Adho Mukha Vrksasana

Adho Mukha Vrksasana, palms turned outward; against wall.
Full Arm Balance a.k.a. Downward Facing Tree

Take 30 seconds to demo the pose, count on 1 minute to get students into the pose. 

Poses to help us learn Adho Mukha Vrksasana:

• Adho Mukha Svanasana
• Press your hands down to lenthen your torso towards your hips.
• Firm the back shoulder blades into the ribs to support lengthening and opening the chest. 
• Firm the thigh muscles to the bone, lengthen from heel to buttocks
• Purvottanasana
• Press the hands down while you firm the shoulder blades and lift the chest up.
• Keep the tailbone well in while you firm and lengthen the legs.
•  Sirsasana
• Take the thighs back, then the tailbone in, to firm the hips.  Always take the thighs back first, then the tailbone in second. 
• Use the thigh action to lift the legs up off the torso
• Press the forearms down to lift the shoulders up away from the ears.
• Snug the shoulder blades tightly into the ribs to lengthen and open the chest.  Keep the  top shoulder blades broad as you draw the lower tips of the shoulder blades in towards the spine to support and maintain the chest opening.

Instructions for getting into Adho Mukha Vrksasana:

1. Place your hands about a foot away from the wall, with your hands turned out.  Your middle finger is parallel to the wall. 
2. Press circle of the palm down as you suck the triceps to the bone to straighten your arms completely.
3. Keep your arms impeccably straight, exhale, kick ,and swing the legs against the wall.
4. Press your hands down, firm the shoulders into the ribs just like in Down Dog; suck the shoulder blades tightly into the ribs to lengthen and open the chest.  Keep the  top shoulder blades broad as you draw the lower tips of the shoulder blades in towards the spine to support and maintain the chest opening, and lengthen the torso up towards the ceiling.  Take your shoulders back, and your shoulder blades in to lengthen your chest.
5. Firm your outer thighs to your inner thighs as you take the tailbone well in to compact the hips.
6. Move your thighs back, and lengthen your inner hells up to lengthen your inner legs up away from the torso.  Take your thighs back, and your tailbone in as you push your heels up.
7. Spread the ball of your foot.

In a nut shell:

1. Turn your hands out, and set your hands about a foot from the wall.
2. Straighten and lengthen your arms.
3. Kick your feet up to the wall.
4. Lift the buttocks up towards the heels.
5. Firm and lengthen the legs.
6. Keep the arms long and straight as you lift your buttocks to lengthen your torso.

Modifications:

• Menstruating ladies do not practice this pose.  They can do 1/2 Uttanasana at the horse, or Adho Mukha Svanasana.
• If someone cannot kick up, they can place their hands one leg length away from the wall, do Down Dog with heels at the wall, and walk their feet up the wall until their legs are parallel to floor; Ardha Adho Mukha Vrksasana.  They also can walk up braced in a doorway, or with their back to the wall and their feet on the horse.
• Assistance from the teacher may be all that is needed by a student who cannot yet do this pose confidently or capably.