24.11.

2022, 13:01 Yoga Poses | Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)

Y O G A S E Q U E N C E S ( H T T P S : / / W W W.Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M / P R A C T I C E / Y O G A - S E Q U E N C E S / ) Y O GA S E Q U E N C E S BY

Yoga Journal Practice Yoga Sequences

YOGA SEQUENCES
( H T T P S : / / W W W .Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M / P R A C T I C E / Y O G A -
SEQUENCES/)

3 Things You Need for a Strong Chaturanga

No matter how well you think you know this challenging pose, you can find
safer and more stable alignment.

NOVEMBER 21, 2022

JASON CRANDELL (HTTPS://WWW.YOGA JOURNAL.COM/BYLINE/JASON-CR ANDELL/)

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24.11.2022, 13:01 Yoga Poses | Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)

If you find Chaturanga Dandasana (https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/four-limbed-staff-pose/) (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) to

be the most challenging part of your Sun Salutation (https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/yoga-sequences/hack-sun-
salutations/), you’re not alone. Many people flop and strain through it, hoping their alignment will improve with time and grim
determination. Unfortunately, that’s wishful thinking. This popular pose requires attention to detail—including meticulous
alignment and robust muscular engagement. Until you master the actions of the pose, a trouble-free Chaturanga will remain out
of reach.

To clean up your Chaturanga, spend some time practicing it separately from the flow of the traditional rhythmic Sun Salutation,
where this dynamic pose can easily devolve into collapsed hips, a sagging belly, and splayed elbows. A sloppy Chaturanga is not
only awkward, it invites injury to the lower back, shoulders, elbows, and wrists.

One way to practice the pose it to focus on holding up your body’s weight with props
(https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/how-yoga-props-can-deepen-your-practice/). With this support you can get a sense of
what the pose is supposed to feel like. It also helps establish a template for practicing the pose safely once the support is
removed. Think of the props as training wheels for your Chaturanga Dandasana. When you’re ready, reintroduce the traditional
pose into your practice gracefully and with confidence.

Action Plan
Focus on engaging two complementary muscle groups that surround the scapulae. First, the rhomboids and the middle fibers of
the trapezius muscles at the upper part of your back. And secondly, the serratus anterior and pectoralis minor
(https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/anatomy/shoulders/anatomy-101-understand-pectoralis-minor-deeper-backbends/).
The former pull the scapulae toward your spine; (https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/be-kind-to-your-spine-our-anatomy-
experts-tell-you-how/) the latter pull the scapulae away from your spine. The pectoralis major, the deltoids, the rotator cuff
muscles and the latissimus dorsi offer additional upper-body support.

The End Game

Supporting your body’s weight with props allows you to focus on alignment and muscular engagement—even if you haven’t
quite developed the upper body strength (https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/3-bodyweight-workouts-for-total-body-
strength/) to hold yourself up. Over time, this sequence will reinforce good habits and strengthen your body, leading to a safer
and more skillful pose.

If you dream of a graceful, unsupported Chaturanga Dandasana, incorporate all three versions shown below into your home
practice until your body gets the alignment, strength, and rhythm to sail through the pose.

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Before You Begin

Practicing Chaturanga Dandasana requires some preparatory work to heat the body. Either stand in Tadasana
(https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/mountain-pose/) (Mountain Pose) or sit in Virasana
(https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/hero-pose/)(Hero Pose) and warm up your shoulders with Gomukhasana
(https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/cow-face-pose/) (Cow Face Pose), Garudasana
(https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/eagle-pose/) (Eagle Pose), and Viparita Namaskar (Reversed Prayer Pose). To prep the
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