Urdhva Mukha Svanasana - The Upward-facing dog pose

'Svana' means 'dog' in Sanskrit.
Sequence:

1. Lie on your stomach and place your chin on the floor.
2. Place your feet close to each other with your palms flat on ground, on either side of your chest.
3. Inhale and hoist yourself off the floor, with the body supported only by palms and toes.
4. The knees and stomach should be lifted off the floor.
5. Continue breathing normally while making the following adjustments.
6. Arms should be straight; this deepens the arch at the lower back.
7. Head tilts back, further deepening the arch.
8. Hold this pose as long as comfortably possible, breathing normally.
9. Release and relax to the starting position with while exhaling.


Caution:

* Person with weak or injured wrists or lower back pain should not perform this pose.

Benefits:

* It is a powerful stamina-builder.
* It tones the arms, spinal nerves (elevating mood and mental control) and legs superbly.
* Removes wrinkles from neck and face.
* Improves voice and balances thyroid hormone flow.
* The pose boosts respiratory capacity and is therapeutic in digestive problems (like constipation, sluggish metabolism), diabetes and uro-genital problems.