and the front of the shoulders, which can roll forward and up toward the ears. Tipping the head far back also loads the neck.

To protect these areas, keep the shoulders over or slightly behind the wrists, spread the fingers and press through the whole hand, and draw the shoulder blades down away from the ears. Keep the thighs active and the kneecaps pointing down so the arch spreads along the whole spine instead of collecting in the lower back. If the lower back feels compressed with the toes tucked, rolling onto the tops of the feet lowers the legs and usually softens the arch.

If the wrists or lower back complain, regress to Cobra Pose, where the pelvis stays on the floor, or to Sphinx Pose on the forearms, and place the hands on yoga blocks to reduce the wrist angle. Lowering from the knees instead of a full low plank takes much of the load off the shoulders. Once the pose feels steady, practice it as part of the full flow from Chaturanga to Downward Dog.

Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain in the lower back, pain or numbness in the wrists, pain at the front of the shoulder, or dizziness or a change in vision. People with an acute back injury, recent abdominal surgery or a later-stage pregnancy should check with a qualified professional before practicing deep prone backbends like this one.

Overview

Primary Focus: Back
Equipment: Body weight
Modality: Yoga
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Upward Dog

The Upward Dog is also known as:

Upward Facing Dog
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between Upward Dog and Cobra Pose?: In Cobra Pose the pelvis, thighs and tops of the feet stay on the floor and the elbows stay bent, so the back lifts the chest on its own. In Upward Dog only the hands and feet touch the floor, the arms are straight and the thighs hover, so the arms, shoulders and legs carry the body too.
Q: Should my toes be tucked or should the tops of my feet be on the floor?: Both versions are taught. Keeping the toes tucked, as shown here, makes the move into Downward Dog smoother and lifts the legs higher, but it can deepen the lower-back arch for people with a stiffer spine, so rolling onto the tops of the feet is the gentler choice if the lower back feels compressed.
Q: How long should I hold Upward Dog?: In a flowing sequence it usually lasts a single breath before you move into Downward Dog. Practiced on its own, hold it for 3 to 5 breaths, lower down to rest and repeat.
Q: Is Upward Dog good for lower back pain?: It can help build back strength and extension once the back tolerates it, but it is not the place to start with an irritated back. Begin with Sphinx Pose or Cobra Pose, move to Upward Dog only when those are pain-free, and stop if it pinches.
Q: Why do my wrists hurt in Upward Dog?: Usually the shoulders have drifted forward of the wrists, bending them past their comfortable range, or the weight is sinking into the heel of the hand. Bring the shoulders back over the wrists, press through the fingers and knuckles, or place the hands on blocks to reduce the angle.