adho mukha svanasana

English

Etymology

From Sanskrit अधोमुखश्वानासन (adhomukhaśvānāsana), from अधस् (adhas, “down”) + मुख (mukha, “face”) + श्वान (śvāna, “dog”) + आसन (āsana, “asana”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌɑːdəʊ ˌmuːkə ʃvəˈnɑːsənə/

Noun

adho mukha svanasana (uncountable)

1. (yoga) Downward-facing dog.
   • 1978 Jul, Yoga Journal:

     The principles of Adho Mukha Svanasana are simple, but very effective.

   • 2007, BKS Iyengar, Iyengar: The Yoga Master, page 152:

     You can press your feet more strongly into the floor in adho mukha svanasana by shifting your weight away from your hands and toward your feet.

   • 2007 August 21, Washington Post:

     I tried out […] one produced as part of a Christian "Faith in Fitness" series that tries to sweep away the Hindu roots with biblical names for the poses (Jonah's Whale instead of adho mukha svanasana, a.k.a. the ever-popular downward dog), and a dose of Corinthians instead of om shanti shanti shanti.