- As part of our classical suryanamaskar practice, we transition from downward facing dog to half plank. This is great for building upper body strength, especially if you are a beginner. For many, full plank and Chaturanga are inaccessible initially due to lack of strength or form. Once you build strength using downward facing dog and half plank, you can move towards full plank and chaturanga dandasan which are part of Suryanamaskars A and B.
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Alignment tips for the transition:
- From downward facing dog (Adhomukha Shwanasana), inhale and drop your knees to the ground to come on all fours.
- 1. Wrist are placed under the shoulders
- 2. Wrist face front of the mat, fingers spread; root down through the wrists and knuckles equally
- 3. Elbow crease faces each other OR forward (depending on the external rotation you have in your shoulder joint )
- 4. Pull navel in and up. ( aka, engage the stomach muscles)
- 5. Elbows close to body
- 6. As you exhale, with a firm stomach, bring upper body forward and down in one straight line , taking shoulders slightly past your wrists
- 7. The trick is to just move the upper body while the legs stay firm and grounded
- 8. Upper arm will be parallel to the floor and in line with the upper torso
- Please note that points 1-4 is same as for down dog, which has been discussed earlier here. These points will continue to be the same in other weight bearing poses going forward. So learn it well as you begin so as to build your mind muscle memory.
- The tendency will be to hang out in the lower back by letting the lower back drop and also putting more weight in the elbow joint – especially as you get tired. This can cause injury in the long run. It is important to engage the arm muscles and core and whenever you feel you are losing form, take a break and then go back into the posture.
- Note: Half plank is not part of classical suryanamaskars . This is a variation we do to help build strength from day one.
- Written By: Hema Laxman, RYT 200,
- Owner, Flamingo Yoga Lifestyle & Wellness.
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