About Chaturanga Dandasana (The Four Limbed Staff)
A relatively young asana, Chaturanga Dandasana has only been incorporated into Yoga sequences since the turn of the 20th century. Most people see this pose first in a sun salutation sequence (Surya Namaskar) as part of the poses used by most Yogis to start the day. It’s also common in Ashtanga Vinyasa flows. Holding planks for sets of seconds is a go-to exercise for fitness enthusiasts to strengthen and engage all the muscles at once, while improving stability. There’s plenty of benefits of Chaturanga Dandasana, and despite it not being an ancient or famous pose it is an excellent addition to your practice.
What Are The Benefits Of Chaturanga Dandasana?
Planks had a bit of a hype in the fitness industry some years back as the ultimate exercise. There’s plenty of planking challenges out there (and sustaining planks is definitely challenging!). But in a Yoga context, the benefits of Chaturanga Dandasana are numerous, too. Bodily flexibility is a key part of Yoga practice, alongside physical fitness. Below is a list of the Yoga benefits of this simple but deceptively challenging pose:
- The low plank improves muscle stability, helping you hold poses for longer
- It strengthens the core by forcing the torso to keep itself elevated
- If you suffer from lower back pain, this pose strengthens the surrounding muscles so the lower back carries less strain
- Strengthens the shoulders and upper back
- It’s easy to work up to holding for longer and longer times – beginners can start with their knees to the mat, instead of the tips of their toes
- Chaturanga Dandasana prepares you for more challenging and advanced poses like scorpion pose and elbow stands
Is Chaturanga Dandasana An Advanced Yoga Pose?
Yes and no! The low plank is more of an intermediate pose – it may be very challenging to complete beginners, but does not require significant practice to achieve. The challenge of Chaturanga Dandasana is what you make of it – you can choose how long you want to hold the pose for, or whether you just want is as a very short part of your flow as you transition to upward facing dog or cobra pose. We love this pose (we even have a top named after it!). It’s worth a try for the majority of Yogis – and it’s definitely very satisfying when you notice you can hold your plank for longer and longer! Give it a go!
