Wild Thing

Flipping your dog can be fun, but also intimidating. You can make your way into a number of poses by flipping your dog, one being wild thing! As with every pose, it comes with time, patience, practice, and trust (in yourself). We recommend feeling comfortable in down dog, down dog split, and side plank before going into wild thing. Here are some tips that help us make our way into, and out of, wild thing:

1. From downward facing dog, inhale as you lift your right foot toward the ceiling into three-legged down dog.

2. Exhale as you bend your leg, opening your hips toward the right side of your room. Keep working your knee toward the ceiling and your right foot toward the left side of your mat (down dog split). You can stay here for breath or two.

3. This is where it can start to sound intimidating - but breathe and move with your body, not against it! On your next exhale and with control, start lowering your right foot down toward the left side of your mat as you start to shift your weight forward and lift off your right hand, allowing your torso to turn up toward the ceiling and pivoting your left foot so that your toes point toward the back of your mat.

4. You can keep your right hand straight up toward the ceiling, or you can start to reach for the front of the room by bringing your tricep/bicep by your ear. Keep your left shoulder in-line with your wrist.

5. Both legs stay strong here, lifting your hips toward the ceiling.

6. Relax your head, turning your gaze toward the front of the room.

7. Now, when you're ready to get out of the pose, try going in reverse of what you just did (exit the way you entered) - starting to shift your body back toward the mat, right hand come back up and over as you start to lift your right leg back up and into three-legged down dog. If your lowered arm feels like jello, you can also slowly lower straight down from wild thing onto your glutes.

Phew! That was A LOT! We've included a video with this Tuesday tip as it is definitely a mouth-full. You can find the video on our Facebook or Instagram page. Feel free to let us know if you have any questions about Wild Thing! As always, remember to listen to YOUR body. If something doesn't feel right, back off.