This week I nerd out on 3 common errors in Charturanga Dandasana
Using Chaturanga for strength building
The low plank is a big part of Vinyasa Flow, which transitions from Plank to low Plank to Upward Dog to Downward Dog. There is a lot of engagement in this pose, which will help build lower back, core, and upper body strength. That is.. unless you are making the following three mistakes.
Practice low plank safely, prevent shoulder injury
The number one reason for shoulder injuries is badly done Chaturanga Dandasana! There is a lot of strength that goes into this pose and when it is done incorrectly, the body suffers by compensating. Over time, this will create aches and pains that take a long time to recover from. So always practice safely and choose to use modifications rather than brute strength. Modifications will help you build the correct muscles to prevent injuries down the road.
Here are the cues that I have to use most often when teaching yoga classes, because these are the most common errors that I see. I demonstrate them in the video above, so follow along!
Cue 1: Watch your belly button
Move your belly button to the front of your spine and pull the bottom tips of your ribs down towards the top of your hips to get some great core engagement. This will create a stronger Chaturanga that also broadens the back.
Cue 2: Don’t collapse into your shoulder blades
In your low plank, maintain that space in between your shoulder blades. If your chest is collapsing into the ground, that means you are being lazy! It’s much harder to keep your shoulder blades apart, but that is where you will be building your strength. I recommend recording yourself to see what you are doing, because we often do something entirely different from what we think we are doing.
Cue 3: Don’t let your shoulders go below your elbows!
This is the most common error in Chaturanga, so common I am sometimes victim to it! When shoulders go below the elbows, it also creates a weakened chest. This is the number one reason for shoulder injuries in yoga.
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I have more asana breakdowns in my online yoga class library, including more tips on how to get the Chaturanga Dandasana right for your body. I upload new classes often, where I share my favorite tips of the moment in movement and yoga.
