Chaturangas Anonymous

We've all been there.  In the middle of a class when the instructor cues another chaturanga flow -- the classic vinyasa style sequence that begins from high plank, exhaling down to charturanga dandasana, inhaling up to upward facing dog (urdhva mukha svanasana), and exhaling back to down dog (adho muhka svanasana).  It's a great little flow.  It connects you to your breath.  It can help slow you down.  It builds a ton of strength.  It creates symmetry in the body and helps flush out the hips after asymmetrical poses like Warrior 1, 2, or 3.  But let's not kid ourselves, after the tenth or twentieth one in a class, it can be hard!  

There are a lot of reasons to power through... to push your edge and challenge yourself, bringing you to new levels of your practice.  But just as challenging can be making the decision to hold back or modify.  It can be humbling.  It can also save your shoulders and prevent injury.

I always encourage my students to listen to the feedback of their body. That often means, adjust the "flow!" Here are some of the ways I will customize my chaturanga flow in a practice, based on what my body needs:

1. "Modified" Chaturanga
   To develop strength while protecting form, lower your knees to the earth for Chaturanga. It lessens the load on the upper body, helps avoid sagging hips, and protects the shoulders.
   
2. Cat/Cow
   Replace chaturanga/updog/down dog with a cycle of Cow/Cat heading back to down dog! This gives the spine the same extension/flexion release without burning out the shoulders. When the teacher cues the exhale to chaturanga, lower your knees to the earth (tabletop position). Inhale to Cow pose. Exhale to Cat pose, continuing by tucking the toes and floating the hips back to down dog.
   
3. Hold Plank
   If I want to focus on developing core strength while giving my rotator cuffs a breather, while the rest of the class moves through chaturanga and up dog, I simply hold plank. Focus on wrapping your navel up and in, and subtly lengthening your tailbone towards your heels. This will protect your lower back.
   
4. Half Splits
   One of my personal favorite substitutions is to pulse back to half splits/ardha hanumanasana while everyone else is running through their chaturangas. This lengthen the hamstrings while keeping you connected to the 'flow/pulse' of the class. This transition works best when taking place from a standing lunge or warrior pose. When the teacher cues to windmill the hands to the earth and step back to plank, simply windmill your hands to the earth and frame your front foot, while lowering your back knee. Shift your hips back over your lowered back knee (half splits), then inhale forward back to the low lunge. Step the front foot to the back of the mat, and lift the hips to join everyone in down dog.

Happy flowing!