<h3 class="widget-title" style="text-align: center;">Chaturanga Dandasana, Four Limbed Staff Pose</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Just came back from a Rocket Ashtanga Yoga workshop with Chris Duggan at <a href="http://www.omtown.ca/">Om Town Yoga</a>. Some people refer to chaturanga as rotator cuff shredder! Sounds scary, so lets make sure that we review the alignment to become stronger and stay pain free. Chaturanga is a great pose to develop flexibility in the wrist, strengthening the shoulder and toning the core. To be honest, it took me a year to even be strong enough to perform one nice chaturanga. Even now when I watch this tutorial I see minor adjustments I could make. Where even you are at in your practice; enjoy the journey!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">First what is Chaturanga Dandasana? Its a Yoga push up or a low plank. Chaturanga means four limbs, because only toes and palms are on the floor. Danda means staff and asana means posture or pose. So it can be translate as Four Limbed Staff pose. If you are practicing Asthanga or Vinyasa Yoga you are probably doing lots of Chaturanga during your practice. When you do repetitive movement, your are more prone to overuse injury, especially in your rotator cuff muscle.</p>

<h3 class="widget-title" style="text-align: center;">Plank Position</h3>
Let get started in a plank position, hands under shoulders, spreading fingers wide, pushing heels back. Let’s think about the integrity of the spine by engaging the core and supporting the back; engaging through the core, tucking pelvis and pulling rib cage in. Keeping core engaged throughout the whole movement, creating a straight line from top of head all the way to heels. Your gaze is on the ground in front of hands.
<h3 class="widget-title" style="text-align: center;">Plank tutorial and wrist mobility</h3>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Prz1uYMCjfE" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h3 class="widget-title" style="text-align: center;">Initiate movement by moving forward
instead of thinking to go down</h3>
<p class="widget-title" style="text-align: justify;">From the plank position initiate the movement by rolling onto toes pushing shoulders forward. Think of it as a forward motion instead of going down movement. Hug elbows in towards rib cage, pulling shoulders back towards ears, broadening across the collarbone. Stop 90 degree or above if you are losing strength in your alignment. Under 90 degree at biceps and forearm angle you are putting too much demand on your rotator cuff muscle. You can do Chaturanga from the knees if you are lacking the strength to keep proper alignment.</p>

<h3 class="widget-title" style="text-align: center;">Chaturanga tutorial video</h3>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oUIr9FocFLc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>Don’t:
<ul>
 	<li>sag through centre or stick your butt up in the air.</li>
 	<li>let your shoulders collapse lower than your elbows</li>
</ul>
I highly encourage you to talk with your <a href="http://www.choose2be.ca/nanaimo-yoga-classes/">Yoga instructor</a> about your form and movement. Hope that helps to bring more strength and awareness in your chaturanga.