What You Must Know Prior to Performing Chaturanga Dandasana Asana?
Perform this asana with an empty stomach and a clean bowel. Your body will have sufficient time to digest your food if you eat four to six hours before your practice. Typically, 10 to 12 hours should elapse between meals and practice; hence, it is recommended to perform Chaturanga Dandasana asana in the early morning. However, due to their hectic schedules, several individuals do not exercise in the morning. These individuals can perform yoga in the evening.
Preparative positions
- Plank Pose
- Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- Dolphin Pose
- Forearm Plank Pose
- Salabhasana (Locust Pose)
- Sphinx Pose
- Counter poses
- Yogasana Level – Intermediate
- Yogasana Style – Supine
- Yogasana repetitions – None
- Yogasana Strengthens – arm balance, core, and wrist
- Yogasana Strectches – Arms and Shoulders, Lower Back, Biceps and Triceps, Core (Abs), Gluteus, Hamstrings, Pelvic
Effects of Chaturanga Dandasana Asana on Tri Dosha
Balances pitta dosha
How To Do Chaturanga Dandasana Yoga Posture/Asana?
- From Plank Pose, position your shoulders slightly in front of your wrists and rise onto the balls of your feet.
- Create a straight, taut line of energy from the crown of your head through your feet by engaging your quadriceps as you reach your sternum forward.
- On an inhale, lift your shoulders and the tops of your thighs off the ground. Pull your lower body up and in while lowering your tailbone toward the ground.
- On an exhale, bend your elbows and steadily lower your torso (keeping it as straight as a board) until your elbows are approximately 90 degrees. Keep your elbows directly above your wrists and close to your sides. Press your hands into the floor hard.
- Bring your attention to the floor, approximately 6 inches in front of you, and lower your shoulders until they are at the same height as your elbows.
- As you breathe, continue to reach through the heels, sternum, and crown of your head.
- To exit the pose, exhale and sink to your tummy or push yourself back up to Plank Pose.
Benefits Of Chaturanga Dandasana Yoga Posture/Asana?
Stretches, Strengthens, and Lengthens: This pose requires upper arm and forearm strength to achieve a comfortable position. Repetitive practise of balancing the body on the arms induces the upper arm muscles to expand and contract with respiration, hence enhancing strength. By engaging the shoulder blades to support the arms, the alignment strengthens the shoulders. This pose strengthens the core because the alignment activates the core. Using their strength, the abdominal muscles hold the body nearly horizontal to the floor.
Flexibility and Range of Motion: In this pose, bending the elbows is an essential part. In addition to boosting the strength of the arm muscles, this exercise also improves the flexibility of the elbows and the wrists. As the learner holds the pose by engaging the hips, it strengthens the hips. Students develop to advanced arm balancing poses such as Headstand Pose (Sirsasana), Forearm Side Plank, Feathered Peacock Pose (Pincha Mayurasana), Headstand Pose Wide Legs (Salamba Sirsasana Konasana), etc. with frequent practice.
Awareness and Focus (Concentration): In this yoga pose, the student maintains concentration on the core and alignment. This pose requires the correct alignment of the spine without raising the hips, support of the arms with bent elbows, and support of the feet with curled toes. The intentional core strength maintained by the minor abdominal tuck increases the pose’s duration. The concentration required to maintain this position with breath awareness improves not only physical but also mental capabilities.
Alignment and Posture: Arms and legs that are toned and have a strong core are ideal components for a strong and confident posture. Chaturanga Dandasana tones the spine, the principal branch of the tree known as the body. This exercise improves spinal health and body balance.
Invigorating, Stress-Relieving, Relaxing: This posture is energizing because it provides the body with the energy and momentum necessary to transit to deeper vinyasa flows. This pose can be used by yoga instructors to sequence core strengthening and sculpt yoga sequences.
Stimulation and Organs: As this position strengthens the abdominal muscles and engages the core, the abdominal organs begin to function optimally, and the digestive system will be at its peak. This pose obviously requires repeated practice.
Balance and Emotions: This challenging pose increases the practitioner’s confidence. It helps to maintain a person’s emotional equilibrium. The physical stability required to hold the pose also improves mental fortitude. The prana (life force) is balanced, and energy flows fluidly throughout the entire body.
What Are the Contraindications and Precautions for the Asana?
Students suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other wrist, elbow, and shoulder conditions should avoid jumping into and out of this pose. This pose should be avoided by women who are menstruating or pregnant. This pose can be modified by bending the knees to the floor.
Science Behind Chaturanga Dandasana Posture/Asana?
Planking is an excellent way to develop core muscles and improve posture, and the Low Plank is no exception. The results of this study indicate that plank exercises are dependent on where your hands are placed (whether they are next to or far away from you) as well as the position it creates for each muscle group involved in order to ensure that all areas are worked equally hard with benefits such as stronger abs, lower back pain relief, etc., even if the individual does not have any specific medical issues.
Beginners Tips For Chaturanga Dandasana Posture/Asana?
- Consider the front of the body ascending towards the back of the body.
- Don’t neglect your thighs; activating your thigh muscles will also help you develop the abdominal strength necessary for Plank pose.
- Try squeezing a block between your thighs to feel the leg muscles contracting.
- Strengthen your body by practising the Half-Plank with your knees on the floor. Maintain a straight line from the knees to the head.
- If you are new to yoga, progressively increase the amount of time you spend on your hands in poses such as Plank and Downward-Facing Dog in order to build wrist muscle power.
Advanced Pose Alterations
The Chaturanga on the forearms is one of the most often employed versions. This pose is easy for the majority of students to perform. By lowering the body while balancing on the toes and placing the forearms with interlaced fingers, the core muscles will be guided to work slowly and create strength. Here, the shoulders will get support.
In Four Limbed Staff Pose, one might begin by placing the knees on the floor to establish confidence before gradually working on stamina and core strength.
Placing yoga blocks beneath the chest and using this support to come down from Chaturanga Dandasana can also be used to gently develop arm and shoulder confidence. While the palms remain on the floor and the elbows are bent, the chest rests on the yoga block to avoid excessive pressure on the shoulders and lower back. Ensure that body weight is not placed entirely on the block.
Using the wall to support the toes is another way to accomplish this pose.
Using yoga blocks beneath your palms is also a viable alternative if the wrists have not yet developed sufficient strength. Placing these blocks close to the exterior of the chest, lay the palms on them and slowly lower the body down. Ensure that the blocks do not slide.
Related Yoga Poses/Asanas –
- Purvottanasana (Reverse Plank Pose)
- Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana and (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
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