Chaturanga Dandasana: How to Do Low Plank Pose in Yoga

Chaturanga Dandasana (commonly known as Chaturanga or four-limbed staff pose) is a low-plank pose in Vinyasa-style yoga. This dynamic pose involves using the palms and toes to keep the body parallel to the ground while keeping the elbows at a 90-degree angle alongside the body, similar to a push-up. The pose helps build strength and prepares yogis for more advanced flows and arm balances. In a traditional Vinyasa-style sequence, Chaturanga follows a high plank and precedes an upward-facing dog.

Chaturanga helps build strength and confidence, preparing yogis for more advanced flows and arm balances. The pose activates core strength and back muscles, quadriceps, and spinal muscles and engages the triceps and biceps, wrists, and pectoral muscles. This beneficial pose also engages the shoulder and upper back, including the serratus anterior and posterior and the trapezius and rhomboids.

Proper alignment is critical in this asana because it can help you reap the maximum benefits and avoid injuring the rotator cuff. Here are some tips to help you practice Chaturanga properly in a yoga class or from the comfort of your own home:

1. 1. Check your balance. Notice if you are overcompensating to one side by consciously distributing your weight evenly on both sides of the body.
2. 2. Maintain even breathing. Breathe evenly in and out through the nose, using the exhale breath to transition from high to low plank.
3. 3. Engage the correct muscles. Engage your quadriceps, lift your knee caps, and press the heels towards the back of the mat. Focus on engaging muscles in the entire body, especially the shoulders, core, back, lower body, and legs. Ensure your hips or shoulders aren't drooping down by focusing on strengthening the core muscles to support the lower back.
4. 4. Stay aligned. Lengthen the back of the neck, gaze down, and pull the crown of the head forward, ensuring your entire body is in a straight line, including your hips and shoulders.
5. 5. Broaden the shoulders. Press down evenly through the palms to broaden across your chest and shoulders and to avoid sinking them.
6. 6. Squeeze your elbows tight. Keep your elbows tucked tightly in toward the body and pointed straight back at a 90-degree angle.

This low-plank pose builds full-body strength, but it also requires it, so you may need to work up to a full Chaturanga by starting with your knees on the ground in half-Chaturanga. Here is a step-by-step breakdown for performing Chaturanga:

1. Start in high plank. Come into Phalakasana, or high plank, by placing your wrists directly underneath your shoulders and keeping a slight bend at the elbow. Push your heels towards the back of the room and rest on the balls of your feet.
2. Lower halfway down. On an exhale, bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle, keep them tucked into your ribcage, and lower your entire body, so your shoulders are at the same height as your elbows. Keep your shoulder blades back and down with the elbows tucked in towards the rib cage at a 90-degree angle.
3. Engage all of your muscles. Keep your upper body and legs hovering above the floor, full-body muscle activation. Tuck your tailbone slightly, face the crown of your head forward with your gaze down and keep the back of your neck long.
4. Ensure proper alignment. Press down through the palms to broaden across your chest, collarbones, and upper back, avoiding rounding the shoulders or sinking your hips past the legs and upper body. Breathe.
5. Transition to the next pose. From here, you can transition into an upward-facing dog on an inhale or press back up into cobra pose, a high plank, or downward-facing dog pose on an exhale.

Full Chaturanga can be challenging for those with a history of neck or shoulder injuries, which is why experts recommend modifying the pose to avoid potential injuries. Here are two modifications for a more low-impact experience or to help you build up to a full Chaturanga:

• Salute with eight parts (Ashtanga Namaskara). This popular Chaturanga alternative is more accessible and involves the knees, palms, chin, feet, and chest touching the ground (the “eight parts” to which the name refers). Start in plank pose, then bring your knees to the floor, slide forward, lift the hips slightly, and rest the chin and the chest onto the floor. If starting in a plank position is too challenging, begin by laying down on the mat, palms under your shoulders, hips slightly raised with the chin and chest resting on the floor.
• Half-Chaturanga. To perform this variation, follow all of the steps for performing a full Chaturanga, but lower your knees to the floor before lowering your upper body halfway down. Practicing this variation of the pose at first can help you ensure proper alignment before attempting the more strengthening variation of full Chaturanga Dandasana.

Proper form and technique are essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of a yoga practice. If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before practicing yoga. You can modify yoga poses based on your individual needs.

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