Chaturanga Dandasana

Chaturanga Dandasana (Sanskrit: चतुरङ्ग दण्डासन; IAST: Caturaṅga Daṇḍāsana) or Four-Limbed Staff pose,[1] also known as Low Plank, is an asana in modern yoga as exercise and in some forms of Surya Namaskar (Salute to the Sun), in which a straight body parallel to the ground is supported by the toes and palms, with elbows at a right angle along the body. The variation Kumbhakasana, Phalakasana, or High Plank has the arms straight.

Chaturanga Dandasana or Low Plank

Etymology and origins

The name comes from the Sanskrit: चतुर् IAST catur, "four"; अङ्ग aṅga, "limb"; दण्ड daṇḍa, "staff"; and आसन; āsana, "posture" or "seat".[2]

The pose is unknown in hatha yoga until the 20th century Light on Yoga, but the pose appears in the 1896 Vyayama Dipika, a manual of gymnastics, as part of the "very old" sequence of danda exercises. Norman Sjoman suggests that it is one of the poses adopted into modern yoga in Mysore by Krishnamacharya and forming the "primary foundation" for his vinyasas with flowing movements between poses. The pose would then have been taken up by his pupils Pattabhi Jois and B. K. S. Iyengar.[3]

Description
Further information: Surya Namaskar

In Chaturanga Dandasana the hands and feet are on the floor, supporting the body, which is parallel to and lowered toward, but not touching, the floor. It looks much like a push up, but with the hands quite low (just above the pelvis), and the elbows kept in along the sides of the body.[4]

When performed correctly, it can help prepare the body for arm balance asanas by strengthening important muscles and promoting good form.[5]

In vinyasa styles of yoga, Chaturanga Daṇḍasana is part of the Surya Namaskar (Salute to the Sun) asana sequence, performed on an exhale. In Ashtanga vinyasa yoga's Surya Namaskar A it is the fourth asana, and in Surya Namaskar B it is the fourth, eighth and twelfth asanas.[6][7]

In yoga practice without vinyasas, the posture is simply held for a period of time (for instance, 30 seconds) with continuous breathing.[4]

Variations
Variation with straight arms (Kumbhakasana, Phalakasana, or High Plank)

Beginners can practise with the knees on the floor, or keeping the arms straight (in Kumbhakasana, also called Phalakasana or High Plank), before attempting the full pose. High Plank too is used in some forms of the Sun Salutation.[8]

Effects

This asana helps to tone arm and forearm muscles[9] and develops flexibility and power in the wrists, as well as toning abdominal organs[4] and building repository muscles.[10]

Cautions

As the shoulder joint is supported by muscles and tendons alone, those with weak muscles risk winging the shoulder blades [11] in the pose, resulting in shoulder or elbow pain or clicking.[12][13]

Lumbar hyperextension and hip flexion is a result of weakness in this asana, which can be corrected by activating the hamstrings.[10]

See also

References
  1. "Yoga Journal - Four-Limbed Staff Pose". Retrieved 2011-04-09.
  2. Sinha, S. C. (1 June 1996). Dictionary of Philosophy. Anmol Publications. p. 18. ISBN 978-81-7041-293-9.
  3. Sjoman, Norman E. (1999) [1996]. The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications. pp. 54–55, 100–101. ISBN 81-7017-389-2.
  4. Iyengar 2005, p. 54-55.
  5. "Om Shanti: A Yoga Blog: Chaturanga Dandasana: Wrist and Elbow Killer". Retrieved 2012-03-17.
  6. "Surya Namaskara A - Sun Salutation". Ashtanga Yoga. Archived from the original on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2012-03-17.
  7. John Scott (2008). Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series with John Scott DVD (NTSC) (DVD). John Scott. Event occurs at 5 min.+. ASIN B000BFHDY0.
  8. Hughes, Aimee. "Sun Salutation A Versus Sun Salutation B: The Difference You Should Know". Yogapedia.
  9. Active Interest Media (1984). Yoga Journal. Active Interest Media. p. 19.
  10. Kaminoff 2007, p. 183.
  11. Long & Macivor 2009, p. 162.
  12. "Yoga Anatomy for the Perplexed: Elbow Pain and Vinyasa Yoga". Retrieved 2012-03-17.
  13. "Yoga Anatomy for the Perplexed: Winging Shoulder-blades From Vinyasa Practice". Retrieved 2012-03-17.

Sources
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