Benefits: Strengthens arms, core, legs; lengthens spine
Helps: Low energy, a scattered mind, digestion, breathing, balance, poise

  1. Begin in downward-facing dog pose (adho mukha svanasana). Then move into dolphin pose by lowering your forearms to the floor.
  2. Interlace your fingers with both pinkies touching the floor (not stacked). This is your base. With your elbows shoulder-distance apart you should have a perfect triangle between your fists and forearms.
  3. Lift under your armpits to raise your chest and activate your back shoulders and muscles. Then take the top of your head and place it on the floor, supporting the back of your head with your wrists.
  4. Press down through your forearms, tuck your toes, and lift your hips up over your shoulders. Beginner: Draw your knees into your chest and extend your legs up from there. Advanced: Using your abs, squeeze your big toes together and extend your legs skyward, keeping them straight and pointing your toes.
  5. Keep the majority of your weight in your arms and reach up through the balls of your feet. Keep your shoulders lifting away from your ears.
  6. To come down, either lower your legs straight out to 90 degrees and then down, using your abs, or bend your knees into your chest then lower them to the floor.

Avoid if experiencing glaucoma, inflammatory diseases in the head region, recent or chronic injury to the head, neck, or spine, headache, menstruation, heart condition, high or low blood pressure.