How to Do Four-Limb Staff Yoga Pose

Video Transcript

"CINDY MASTRY: Chataraunga Dandasana is the four-limb staff pose. It's a pose that is oftentimes done incorrectly because of improper alignment which can really bother your shoulders. So when you can use a strap, it can really put you in a perfect alignment, and I recommend to anybody, no matter how perfect your Chataraunga Dandasana maybe, to try it this way just to make sure you're in the proper alignment. So you're going to make the strap into a little circle that's just fits right above your elbows. So we've already made this for Faith so she's going to come and put this on right above her elbows. Yeah. And she's going to hold it tight just like that. She's going to come forward and place her hands down right under her shoulders. Good. And then she's going to extend her legs back and come up into plank pose. She's going to lift way up on her toes and bring her weight forward, crown of the head forward, and then bring this strap right underneath and right along the bra line. Good. And she's just going to lay in that like a hammock. Now, you need to notice that her wrist and elbow are in alignment. So you have to bring the elbow forward and what most people do is shoot their elbows back so their wrists are way forward of their elbow. You want to bring that elbow forward and you want to make sure your shoulders are no lower than your elbows. What most people try to do is bring their shoulders way forward and this can cause rotator cuff issues, all kinds of bad problems. So you want to keep your shoulders rotated back and down. Good. And so then Faith can just lower right to that point and then bring her weight forward and come right up into your up dog. Good. So just resting in the hammock of the strap can improve the alignment of your Chataraunga Dandasana. It's also safe to do if you do have any shoulder issues."