Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Upward Facing Dog: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

Upward Facing Dog is a yoga pose that stretches the spine, chest, and shoulders while strengthening the arms and back. It is commonly used to improve spinal mobility and posture.

Primary muscles
Not recorded
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Chest
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the upward facing dog
Front view: muscles worked by the upward facing dog. Secondary: shoulders and chest.
Back view: muscles worked by the upward facing dog. Secondary: shoulders and chest.
Primary Secondary

How to do the upward facing dog

  1. Step 1: Lie face down on the floor with your legs extended behind you.
  2. Step 2: Place your hands on the floor next to your lower ribs, fingers pointing forward.
  3. Step 3: Press your hands firmly into the floor and straighten your arms, lifting your torso and thighs off the ground.
  4. Step 4: Roll your shoulders back and down, opening your chest and lifting your gaze towards the ceiling.
  5. Step 5: Hold this position for a few breaths, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the upward facing dog by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.