How to Do Puppy Pose (uttana shishosana) Ultimate Guide + Anatomy Break Down

Beginner YogaYogaYoga Pose
July 26, 2022

Butt up in the air. Chest down to the floor. What am I thinking of?

Puppy pose of course!

But it doesn’t have to look quite like that.

Puppy pose is one of those poses I roll out of bed, on to the floor, and into, with my eyes partially open and crusty. Can you hear the subtle popping of my back? It feels sooooo good 🤤.

I also love to do puppy pose while standing in a long line at a grocery store (but of course not on the floor).

It’s my favorite pose to stretch out my arms, shoulders, the front and the sides of my body. It’s really… my favorite upper body stretch. 

I know not everyone loves this pose, but there are a variety of ways to approach uttana shishosana to make it more accessible, aka more comfortable, and not always needing a yoga mat.

Check out the video and continue reading to find out how. Not all of the variations are in the video so if you watch it now, make sure you come back for a few more options.

Puppy Pose: What is it for and who can do it?

Puppy pose is a heart opener – a front side of the body opener. Which also means – it’s a backbend.

Plain and simply it stretches out the muscles on the front side of your upper body. There are a few variations that get into a few muscles of the back side of the body but I’ll save that for later in the anatomy section

Puppy pose is great for most people, but  in its traditional form is not ideal for the following conditions:

But luckily this puppy pose variation can be done safely, with some mindfulness, for all of these conditions.

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Puppy Pose 101 (Uttana Shishosana): How to Set It Up

Puppy pose is typically done prone (belly down to the ground), with the knees on the ground. But there are a few other ways to approach it, especially for those times you don’t want to (or can’t) get on the ground. Skip here to see how to do it with a wall, or watch the video for a more visual option.

Lower Body

Important Notes

Upper Body

Important Notes

Let’s Get Into It: Moving In and Out of the Puppy Pose

Moving In

There are two typical ways to move into puppy pose: from child’s pose, and from table top. I teach both options nearly equally so I’ve written both sets of instructions below.

From Child’s Pose

From Table Top (all 4s or Quadruped)

Moving Out

Just like going in, I have two typical ways I will move out of puppy pose:

Child’s Pose

Sphynx

Puppy Pose Variations: The Yummy, The Awkward, and The Fun

I typically list modifications for poses, but with puppy pose all these variations could be modifications, but also can be done for another purpose. If these text descriptions aren’t doing it for you, many of these options can be seen in the video.

Puppy with Toes Curled Under

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

Extended Puppy Pose with a Heart Melt

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

Puppy with Blocks

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

Puppy Pose at the Wall

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

Heart Melt Puppy Pose at the Wall

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

Puppy with One Arm Out

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

Puppy with Elbows on Blocks

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

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Outgrown Puppy Pose? How to Move On

There’s always something to be found in every pose, even if it feels “boring” or “easy.” There’s always the opportunity to ask “why do I feel this way in this pose?” or “why do I feel this way about this pose?” But if you want to make puppy pose a little more exciting here are a few ways to switch up your leg positions and try something new. 

Before moving into these, warm up with a few regular puppy poses and make sure you’re comfortable and able to breathe while sitting in the pose.

Puppy Pose with Extended Legs

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

Puppy Pose with Legs Up (w/o grabbing the legs)

Reasons to do this variation:

How to do it:

Notes:

Am I doing this Right? What you should be Feeling in Puppy Pose

Everyone, and every body, is different. This is a general break down of who you could be feeling in traditional puppy pose. 

Lower Body:
Trunk  of the Body:
Upper Body:
Gaze

Let’s Nerd Out: The Anatomical break down of Puppy Pose

Are you looking for something specific? 

Do you have a yoga teacher training anatomy test coming up?

Are you a health professional wanting to give a pose to a patient, but don’t know all of them and want a quick reference? 

Or do you just really LOVE anatomy? 😍

Well, this section is for you!

Many variations were discussed above, but unless noted, the break down is for the traditional puppy pose on the floor or at the wall.

Muscles Worked

In the passive form none are really engaged, but for a more active form you MIGHT engage:

Muscles Stretched

Hopefully the information in this post and the video helped you find some information on how to make puppy pose more delightful for you, or get the answers for that upcoming test you have 😉. Follow my Pinterest page for some useful infographics on key points to focus on in puppy pose and various other yoga poses. 

Want to know what’s going on?

Find out what’s going on… You know you want to… Privacy is important, I won’t sell your info, I promise.