Not to worry, even those of us with two left feet can learn to (cha-cha) Chaturanga thanks to West 4th ambassador Elle Basten. Here’s her one-two step 10-step breakdown to up your Vinyasa flow.
one-two-cha-cha-cha
1. start by placing your hands on your mat right below your shoulders (in plank)
2. bring the shoulders slightly forward by pressing into the toes and shifting the length of your body forward
3. draw the lower belly in and lengthen your tailbone away to keep your low back long
4. bring your lower ribs up and in towards your spine to keep the middle of your back strong
5. imagine one long straight line from the tip of your tailbone to the crown of your head
6. gaze only slightly forward or straight down to lengthen, keeping the back of your neck long and throat (and airway!) open
7. keep the chest & collarbones broad and open by gently hugging the inner armpits towards one another
8. draw your elbows in line with your shoulders - don’t collapse into the ribs or wing out to the side
9. lower halfway down (bring your knees to the floor if your lower back begins to drop or sag!)
10. ensure that the shoulder heads do not drop below the line of the elbows (they should form a 90-degree angle) - this requires strong triceps! If they do sag, bring your knees to the floor until you can safely make the shift
go with the flow
Need a visual? See Aventura Mall ambassador, Michelle Wong, work through the flow in this video!
Now that you've nailed Chaturanga and Headstand, what other poses would you like a step-by-step breakdown of?
