Hey! My name is Elyce Elowen, and I’m a certified yogi who has been practicing and teaching yoga for the last few years.
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ToggleThe Four-Limbed Staff Pose or Chaturanga stands alone as one of the most widely practiced yoga poses. It is useful to develop upper body strength, especially the chest, arms, and shoulders, and recruits the abs.
Regardless of whether you are just starting with yoga, or have been doing it for some time, this pose can easily turn up the strength a notch.
In this article, I will explain how to perform Chaturanga Dandasana, the benefits it offers, the steps for doing it if you are a beginner, and mistakes to avoid.
Now let us as a start explore this rather intense yoga pose and figure out how it can benefit you.
What is Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)?
Chaturanga Dandasana is a somewhat entry-level course in yoga, which can be found in many Vinyasa sequences.
The Sanskrit name of the asana translates into English as ‘four-armed staff pose’ because your body balanced on the arms and legs looks like a carved staff.
This is a variation to the conventional push-up exercise but instead of the direction of force being downwards, the participant is encouraged to maintain specific alignment and stability while exercising and that is why it can be included in both rigorous yoga and fitness programs.
It appears that this posture is uniquely suited for developing strong arms, shoulders, abdomen, and chest; all in one exercise.
Warm-up Exercises for Chaturanga Dandasana
However, to get your body ready for Chaturanga Dandasana, certain warm-up exercises should be done first.
Here are a few to get you started:
Plank Pose
Perform plank pose for half a minute to involve your abdominal wall and shoulders. This helps to tone the muscles which are used in assuming this position specifically giving one a strong back to sustain through the pose.
Downward-Facing Dog
This pose stretches the arms, shoulder, and upper back area as well as the hamstring. It warms up the muscles and makes them supple in preparation for scaling the task ahead of it.
Cat-Cow Pose
This dynamic movement moves from arching the back to rounding the back. When people sit at a desk or bed, it assists the spine’s movement and also enhances flexibility to ensure stability while executing the posture that is needed in Chaturanga Dandasana yoga.
What is the Anatomy of Chaturanga Dandasana?
Muscles Worked during Chaturanga Dandasana
When you perform yoga, several muscle groups are activated:
Primary Muscles
Superior abdominal muscles, oblique, shoulder, chest, and Arm muscles are the specialized muscles involved with yoga. These muscles need to work together to enable you to hold the body weight and this will give it strength.
Secondary Muscles
The legs, glutes, and back muscles are flexed or in action during yoga. They support it and keep you aligned while extending the spine in a particular stretch.
Why focus on these muscles: Approaching these muscles in combination forms a good posturing that is good for upper body and core strengthening in equal measure.
How to Perform Chaturanga Dandasana?

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do Chaturanga Dandasana properly:
- Start in a Plank Pose with hands under shoulders and body in a straight line.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows close to the sides, and chest hovering above the floor.
- Engage core muscles and keep shoulders above elbows.
- Push through palms to return to plank position.
Here’s a video that explains this yoga pose in more detail.
Body Parts Movement:
Body Part | Movement Type | Description |
Hands | Static | Place hands directly under shoulders, pressing into the floor. |
Arms | Moving | Bend elbows close to sides, lowering the body. |
Chest | Static | Keep chest hovering just above the floor, not touching it. |
Core | Static | Engage core muscles to maintain stability and prevent sagging. |
Shoulders | Static | Keep shoulders aligned above elbows and avoid shrugging. |
Legs | Static | Legs should be extended straight, with the body forming a straight line. |
Feet | Static | Feet remain together, pressing into the floor to help stabilize the pose. |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While performing Chaturanga Dandasana, avoid these mistakes to ensure proper form and prevent injury:
- Flaring Elbows: Don’t stretch your arms wide away from your body; this way, you will not exert pressure on your shoulders.
- Dropping the Hips: Stand upright and avoid dropping your hips down.
- Lifting the Head: Tilt your neck in a way to help you derive comfort without forming a straight line with your spine.
What are the Benefits of Chaturanga Dandasana?
Physical Benefits
- Core Strength: It strengthens muscles of the lower back, but also works the abdominal and oblique muscles due to the posture’s yoga discipline.
- Upper Body Strength: This pose is good for the arms, shoulders, and chest muscles.
- Improved Posture: In this case, it is clear that exercises to further develop the upper body muscles and the abdominal wall add to posture.
Mental Benefits
- Focus: Because the movement in this pose is controlled it helps you to stay conscious of yourself.
- Confidence: Practicing this posture is beneficial and practicing this posture provides a positive feeling and confidence.
Modification for Beginners
If you’re new to Chaturanga Dandasana, consider trying these modifications:
Drop Your Knees
By lowering your knees to the ground you may be able to make it easier on your arms and core so that you get your form right.
Wall Practice
Yoga with your hands on the wall strengthens it gradually, so you will be able to shift into fully toned position with perfect posture easily.
Variations of Chaturanga Dandasana
As you progress, try these variations to intensify your practice:
Chaturanga Dandasana to Upward Dog
Changing from Chaturanga Dandasana to Upward Dog is another sequence that stretches the chest and opens the body with a flow, it challenges muscle and elasticity equally.
Ardha Chaturanga Dandasana
This is a somewhat easier and less intense variation of the move; your chest is just off the ground which makes this an ideal exercise to interest novices and work chest, abdominal, shoulder, and arm muscles.
How to Integrate Chaturanga Dandasana into Your Routine
For chaturanga to be as effective as needed one has to include it in one’s practice schedule in the correct manner to do more good than harm.
Here’s how you can do that.
Chaturanga Dandasana within A Sequence of Yoga Poses
Apart from offering yoga in the form of a sequence such as Vinyasa yoga or Hatha yoga, you can also offer strength and flexibility yoga.
It may be helpful to use in between a flow series often utilized in series, such as Chaturanga Dandasana to Upward Dog.
Strength Training
If you are doing yoga strength training from other workouts, this posture works the abs and arms and increases your flexibility.
Advanced Practice
If you are a beginner, you can stay in this position longer and try the other levels of this yoga posture to have stronger muscles.
Safety Precautions
- Maintain Proper Alignment: It’s also important to adjust your positions and ensure that your wrists are aligned with your shoulders.
- Build Strength Gradually: Begin with low levels of hold and subsequently, you can upgrade the time that is taken.
- Listen to Your Body: If you get a twinge anywhere along the spine then you need to stop and check your position.
VeryFit Life Final Words
The Chaturanga Dandasana pose should be included in the list of postures that are useful for strengthening the arms, shoulders, as well as core.
Will bring a balanced form and regularity, the physical and mental advantages are simply outstanding. This asana is excellent for students at any level of fitness, and the basic practice of Chaturanga Dandasana will enable improving physical endurance.
There’s nothing like progressing from poor form to perfect form slowly; keep practicing and you will master this pose!
FAQ’s
How long should I hold Chaturanga Dandasana?
You should begin by holding for 10 to 20 seconds. It is even more crucial to do this steadily as you progress with your regimen because otherwise, it could lead to an injury.
Can Chaturanga Dandasana improve my posture?
Of course, when you build a strong core and upper body, your posture will be better.
What’s the difference between Chaturanga Dandasana and a push-up?
Further, in explaining the Chaturanga Dandasana, the author is emphatic on control by aiming to keep the elbows close to the body while in a push-up there is more focus on the explosive movement.
Source:
Yoga Journal. (2022, December 9). Four-Limbed Staff pose | Chaturanga Dandasana.
EkhartYoga. (2023, June 29). How to do Chaturanga Dandasana pose – Ekhart Yoga.
Yoga With Adriene, LLC. (2021, February 20). Practice for Chaturanga Dandasana. Yoga With Adriene.
Book Source:
Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice by T.K.V. Desikachar