Four Limbed Staff Pose, Chaturanga Dandasana, (chaht-tour-ANG-ah don-DAHS-anna)
catur (four) + aṅga (limbed) + daṇḍa (staff) + āsana (pose)
Also known as: Low Plank, Chaturanga, High To Low Push-Up, Low Push-Up
Pose Type: Balancing, Strengthening
Difficulty: Intermediate
Keep stability and power through your Chaturanga Dandasana and feel unstoppable
four limbed staff Pose Fundamentals
Four Limbed Staff Pose is a foundational pose that you will revisit time and again during Vinyasa yoga flows.
Although it may look like a push up, the four limbed staff pose is more than that. Thoughtful alignment is required to activate your power in this pose.
An activated core and back along with side hugging elbows are key in this pose.
Link your breath and up with your movement as you make your way from Plank Pose through Chaturanga Dandasana to Cobra Pose in Sun Salutations A and B.
four limbed staff Pose Benefits
- Core Strengthening
- Full Body Activating
How To Do The four limbed staff Pose: Step-By-Step
1. Begin in Plank Pose with your shoulders aligned slightly in front of your wrists. Move your weight onto the balls of your feet.
2. Create a straight line from heels to head, engaging your core.3. Inhale and draw your shoulders and thighs up away from the floor and release your tailbone towards the earth.
4. Exhale, bend your elbows, and slowly lower your body towards the mat. Make sure that your elbows are tucked in and that you keep your body in one straight line.
5. Lower your body down until your elbows are at 90 degrees and your elbows are directly over your wrists.
6. Gaze gently down at the floor, around 6 inches in front of you, keeping your neck long.
7. Come out of the Four Limbed Staff pose by lowering down onto your belly or pushing back up into a strong plank pose.
Four Limbed Staff Pose Variation:
Four Limbed Staff Pose With Knees Down
For this challenging pose, it may support you to come onto your knees as you lower into Chaturanga Dandasana. In this variation, keep a straight line from your knees to the crown of your head.
Common Mistakes in Chaturanga
Dropping the hips. Just like in Plank Pose, sagging hips put tremendous pressure on the lower back. Maintain strong core engagement throughout the entire lowering phase. Your body should move as one unit, like a plank of wood lowering toward the floor.
Elbows flaring out. The elbows should track straight back, hugging close to the ribcage, not splaying out to the sides. Flared elbows shift the load into the shoulder joint in a way that can cause rotator cuff strain over time. Think about squeezing a tennis ball between each elbow and your ribs.
Going too low. Your shoulders should never dip below elbow height. Lowering past this point places the shoulder in a vulnerable position under load. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the floor and your elbows form a 90-degree angle.
Tips for Beginners
Chaturanga is one of the most technically demanding poses in yoga. If you cannot maintain proper form, lower your knees to the mat first. This modified version builds the same pressing strength while protecting your shoulders. Another excellent modification is to lower all the way to the floor with control rather than hovering, which is how the pose is traditionally practiced in Ashtanga yoga.
Related Poses
Preparatory Poses
Counter Poses
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