Double Downward Dog | Friends

Quick Intro

Double Downward Dog is one of the first poses people learn in acro yoga. The base partner holds an ordinary downward dog, hips high. The top partner places their hands on the floor in front of the base, then walks their feet up, one at a time, onto the base’s lower back at the top of the pelvis. The top partner then makes their own downward dog above, so the pair form two stacked inverted Vs. They hold briefly and the top partner steps back down.

The downward dog itself, with long arms, a long spine and hips lifted toward the ceiling, is taught at Adho Mukha Svanasana. This guide covers the stack: choosing the base, where the top partner’s hands and feet go and how both people get in and out without a slip.

What You’ll Need

A yoga mat, or two placed end to end so both partners’ hands are on padding.
A non-slip floor and bare feet.
A base who is the bigger or stronger partner, or at least not much smaller than the top.

How It Works

The base sets up a strong downward dog: hands shoulder-width apart, fingers spread, feet hip-width, hips high. Knees can bend a little.
The top partner stands in front of the base’s hands, facing away from them, and places their own hands on the floor about a forearm’s length ahead of the base’s hands.
The top partner lifts one foot back and places it on the base’s lower back, on the flat bony area at the top of the pelvis (the sacrum). The base says “ready” when they feel steady.
The top partner places the second foot beside the first.
The top partner presses through the hands and lifts the hips, making their own downward dog above the base.
Hold for a few breaths, both breathing steadily.
To come down, the top partner reverses the way up: they lower one foot to the floor in front of the base’s hands, beside their own hands, then the other, and stand up. The feet never come down between the base’s hands, where the base’s head is.

For the Base

Be a stable table. Push the floor away with the hands and keep the hips lifted. If the shoulders or wrists start to shake, say “down” at once.

Hold still. Do not adjust while the top partner is stepping up. Wait until both feet are on.

Speak up. You know how the load feels. A top partner cannot see your arms.

For the Top Partner

Step lightly. Place each foot carefully. No jumping on.

Feet on the pelvis, never the spine above it. The flat area at the top of the pelvis takes weight well. The lower back above it does not.

Keep most of your weight in your hands. Push the floor away so the base carries as little as possible.

What the Partner Changes

For the base, the top partner adds weight to the hips and drives the hands harder into the floor, turning a resting pose into a strength hold for the arms and shoulders. For the top partner, the feet are now higher than in a normal downward dog, which shifts more weight into the hands and shoulders, like a small step toward an inversion. Neither shape can be made alone, since the top partner’s feet need a base to stand on.

The Lifting, Carrying and Catching a Person guide covers two-person balances like this one, including why the base needs to be the bigger partner and why a sudden move by either person causes most falls.

How Long

Hold for three to five breaths. Do two or three stacks. If both want to try the top, swap only when the size difference allows it.

Making It Easier or Harder

Easier: the top partner keeps the feet on the base’s pelvis but bends their own knees, which keeps more weight in the hands and makes stepping off easier.
Harder: hold for longer, with both partners straightening the knees fully and pressing the hips higher.

Staying Safe

The base must be genuinely steady in the hips and shoulders before anyone steps up.
Never try it with a size mismatch where the base cannot support the top partner.
Step up and down slowly, one foot at a time.
Stop for wrist or shoulder pain in either partner.
Not for young children. One person is standing on another’s body.

Common Mistakes

Base’s hips sinking. The top partner’s feet slide. The base lifts the hips before the top steps on.
Top partner’s hands too close. Their feet land too high on the base’s back. Place the hands a forearm’s length ahead.
Feet on the spine. Keep them on the flat top of the pelvis.
Rushing down. Step down one foot at a time.

Fitting It Into a Session

It suits the middle of a yoga-style session, after the wrists and shoulders are warm. It also makes a playful break between harder exercises in a calm session.

Adho Mukha Svanasana is the solo pose.
Partner Boat Pose is another two-person yoga shape.
Cheer Thigh Stand is a standing stunt where one partner stands on the other.

FAQ

Who should be the base?

The bigger or stronger partner, especially at first. Many pairs keep the same base.

Where exactly do the feet go?

On the flat bony area at the top of the base’s pelvis. Never higher up the lower back.

Can we swap roles?

Yes, if the partners are close in size. If one is much bigger, it is fine to keep the same base every time.