Fido Helps With Forward Fold

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Forward Fold is not one of my favorite poses, but it IS very important to moving forward in your yoga workouts. Rather than making a complete fold your goal, I recommend using some of last week's #doga tips, adding a chair or the help of a larger dog, to ease yourself down over many days or weeks of practice. You may even try placing your hands on your knees after step 3 shown above.
Since Forward Fold is one of those poses that may take a longer period of time for many to attain (me included), it's great to have a cheerleader. Encouraging your dog to join you can aid you in staying with your practice, while serving as a motivator. Tanner seemed quite excited about my progress when the photo above (number 2) was taken. No one was as happy as I was when I finally was able to release into the fold, shown at the top. I like the arms folded in the position you see there, as the weight aids in stretching me downward.
Another thing that has amazed me is how much my outward breath helps. Sounds crazy, huh? I read about this in my studies and have heard yoga instructors speak of it. It wasn't until I actually tried releasing myself into the stretch with the exhale that I finally noticed the correlation. What a revelation!
The most important thing to remember is that your back should remain straight until you are actually able to pivot at your hips, bringing your stomach to your quadriceps (thighs). By keeping your knees slightly bent, you may have a tweak more success, while protecting this very important joint.
Spreading your legs to hip width in the beginning is another strategy that many find helpful. You can begin bringing them closer together as you progress closer to the actual fold. 
With the encouraging companionship of your dog, this pose can be in your future. I'm still working to reach this pose as completely as I hope. It seems that there is always room to improve my yoga and having a goal is great. So is having a furry companion to join me. 
Namaste,

If you're new to Doga or Yoga, please be sure to do these three things: (1) Get your doctor's permission to start this or any other workout, (2) Check with your vet to make sure your dog is able to participate in simple Doga exercises safely, and (3) visit our introductory post where I've outlined a few tips that will help your experience go more smoothly and enjoyable. Keep in mind that you can always stop if a pose is uncomfortable, returning to a relaxing pose.

Doga Pose 6: Forward Fold with Fido

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Doga Time with the Dogs

This week's Doga pose is definitely not for everyone. It feels great when you begin to progress, but at first you may need to take it slowly, using a chair to ease yourself lower with each exhale. I've been amazed to see how an exhale actually gives you noticeably deeper movement into a stretch. There is so much to learn!

As you progress deeper into this stretch, use this opportunity to reach out to your dogs. Tanner joined me at the mat and remained focused as I quietly continued to go lower and lower. Oliver, as you can see, was busy watching the camera set up on a tripod in auto mode. I think the clicking grabs his attention, but it doesn't work that way when I bring out his favorite treats, Organix Jerky Chip Cookies. My bad for simply grabbing any treat jar. The treats in this jar didn't have the same allure.

Jess and Nikki B Share a Mutual Gaze

As you can see, there are different ways to position your arms. Jess will demonstrate some of these in the video. A chair is also useful when you're tighter in the hamstrings. Keep in mind that Doga and Yoga are not a destination, but rather a journey of body, mind and spirit. Encourage yourself to relax and focus on your breath and your dog. 

Just like me, most of you and your dogs will not be ready to load even a pint-sized pup onto your back for this pose. It is fun, though to see how Jess and Nikki B work through this. Nikki B knows her comfort level and Jess reads it fairly well. You should do the same, whether you're petting your larger dog on the mat or trying a more challenging lift.

Now that I mention it, I should have tried holding Oliver in my cradled arms above. I'll put that on my list of things to experiment with going forward. What are you working on? I'd love to hear your successes and your challenges. Feel free to share.

If you'd prefer to chat about Doga experiences and get more motivation from our small group of practitioners, please join us at our Facebook page for All Things Doga. We're just getting going there, but have posted some of the earlier videos and some inspirational quotes, with more to come. Now it's time to hear from you!

Our first five poses, published earlier, are at the following links, as well as at our dedicated Doga page. We hope you enjoy following along and that you'll offer your comments and ideas for incorporating your dogs easily and safely into your practice, either here or at our Facebook page where we can all support one another. The comment link is always open at the bottom of my posts.

• Easy Seated Pose to Enjoy Dog Massage
• Wide-Legged Seated Forward Fold with Fido
• Yoga Push Ups with Your Dog Companion
• Cobra Pose and Upward Facing Dog
• Downward Facing Dog

Namaste,

If you're new to Doga or Yoga, please be sure to do these three things: (1) Get your doctor's permission to start this or any other workout, (2) Check with your vet to make sure your dog is able to participate in simple Doga exercises safely, and (3) visit our introductory post where I've outlined a few tips that will help your experience go more smoothly and enjoyable. Keep in mind that you can always stop if a pose is uncomfortable, returning to a relaxing pose.