Chaturanga Dandasana or Four Limbed Pose

Benefits, Contraindications, Tips and How to Do

English Name(s)
Chaturanga Dandasana
Four-Limbed Pose
Sanskrit
चतुरङ्गदण्डासन / Caturaṅga Daṇḍāsana
Pronunciation
cha-TO-rung-gah dun-DAH-suh-nuh
Meaning
catur: “four”
anga: “limb”
danda: “staff”
āsana: “posture”

Introduction

Chaturanga Dandasana (cha-TO-rung-gah dun-DAH-suh-nuh) strengthens the arms (triceps and pectoralis), core and leg muscles. It also stabilizes the shoulders, core, hips, and upper back muscles. It is a good pose to give strength to the arms and legs before going into back extensions.

Planking is a great way to strengthen the core muscles and improve your posture and Low Plank is no different in that sense. The results of this study show that plank exercises are related both on where you’re placing your hands (whether they’re next-to or far away from yourself) as well what kind of position it creates for each muscle group involved in order to make sure all areas get worked equally hard with benefits like stronger abs, low back pain relief, etc., even if they don’t have any specific medical issues going around!

Muscle Focus

Low Plank Pose focuses on several muscles such as

  • Core Muscle Group (Transverse Abdominis, Rectus Abdominis, internal and external obliques, and multifidus)
  • Arm muscles (Deltoids, Biceps & triceps)
  • Back Muscles (Rhomboids)
  • Leg Muscles (Glutes, Tibialis Anterior)

Ideal For Health Conditions

  • It warms up the body and prepares for challenging yoga postures.
  • People who are looking to lose body fat.
  • For those who want to tone up and strengthen their muscles.
  • Core activation.
  • Prevention of Back Ache.

Benefits of Chaturanga Dandasana or Four-Limbed Pose

1. Strengthens Major Muscles

Chaturanga Dandasana is a great way to build strength in the arms, shoulders, and legs.

2. Tones Abdominal Muscles

The abdominal muscles are engaged in Chaturanga Dandasana to help keep the body stable.

3. Lengthens Spine

The long spine position in Chaturanga Dandasana helps to prevent osteoporosis and improve posture.

4. Warms up Muscles

Chaturanga Dandasana is a good warm-up pose for other poses in your practice. Chaturanga Dandasana is also a good way to warm the body up and help burn more calories. It also helps you lose belly fat, especially if done regularly.

5. Improves Balance

Chaturanga Dandasana improves your ability to balance in other yoga poses. Balancing on your forearms while being suspended off the ground can be challenging for new yogis, but this pose will give you a strong foundation for all of your inversions. The strength required to hold Chaturanga Dandasana makes it excellent preparation for any handstand or headstand variations that are practiced later in class during practice sessions with expert guidance and supervision.

6. Helps to Correctly Align the Body Mentally as well as Physically

When you do Chaturanga Dandasana correctly, your mind becomes focused on the correct alignment of the body. This is an important aspect of yoga that you learn while doing this pose. Knowing and feeling what it means to be in a neutral spine position will help you to maintain better posture throughout the day when sitting at a desk or standing for long periods of time.

7. Improved Circulation

Alignment improves circulation efficiency by creating more room for blood flow through our veins and arteries which helps us feel energized during exercise sessions as well as daily activities that require physical exertion such as lifting grocery bags from car trunks or carrying loads upstairs at workplaces or any other similar situations.

8. Muscle Hypertrophy

Muscle hypertrophy is the increase of muscle mass. Chaturanga Dandasana can produce an increase in arm and shoulder muscles so that you have more power when doing other workouts like pushups or bench press exercises at gyms etc. It also increases your ability to lift heavier weights for longer periods of time, which makes it easier on your body during intense training sessions!

Contraindications

Students with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other wrists, elbow, and shoulder issues should avoid jumping into and out of this pose. Women who are menstruating and who are pregnant should avoid this pose. Students can modify this pose by bending their knees to the floor.

Variations

  • Chaturanga Dandasana easy variation(Low Plank Pose keeping the knees grounded)

Preparatory Pose

Beginner’s Tips

  • If you find it difficult to hold this pose for long, start by practicing with your knees on the floor until you feel stronger.
  • When lowering down into Chaturanga Dandasana, be sure to keep your elbows hugged close to your sides as you lower down halfway. This will help protect your shoulder joints from injury.

How to do Chaturanga Dandasana or Four-Limbed Pose

  • Begin on your hands and knees in Table Top pose (with arms under the shoulders, parallel to each other, palms flat on the floor).
  • Take a deep inhale then exhale as you lift up onto your toes into plank pose.
  • Inhale as you lower down halfway toward the ground until you’re hovering above it with your elbows hugging close to your sides at a 90-degree angle so that they are perpendicular from both sides of the body.
  • Lift through your chest while keeping shoulders back and away from ears.
  • Actively press the heels of your hands into the floor to engage triceps muscles and lift up through your elbows as you squeeze shoulder blades together behind you.
  • Hold for five breaths before lowering back down onto all fours with an inhale then exhale, pressing chest forward while keeping shoulders back and away from ears on another inhalation (again). Exhale again before repeating this movement three more times total or until desired repetitions have been reached.

Mental Benefits of Low Plank Pose

  • Helps to deal with anxiety, stress.
  • Helps to deal with frustration and anger.
  • Brings calmness and peace of mind.
  • Creates a sense of inner awareness.

The Bottom Line

Chaturanga Dandasana is an excellent pose for the overall strength and conditioning of the body. It helps improve bone density, tones abdominal muscles, lengthens your spine, provides a strong foundation for inversions such as headstand or handstand, prevents osteoporosis, and warms up muscles.

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1 sources
  1. https://www.jptrs.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.14474/ptrs.2016.5.1.29
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Meera Watts
Meera Watts is the owner and founder of Siddhi Yoga International. She is known worldwide for her thought leadership in the wellness industry and was recognized as a Top 20 International Yoga Blogger. Her writing on holistic health has appeared in Elephant Journal, CureJoy, FunTimesGuide, OMtimes and other international magazines. She got the Top 100 Entrepreneur of Singapore award in 2022. Meera is a yoga teacher and therapist, though now she focuses primarily on leading Siddhi Yoga International, blogging and spending time with her family in Singapore.

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