Four-Limbed Staff Pose
Chaturanga Dandasana
Four-Limbed Staff Pose, or Chaturanga, is a low plank where you hover with your elbows bent beside your ribs. It builds strength in the arms, shoulders and core and links many flowing sequences.
- Hold
- 1-3 breaths, or lower and move on as part of a flow
- Breathing
- Breathe out as you lower slowly and hold your breath as little as possible. Inhale as you press away to the next pose.
In Chaturanga Dandasana your body stays in one straight line, like a plank, while you lower until your elbows are bent at roughly ninety degrees beside your ribs. Your shoulders stay level with your elbows, not below them. It is a core part of Sun Salutations and many vinyasa classes, and it asks for strength through the arms, chest and abdominals.
The pose is intermediate because it can strain the shoulders and wrists if done with poor alignment. Build up gradually with Plank and the knees-down version first. A teacher can check your form. Focus on control rather than depth: a half-way lowering with good alignment is far safer than dropping low with collapsing shoulders.
In this guide
How to do it, step by step
- Start in Plank Pose with your hands under your shoulders and your body in one long line.
- Spread your fingers wide and press firmly through your palms.
- Shift your body slightly forward so your shoulders move just beyond your wrists.
- Bend your elbows and lower slowly, keeping them close to your ribs.
- Stop when your elbows are at about ninety degrees and your shoulders are level with them.
- Keep your belly drawn in and your legs strong so your body stays in one line.
- Keep your neck long and your gaze slightly forward.
- To come out, press into your hands and move to Upward-Facing Dog or lower your knees to rest.
Benefits
- May help to build strength in the arms, shoulders, chest and core.
- Can improve control and stability in the upper body.
- Prepares the body for arm balances and inversions.
- Encourages good alignment in a flowing sequence.
- A strengthening step that links Plank to the backbends.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the shoulders below the elbows: stop lowering when your shoulders are level with your elbows.
- Elbows flaring out: hug them in towards your ribs.
- Sagging hips or lifting them too high: engage your core and keep one straight line.
- Sinking into the shoulders: press the floor away and keep your chest open.
Make it easier
- Lower your knees to the floor and lower halfway in the knees-down version.
- Practise on your forearms or lower slowly from a plank with knees down.
- Use a folded blanket or block under the chest as a guide to avoid dropping too low.
Go further
- Hold the pose for a few breaths with perfect alignment.
- Lift one leg while holding the pose, once you are confident and strong.
Questions people ask
How low should I go in Chaturanga?
Lower until your elbows reach about ninety degrees and your shoulders are level with them, no lower. Going deeper can strain the shoulders. If you cannot hold this alignment, use the knees-down version or stay in Plank.
Why are my wrists and shoulders sore after Chaturanga?
Soreness often comes from dropping the shoulders too low, flaring the elbows or letting the weight sit on the heels of the hands. Spread your fingers, hug your elbows in and lower less. Take a break and ask a teacher to check your form.
Do I have to do Chaturanga in every vinyasa class?
No. You can always replace it by lowering your knees or your whole body to the floor, then moving into Cobra or Upward-Facing Dog. Protecting your shoulders is more important than keeping up with the flow.
Be careful
Skip or modify with wrist, shoulder, elbow or lower back injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome. Avoid in later pregnancy or pressure on the belly. If you are unsure of your alignment, ask a teacher. Stop if you feel sharp pain, especially in the shoulders or wrists. Practise Plank and the knees-down version first.
This guide is for general education and does not replace advice from a doctor. Practise gently, never into pain, and speak to a qualified professional if you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication.
