Hey there friends! Do you practice some kind of Vinyasa Yoga?
If so, then there’s a chance that you probably move through, or at least hear the teacher call for, a chaturanga or two (or 20!) each time you flow.
The full name of this posture in Sanskrit is chaturanga dandasana, roughly translated to ‘four-limbed staff pose,’ and maybe more commonly referred to as ‘chaturanga’ or low plank. And whether you love it or could leave it, it’s a pose that will most definitely help you build strength and confidence (again, high number of reps is another topic for another time), but it’s also a pose that’s all too often rushed through and, sometimes, even feared!
But there is nothing to fear about this or any other yoga postures. They are simply shapes! And the key to feeling safe in any of these shapes is to remain mindful, curious, and aware.
So, first thing is first…
Anytime that you on your hands, you are weight-bearing, and whenever bearing weight on the hands, it’s important to take a look at creating stability in the shoulder joint. Check out this Practice Notes tutorial that I recently posted on Shoulder Stability when weight-bearing here.
Next…
Let’s check out some of these cues for Chaturanga Dandasana that I’ve learned through my studies with the amazing team at Yoga Medicine - it’s completely changed my perspective and relationship with the pose!
ONE: Get grounded. Spread your hands into the floor and feel like you are pushing your mat away.
TWO: Engage. Hug your upper arm bones down into the socket, then broaden your collarbones to activate the back of the shoulder and creating some space in the front of the shoulder.
THREE: Recruit support. Rock forward onto your tip toes to feel your core and legs engage so that you aren’t dumping all of your weight into the shoulders and hands.
FOUR: Go slow and try not to rush! Can you maintain that integrity you’ve found in cues 1-3 as you lower to chaturanga dandasana?
Spoiler alert: Lower does not necessarily equal better or stronger. If you lose that 360* support around the shoulder when you lower you are more likely to experience irritation and, overtime, possibly an injury! If you can, grab a mirror or record yourself. As you lower, notice the point where you dump into your shoulders and lose that support through the back of the shoulder. Then come up a little higher from there and you’ve found a great depth for your chaturanga!
Last, but not least, if you’re looking for ways to strengthen your shoulders for chaturanga, here are 5:
Scapular Pushups. Without moving your spine or bending your elbows, inhale to squeeze your shoulder blades together towards the spine, and as you exhale push your hands into the floor to feel your shoulder blades glide apart, wrapping them towards the sides of your ribs. Complete 5 rounds then rest. These can be done standing with the hands on the wall, from Table Top, Modified Plank (plank with knees down), or in a High Plank.
Drop your knees and focus on your form! It doesn’t matter if your knees are up or down, choose function over aesthetics. Once that feels comfortable then explore chaturanga with knees lifted.
Pause at your end range (your lowest chaturanga while maintaining 360* support) and find a little bounce here to challenge the tissues in a different way.
Remember that all cues are merely suggestions. Explore bringing your arms a little wider and turning your fingers in or out.
Explore adding a “reverse chaturanga,” from Cobra or Updog, maintain that support and space through the chest and front of the shoulder as you press up into a 2nd chaturanga before heading back to Downdog.
And one last thing to keep in mind, a bit of a broken record but it’s important: Remain mindful, curious, and aware. If we rush through, we are likely to miss the good stuff!!! And that applies to both on the mat and out in life.