Downward Dog to Upward Dog

Muscles worked by the Downward Dog to Upward Dog

Primary

Front DeltsAnterior DeltoidLower BackErector Spinae

Secondary

ChestPectoralis MajorSerratusSerratus AnteriorTricepsTriceps Brachii

Also called: front deltoid, anterior delt, front delt, anterior deltoid, erector spinae, spinal erectors.

Equipment

No equipment — this is a bodyweight exercise.

How to do the Downward Dog to Upward Dog

1. Start in downward dog with the hips high and the hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Shift forward through plank and lower slightly, then press the chest through into upward dog with the thighs off the floor.
3. Draw the shoulders back and down and keep the neck long.
4. Tuck the toes, press the floor away and lift the hips back into downward dog.
5. Continue moving between the two positions for the desired number of repetitions.

Form tips

• Move the hips, not the hands; the palms stay planted the whole set.
• Press the tops of the feet down in upward dog so the thighs actually lift.
• Slow down through the middle of the transition rather than swinging between the ends.

At a glance

Downward Dog to Upward Dog in German & Spanish

Descriptions, instructions and tips ship in all three languages in the JSON.

Related exercises

• Arnold Press
• Banded Shoulder Stretch
• Barbell Front Raise
• Barbell Overhead Press
• Behind the Neck Press
• Bodyweight Overhead Press
• Cable Front Raise
• Dolphin Pose

Exercise data (JSON)

The record below is exactly what exercises.json ships for this exercise — names, descriptions, instructions and tips in English, German and Spanish.

{
  "id": "downward-dog-to-upward-dog",
  "name_en": "Downward Dog to Upward Dog",
  "name_de": "Herabschauender zum heraufschauenden Hund",
  "name_es": "Perro Boca Abajo a Perro Boca Arriba",
  "description_en": "The vinyasa transition: the body travels from downward dog forward into upward dog and back, alternating between a shoulder-loaded inverted V and an open-chested backbend.",
  "description_de": "Der Vinyasa-Übergang: der Körper wandert aus dem herabschauenden Hund nach vorn in den heraufschauenden Hund und zurück - im Wechsel zwischen schulterbelastetem umgekehrtem V und offener Rückbeuge.",
  "description_es": "La transición del vinyasa: el cuerpo viaja desde el perro boca abajo hacia delante al perro boca arriba y de vuelta, alternando entre una V invertida cargada en los hombros y una extensión con el pecho abierto.",
  "category": "strength",
  "force_type": "dynamic",
  "mechanic": "compound",
  "difficulty": "intermediate",
  "body_part": "shoulders",
  "primary_muscles": [
    "anterior_deltoid",
    "erector_spinae"
  ],
  "secondary_muscles": [
    "pectoralis_major",
    "serratus_anterior",
    "triceps_brachii"
  ],
  "goals": [
    "endurance",
    "strength"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "calisthenics"
  ],
  "is_unilateral": false,
  "is_bodyweight": true,
  "instructions_en": [
    "Start in downward dog with the hips high and the hands shoulder-width apart.",
    "Shift forward through plank and lower slightly, then press the chest through into upward dog with the thighs off the floor.",
    "Draw the shoulders back and down and keep the neck long.",
    "Tuck the toes, press the floor away and lift the hips back into downward dog.",
    "Continue moving between the two positions for the desired number of repetitions."
  ],
  "instructions_de": [
    "Beginn im herabschauenden Hund, die Hüfte hoch, die Hände schulterbreit.",
    "Verlager dich nach vorn durch den Plank, senk dich etwas ab und schieb die Brust in den heraufschauenden Hund, die Oberschenkel heben ab.",
    "Zieh die Schultern nach hinten unten und halte den Nacken lang.",
    "Stell die Zehen auf, druck den Boden weg und heb die Hüfte zurück in den herabschauenden Hund.",
    "Wechsle weiter zwischen beiden Positionen für die gewünschte Anzahl an Wiederholungen."
  ],
  "instructions_es": [
    "Empieza en perro boca abajo con las caderas altas y las manos a la anchura de los hombros.",
    "Desplázate hacia delante pasando por la plancha, baja un poco y lleva el pecho al frente hasta el perro boca arriba con los muslos despegados.",
    "Lleva los hombros atrás y abajo y mantén el cuello largo.",
    "Mete los dedos de los pies, empuja el suelo y eleva las caderas de vuelta al perro boca abajo.",
    "Sigue moviéndote entre ambas posiciones las veces indicadas."
  ],
  "tips_en": [
    "Move the hips, not the hands; the palms stay planted the whole set.",
    "Press the tops of the feet down in upward dog so the thighs actually lift.",
    "Slow down through the middle of the transition rather than swinging between the ends."
  ],
  "tips_de": [
    "Es bewegt sich die Hüfte, nicht die Hände - die Handflächen bleiben den ganzen Satz stehen.",
    "Druck im heraufschauenden Hund die Fußrücken in den Boden, damit die Oberschenkel wirklich abheben.",
    "Werde in der Mitte des Übergangs langsamer, statt zwischen den Endpositionen zu schwingen."
  ],
  "tips_es": [
    "Lo que se mueve son las caderas, no las manos; las palmas siguen plantadas toda la serie.",
    "Presiona el empeine en el perro boca arriba para que los muslos se despeguen de verdad.",
    "Frena en mitad de la transición en lugar de balancearte entre los extremos."
  ],
  "met": 5.0,
  "images": {
    "flat": {
      "start": "images/flat/downward-dog-to-upward-dog-start.webp",
      "peak": "images/flat/downward-dog-to-upward-dog-peak.webp"
    }
  }
}

Fetch just this exercise

const { exercises } = await fetch(
  "https://exercise-dataset.com/exercises.json"
).then(r => r.json());
const ex = exercises.find(e => e.id === "downward-dog-to-upward-dog");

Free for personal and commercial in-app use with attribution (“Exercise data by RepDB”) — see the license and ready-made attribution snippets. Redistributing the data as a dataset or API is not permitted.