Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga)

Chaturanga Dandasana

Four-Limbed Staff Pose aka Chaturanga is much more than just a yoga push-up. It is a foundational asana and it’s important to do it properly.

Common Name: Four-Limbed Staff Pose
Sanskrit Name: Chaturanga Dandasana (chahat-tour-ANG-ah don-DAHS-anna)
Level: Intermediate
Pose Type: Arm Balance, Core Pose
Target Areas: Arms, Wrists, Triceps, Core, Back

Four-Limbed Staff Pose aka Chaturanga is an intermediate arm balance that has many beginner-friendly variations, and is a foundational asana that is performed as a transitional pose throughout several Sun Salutations. It is often the link between High Plank and Upward dog, and strengthens the biceps, triceps, wrists, core, and back.

Four-Limbed Staff Pose Steps

Step 1

Start in a table top position, hips stacked over knees, shoulders stacked over wrists. Spread your fingers wide on the mat.

Step 2

On an inhale, engage the core and start to straighten the legs as you lift the knees off the mat, coming into a High Plank. Make sure the elbow creases are facing forward and that the arms are straight. Press into the hands and draw the shoulders away from the ears.

Step 3

On an exhale, start to slowly bend the arms, keeping the elbows close to your ribcage. Stop halfway down, when the arms are creating a 90-degree angle. Triceps should be parallel with the ground and the elbows should be stacked over the wrists.

Step 4

Keep the spine long and the core engaged. Make sure you are not collapsing in the shoulders, continuing to draw them away from the ears. Reach your heels toward the back of the mat and keep the legs engaged.

Step 5

To modify, bring the knees down to the earth. You can practice this pose with the knees down until you build strength in the shoulders and triceps.

Step 6

To exit the pose, you can come all the way down onto your belly, push back up into plank, or transition into Upward Dog.

Modifications

While you are building strength in the arms, shoulders, and triceps, practice lowering down into this pose while keeping the knees down on the mat. Focus on keeping the elbows close to the ribcage, as it's crucial to do so in order to avoid injuring your shoulders.
Once you feel strong performing this pose on your knees, you can try floating the knees up into High Plank, creating an arch in your spine and pointing your hips towards the sky, and lowering only your chin and chest down towards the mat, pausing when your arms are at 90 degrees. This will take some of the pressure off your arms as you build more strength in this pose.
Once you feel strong performing the first 2 variations, you can move onto the full version.