Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)

Embrace the Benefits

A chaturanga is not your everyday push-up. Rather than focusing on upper body strength; your abdomen, back, legs, and heels work together to build strength while energizing the mind, body, and soul. The energy centers within the body that benefit from this pose are the solar plexus, heart, and throat chakras.

The How To

• From plank pose, shift your weight slightly forward to where your shoulders are in front of your wrists

• Pushing back through your heels, engage your quads lifting through your kneecaps

• Inhale pushing your shoulders and the tops of your thighs away from the mat and activate your core by pulling belly button in and up towards your spine

• Exhale slowly lowering your body parallel to the floor while keeping your elbows tucked into your sides

• Arms should lower no less than a 90-degree angle

• Gaze should be out a few inches in front of you

Being Mindful

• While building strength, practice pose with knees to mat or by completely lowering body to mat rather than hovering

• Focus on the degree of the elbow. Remember no less than 90 degrees

• If you’re dropping or sagging in your shoulders, move hand placement wider

• Keep your core engaged to prevent dipping in the hips

Additional Tips

Avoid or modify this pose if you have carpel tunnel, wrist pain, rotator cuff or shoulder injuries and/or shoulder arthritis. If pregnant, avoid this pose altogether. ALWAYS consult with your doctor before practicing if you have any concerns!