Chaturanga

I dream of moving from plank to chaturanga while my dog, Waffles balances on my back.

If your dog puts their paw on your back, lift back up into plank position to opt out of the interaction.

But, doing that safely takes strength and skill that I have not attained yet. That's a hard thing to admit, but it's more important to me to be able to move and feel comfortable every day than to push my limits and accomplish something I'm not ready for now. That's a great way to cause an injury, and is very common in yoga, even without animal involvement.

This is why it's so important to make sure we are following all safety protocols for each posture before asking our animals to intensify our exercise.

For example, many people dive down or push straight down into chaturanga before transitioning into upward dog in a vinyasa. This often leads to dangerous alignment, creating an inability for your shoulders to fully support your weight.

You can practice holding this position as you ask your pet to step or jump over your body!

Instead, make sure you shift your weight forward slightly so that your shoulders are stacked over your thumbs before covering down to avoid getting hurt.

You can also start by dropping your knees so that you can build proper form and strength to prevent injury.

Fully engage your core to support a straight back as you bring your arms to a 90° angle and push through your shoulders as you imagine rotating your hands outward, without actually turning them - you want your index fingers to stay pointed forward.

Over time, you will feel more comfortable moving through these steps, and you can practice the whole process with your knees up as you see above.

Take a look at our newest video on OFTV for a visual demonstration here: Animal-Assisted Yoga | Chaturanga

Watch the replay for this week's live class and sign up for weekly live classes, free with your membership: OnlyFans.com/followthedogi

Join my free fan page to reach out to me directly: OnlyFans.com/DoItWithDaisy