Chat 1
Chat 1??? Chaturanga Dandasana, an essential component of a Sun Salutation, does not have numerical references like the Warrior family. Chatarunga is such a demanding pose, that I decided to breakup my synopsis into digestible parts. Thus, this is Part 1 of Chataranga Dandasana.
What is Chataranga Dandasana? Chaturanga Dandasana, also known as Four-Limbed Staff Pose, is a foundational yoga posture that builds upper body and core strength. In this pose, the body is held in a straight line parallel to the floor, supported by the hands and the toes. From this plank position, the practitioner shifts slightly forward and lowers the body halfway down, keeping the elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and tucked close to the sides.
It all starts with Plank Pose. And this will be the focus of Part 1.
It is safe to say that I incorporate plank pose, known as Phalakasana in Sanskrit, into every Vinyasa Flow and Yoga for a Healthy Spine sequence I teach. Plank is often viewed as a transition pose as to which little to no guidance is offered on how to approach plank in a healthy way to keep the wrists and shoulders stable. Plank is also a core strengthener, but again, without targeted guidance, students often hang out in plank, dumping in their joints, not using the benefit of gravity to ensure our extremities are integrated as part of our core to truly engage that area to build strength.
As plank is a foundational pose for many other poses, such as Downward Facing Dog, Chaturanga, Cobra, Crow, etc., it is imperative that we pay attention to detail. You know me, if you come to my classes. I love to get into the weeds and geek out over anatomy and structure of poses and the nuances of each. I have learned over time that I don’t need to describe every pose in detail. That sometimes just saying the pose name is enough. Not plank. Everyone thinks they are doing plank correctly. Let me tell you that is often, or more aptly, always not the case. Yes, I see stuff all the time in plank when cueing my class. But I have a lived experience with poor form in my own plank (actually Chaturanga, but it started with my setup) that caused this very subtle alignment issue to create havoc in my left elbow and left shoulder. I will dive into the details on that in Chat 2.
The key takeaway for plank is if our hands and feet aren’t positioned properly, we will over-stress small joints and damage them over time. Your hands to your shoulders need to be active in Hasta Bandha. Similar to Pada Bandha, the foot lock, we have the same energy source and lock via our hands.
Hasta Bandha — or Hand Lock — is an important energetic and physical technique used in yoga to create stability, strength, and awareness in the hands, wrists, arms, and upper body. “Hasta” means “hand” and “Bandha” means “lock” or “seal” in Sanskrit.
Hasta Bandha is the subtle activation of the muscles and fascia in the hands to create a supportive base in poses where the hands are bearing weight (e.g., Downward-Facing Dog, Plank, Chaturanga, Arm Balances). The idea is to distribute weight evenly across the hand rather than collapsing into the wrists. See below for steps on how to engage as you set up for Plank.
How to Setup Plank
Come into table top pose.
Place your hands on the mat wide enough so that your elbows align directly under your shoulders, maintaining true shoulder-width distance. This may be a head scratcher for you, but often I see the hands in a narrow position, where the arm is at a diagonal to the shoulder with the shoulder being the widest part. If the hands are placed too narrowly on the mat, two key issues can arise: excessive engagement of the chest muscles, which can us throw off balance, and increased risk of impingement in the soft tissues of the shoulder joint. Over time, both of these conditions can lead to injury. Additionally, some individuals (Oh Hi!!! Me!!) have a natural lateral deviation in the elbow joint—known as a carrying angle—where the forearms angle outward even when the upper arms are parallel. For these practitioners, it's important to place the hands slightly wider than the elbows in any pose where the hands are bearing weight on the ground.
Engage Hasta Bandha:
Spread the Fingers Wide - Create space between all fingers, especially the thumb and pinky.
Root Through the Finger Pads - Press down evenly through the pads of the fingers — especially the base of the index finger, base of the thumb, and outer heel of the hand.
Lift the Center of the Palm - Slightly lift the arch in the center of the palm (like a gentle suction or dome shape), which activates the hand muscles and reduces strain on the wrist.
Engage the Forearms and Shoulders - The action in the hands translates upward to stabilize the arms and shoulders.
Soften the elbows just enough to allow them to angle back/point toward the thighs. - This movement creates external rotation in the shoulder, which both protects the joint by creating more space and encourages the shoulder blade to engage properly for stable, aligned weight-bearing. Avoid locking your elbows — when joints are locked, the surrounding muscles aren’t engaged to provide support, leaving the ligaments to absorb the force, which can lead to wear and degeneration over time.
Some of you will need to rotate hands outward so that knuckles of index and middle finger can root down to mat. Index fingers do not need to be parallel. - If your knuckles lift away from the mat, your weight shifts into the wrists, increasing strain and reducing stability. To fully access the power of Hasta Bandha, the bones of the hands should be in both physical and energetic alignment, allowing strength to flow through the hands into the arms, shoulders, and core. For those with a carrying angle, the natural outward rotation of the arms may be more pronounced, and your hand placement may turnout significantly to maintain alignment.
Keep the front of the shoulder slightly behind the wrist crease to prevent hyperextension in the wrists.
Draw the triceps back and hug them in toward the ribs - This reinforces the external rotation of the shoulder joint. It’s easy for this action to slip away while focusing on other details, so check in and re-engage it regularly throughout the pose to ensure it remains active.
Press the ground away from you, as you would in Cat Pose—this activates the chest muscles that help lift the body out of gravity. Keep this engagement as you move into the next step; both actions should remain active together.
At the same time, gently draw the shoulder blades toward each other, as in Cow Pose. This subtle adduction supports the shoulder girdle by balancing the effort of the front body, creating both lift and length. It also strengthens the trapezius and rhomboid muscles—key components for a strong and safe Chaturanga.
Draw the front ribs in toward the spine by deeply engaging at the solar plexus. This action prevents the body from collapsing into a backbend, supports the internal organs, and brings a sense of lightness to both the hips and the heart.
Step one foot back and tuck the toes firmly, aligning the heel directly over the ball of the foot. Avoid letting the heel extend too far beyond the toes, as this can disengage Pada Bandha and reduce activation through the entire lower body.
Step the other foot back the same way, placing both feet hip-width apart. Practicing with hip-width alignment supports the hip joints under load and creates a stable foundation. This setup helps maintain spinal alignment and builds a balanced blueprint for future poses by creating a square, grounded framework.
Don’t tuck your tail. You want to keep the natural curve in your lumbar spine.
Use your extremities to keep you lifted and engaged - Press back through the toes and forward through the hands to connect the limbs with the core. These opposing forces function like counteraction at a single joint—creating balanced tension that stabilizes the entire body.
Lift the throat gently toward the cervical spine to support the neck. Letting the head drop creates excessive strain at the base of the neck and makes the chest feel heavy. Engaging the area around the vocal cords helps maintain length in the back of the neck and prevents collapsing at the base of the skull.
Phew! That is a lot of steps to get into plank! But these nit-picky alignment issues make all the difference, especially when we explore how to enter and exit Chaturanga.
For my in studio students - I am always happy to check your plank before or after class. Just ask!