In yoga, the popular inverted-V pose with hands and feet on the floor and hips raised is called Downward-Facing Dog.
The pose is also known as Downward Dog, Downdog, or Adho Mukha Svanasana, its Sanskrit name. The Sanskrit phrase combines words meaning “down,” “face,” “dog,” and “posture.” Its familiar English name comes from the resemblance to a dog stretching with its hindquarters raised.
Downward-Facing Dog is an inversion in modern yoga because the head is positioned below the heart. Practitioners generally press through the palms, lengthen the spine, raise the hips, and extend the legs as comfortably as possible. The heels do not need to touch the floor; bending the knees is a common modification.
It is often included in Sun Salutations and vinyasa sequences. A common mix-up is Upward-Facing Dog, a different pose in which the chest is lifted and the front of the body faces upward. Despite its popularity today, a posture closely resembling Downward Dog is not found under that name in medieval hatha-yoga texts.