Cueing (Use some of these cues for visualization for our clients, this is mainly to check with ourselves to make sure we are doing it correctly):

-Hands should be shoulder distance apart.

-Your fingers wide and align your wrist crease to the front of the mat

-Feet are sit-bone or hip distance apart.

-As you press down through your wrists, feel the energy draw back up to activate your arms

-Upper arms externally rotate. “imagine I’m hiding my underarms from the person on the next mat when doing it.”

-Keep your shoulders away from your ears, giving more space in the neck.

-Neck and head continue along the same line as the spine. head will typically be between the upper arms— exact placement of the neck will depend on your specific anatomy. be mindful that you’re neither letting the head just ‘hang,’ nor crunching the neck too far up.

-Firming the shoulder blades and feeling them draw down towards the tailbone and broadening across the upper back, you can provide space as well as stability in your pose.

-Engage the lower belly by drawing the navel in towards the spine.

-Bend knees a little and send the sit-bones and tailbone up and back.

-Inner thighs rotate inwards as you firm the outer thighs.

-Straighten legs without changing the shape in the spine or pelvis. Once you’ve reached this point, you can start to lengthen the heels back towards your mat.

Be patient and embrace your point in the journey.

Modifications (wrists, Shoulders)

Sink back into a child’s pose, or find a barre back fold at the barre.

Benefits to Downward-Facing Dog/What it stretches

-Calms the brain and helps relieve stress 

-Energizes the body

-Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands

-Strengthens the arms and legs

-Improves digestion

-Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue

-Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, sinusitis

https://www.doyouyoga.com/10-alignment-tips-to-improve-your-downward-dog

Downward-Facing Dog Pose