YanvaYoga > Yoga Poses > Extended Puppy Pose

Extended Puppy Pose - Uttana Shishosana

Extended Puppy Pose (front) - Iana Varshavska

Contents

Extended Puppy Pose or Uttana Shishosana in Sanskrit, is like the perfect combination of Downward Dog and Child’s Pose and can be used as a variation of either. Uttana means intense and Shish means Puppy in Sanskrit. As the name suggests, this pose would resemble a puppy taking an intense stretch forward with its entire body. Though in this pose, the stretch is intense with the body on all fours, yet the body feels relaxed and is considered a posture to relax the muscles after an intense practice of other poses related to the shoulders and the back.

The arms, shoulders, and chest get the maximum stretch, while the spine is beautifully extended both upwards and downwards at the same time. This pose is mostly considered as a follow-up pose, to relax the muscles and hence can be done any number of times during the yoga session. Puppy Dog Pose is considered a base pose as puppy dog pose variations can be derived from this pose. Puppy Dog Pose helps boost energy in the body and hence can be included in flow yoga sequences.

Pose Detail

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1
From table pose, inhale and reach the tailbone up towards the ceiling.
Step 2
Exhale and slide the hands forward to lower the forehead straight down to the floor keeping the hips lifted over the knees. Let the chest sink down towards the floor, feeling an arch and stretch in the middle of the back. To deepen the stretch in the arms, shoulders and spine, straighten the arms, lift the elbows off the floor, super glue the palms down and reach back through the hips. Breathe and hold for 4-8 breaths. To release: inhale and bring the palms under the shoulders and press back into table position.

Benefits and Contraindications

Benefits

Lengthens and realigns the spine

Gently stretches the upper back, arms, and shoulders

Releases tension in you upper arms, shoulders, and neck

Expands your chest and opens up hips

Good preparation for backbends

Contraindications

Knees and hip injures

Extremely stiff shoulders and arms

Severe lower back pain

Pregnancy

Photo poses in different angles

Tips

You can hold this pose longer and protect your knees and lower back by placing a rolled-up blanket or bolster between your thighs and calves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Variations

  • Puppy Dog Pose Hands On Wall
  • Puppy Dog Pose On Elbows
  • Extended Puppy Pose with a block under your elbows
  • Extended Puppy Pose with a chair
  • Pose Dedicated To Goddess Arani

Top Preparatory Poses

Top Follow-Up Poses

Iana Varshavska
Iana Varshavska
Website administrator

A digital marketer in love with yoga and everything that goes along with it. In 2021, her huge passion for yoga led her to yoga teacher trainings. After successfully completing her studies, Iana received her Yoga Alliance U.S. certification, left the corporate IT world and devoted herself to the development of Yanva. To be able to create the best online yoga space for yoga enthusiasts like her, Iana is constantly learning and improving her skills in various aspects of yoga philosophy, anatomy and biomechanics. Since 2021, she has continued to attend various types of teacher training, including yoga therapy, gives online and offline classes, and conducts local workshops for people who want to learn more about yoga. At the moment, Iana continues to work on her personal practice, improving her hand balancing skills, as well as developing her own training programs.