Chaturanga Dandasana-Surya Namaskara-Sun Salutation

lifeyogakingston:We often practice Surya Namaskara (Sun...

lifeyogakingston:We often practice Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) in a yoga class; however, Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) - one of the positions in the Sun Salutation sequence - is often misunderstood by students. Some don’t even see it as an asana itself, but flow through it in transition from Plank Pose to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog). Others perform some version of a push-up. This challenging pose can take time to master as you build strength in the arms, wrists, and abdomen. Keeping the integrity of the pose from the start to the end of our yoga practice is important to avoid injury and benefit from the work it takes to master Chaturanga Dandasana. Here’s how it’s done:  

1. Beginning in Plank Pose, and on an exhalation, slowly lower your torso and legs to a few inches above and parallel to the floor. There’s a tendency in this pose for the lower back to sway toward the floor and the tailbone to poke up toward the ceiling (as in Figure One). 
2. Throughout your stay in this position, keep the tailbone firmly in place and the legs very active and turned slightly inward. Draw the pubis toward the navel.
3. Keep the space between the shoulder blades broad. Don’t let the elbows splay out to the sides (as in Figure Two); hold them in by the sides of the torso and push them back toward the heels. 
4. Press the bases of the index fingers firmly to the floor. Lift the top of the sternum and your head to look forward.

The completed form of Chaturanga Dandasana (as in Figure Three) is quite difficult to perform at first, until your arms, back, and legs are strong enough to support you. You can get a feel for this challenging position by practicing it standing upright. Stand and face a wall, a few inches away from the wall. Press your hands against the wall, slightly lower than the level of your shoulders. Imagine that you are trying to push yourself away from the wall, but the firmness of your shoulder blades against the back prevents any movement. Lengthen your tailbone into your heels and lift the top of your sternum toward the ceiling.You can also modify this pose by lowering your knees to the floor from Plank Pose and then, with an exhalation, lower your sternum to within an inch or two from the floor. To make this pose more challenging, if possible, slowly roll over the balls of your feet onto the tops of your feet and shift the torso slightly forward. This will bring the hands back beside your waist and increase the challenge of the position. Practice with pose for anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds. Release with an exhalation. Either lay yourself lightly down onto the floor or push strongly back to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog), lifting through the top thighs and the tailbone.I enjoy this pose. I hated it when I couldn’t do it but when I discovered that I could some months later (hadn’t done it at all in between that time), I liked it. read more..