Adho mukha svanasana, also known as the downward-facing dog pose, is a yoga pose that's a combination of stretching and strengthening. The name comes from Sanskrit words, with adho meaning "down", mukha meaning "face", svan meaning "dog", and asana meaning "position". The pose resembles a dog facing down. Strengthens: Strengthens the arms, shoulders, wrists, chest, and legs Stretches: Stretches the hamstrings, calves, ankles, spine, and back of the body Improves posture: Lengthens the spine, whi