Chaturanga Dandasana requires an unexpected kind of strength

Yoga magazineQ archives The series is a curated collection of articles originally published in back issues beginning in 1975. This article about Chaturanga first appeared in the March-April 1984 issue of Yoga magazine.

Like many poses, Chaturanga Dandasana (four-ended stick) sounds much easier than it is. The pose requires special strength in the arms, wrists and abdominal muscles to stabilize the body against the downward pull of gravity.

Many people view yoga as a physical practice with an emphasis on flexibility, but some poses, such as Chaturanga Dandasana, require more strength than flexibility. To maintain this posture well, one must be able to focus on lengthening the body parallel to the floor, and on aligning the spine, to avoid too many curves. With continuous practice, one feels the need for mental and physical strength. The average student learns that the real challenge in Chaturanga is overcoming the mental tendency to give up in the midst of difficulty.

This asana strengthens the muscles of the arms and trunk. Additionally, stretching backwards through the legs activates the large lower body muscles. This helps stabilize the pelvis and spine, and also takes some of the work off the arms.

While this asana requires strength, we must remember that it is not rigid force. Breathing should be free and the face and diaphragm should be soft. Chaturanga Dandasana teaches softness in the midst of that strength; If there is too much rigidity, one misses the essence of the situation. If one stands close to a dancer, one sees the strength of the muscles, but if one stands back, one sees only the elegance and grace of the movement. Learning to practice this asana while expressing the balance of strength and softness is one of the most important lessons a yoga has to teach.

How to practice Chaturanga

A good way for beginners to learn Chaturanga Dandasana is to start in the plank position shown in Figure 3. Start on the hands and knees. While keeping your breathing free, move your feet back and balance on your hands and feet. The hands should be placed under the shoulders, or slightly towards the feet, and the spine should be lengthened. Avoid the tendency to sag in the lower back. Hold for a few breaths, rest on your hands and knees, then repeat.

Once you’ve mastered this, start in a plank position. Bend the elbows close to the body, then lower the body to just above the floor. Again, be careful not to distort the spine, as shown in Figure 1. Make sure to keep the breathing free. Continue for as long as you can, then rest, then repeat.

When this becomes easier, Chaturanga Dandasana can be practiced in conjunction with Downward facing dog (Adu Mukha Svanasana) and Upward-facing dog (Urdva mukha svanasana). Chaturanga Dandasana in Plank Pose is suitable for all levels of students. Learning to move from plank to full pose can be practiced by most beginners except those with unusual weakness in the arms. This movement may require some practice but can be part of a series of classes for beginners or advanced.