Four-Limbed Staff Pose
Chaturanga DandasanaThe low hover between Plank and Upward Dog. A controlled eccentric for the triceps, pectorals and serratus, and the most commonly rushed shape in vinyasa.
- 01Start in Plank with the shoulders over the wrists and the trunk braced.
- 02Shift the whole body forward until the shoulders are ahead of the wrists.
- 03Bend the elbows straight back, keeping them brushing the ribs, and lower until the upper arms are parallel to the floor.
- 04Hold the chest and hips at the same height, gaze slightly forward.
- 05Pause for a breath, then press back up to Plank or roll forward to Upward-Facing Dog. Drop the knees to build the strength.
- 01Shift forward first, then bend — the shift is the whole pose.
- 02Elbows back past the ribs, never winging out to the sides.
- 03Stop at ninety degrees; below that you are just falling.
- 01Lowering straight down without shifting forward, which puts the shoulders below the elbows and strains the joint.
- 02Letting the elbows flare wide, which loads the front of the shoulder rather than the triceps.
- 03Dropping the chest while the hips stay high, which loses the line and trains a sag under load.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.