CHATURANGA DANDASANA (chah-tur-ANG-ah dun-DAHS-anna)
chaturanga = four limbs (chatur = four; anga = limb) (SPELLING NOTE: The Sanskrit “c” is pronounced like the “ch” in “church.” Properly then, “chatur” should be spelled “catur.” The “h” has been added to make the pronunciation easier for non-Sanskritists).
danda = staff (refers to the spine, the central “staff” or support of the body)
Four-limb Staff Pose (the “four limbs” refers to the pose’s four supports, the two hands and two feet)
1. From Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose), swing your torso forward into Plank Pose. 1 Align your shoulders over your wrists (so the arms are perpendicular to the floor), and firm your shoulder blades against your back torso. With the torso parallel to the floor, lengthen your tail bone toward the heels.
2. On an exhale, bend your elbows and slowly lower your torso and legs to within a few inches of the floor. It’s common in this pose for the lower back to sag toward the floor and the tail bone to poke up toward the ceiling. To counter this, firm (but don’t tuck) the tail bone toward the pubic bone, and firm the lower belly to bring the navel and the pubic bone closer together. Alternatively, if you lack the strength to hold the torso/legs off the floor, then it’s acceptable to bend the knees to the floor for extra support.
3. Broaden your shoulder blades and hold the upper inner arms close to the sides of the torso, don’t let the elbows splay. You can stay on the balls of your feet or swing slightly forward onto the tops of your feet with the toes pointed back.
4. As you do with Downward Dog, firm the bases of the index fingers against the floor. Beginners should look down at the floor, more experienced students can look forward as long as the back of the neck doesn’t get compressed.
5. Chaturanga Dandasana is one of the positions in the Sun Salutation sequence. You can also practice this pose by itself, holding anywhere from 15 seconds to a minute. When you’re ready to exit, release yourself to the floor with an exhale. Alternately, you could press back on an inhale to Downward Dog; just be sure not to arch back and compress the lower back. Keep the spine long and press back from the top thighs.
Benefits:
Strengthens the arms and wrists
Tones the lower abdomen
Contraindications:
Wrist injury or carpal tunnel syndrome
Beginner’s Tip:
In Plank, position a block on one of its sides (about 4 inches high) under each shoulder; each thumb should touch the end of the block that faces toward you, each index finger is then placed alongside the outside face of the block. Slowly lower your shoulders onto the blocks. If you need more support, position a third block under your thighs. You should then ideally be well supported and can get a feel for what the completed pose is like.
Intermediate’s variation:
In Chaturanga, rock back slightly, then quickly, on an exhale, hop yourself slightly up and forward, landing a few inches ahead of where you started. Continue for a few more forward hops, then try to hop backward, back to where you started. This is called Nakrasana (knock-RAHS-anna), which Mr Iyengar calls the Crocodile, but which may also mean Alligator.
1 NOTE. “Plank” is what this pose is typically called in English; however, if we want to “Sanskrit it up” we can call it “phalakasana” (pa-la-KAHS-anna; the “ph” pronounced like the “p” in “pin” or “path”), phalaka = plank.