What is a yoga push-up?
In yoga, the closest thing to a push-up is chaturanga dandasana, often called four-limbed staff pose or simply a yoga push-up. You lower from a high plank to a low plank with your elbows hugging your ribs and your body in one straight line. It is a common part of sun salutations and vinyasa flows.
So yes, yoga does involve push-ups, though they are usually done slowly and with the elbows kept close to the body.
Yoga push-up benefits
- Builds upper-body strength. It trains the chest, front shoulders and triceps, much like a regular push-up.
- Challenges the core. Holding a straight body line asks the abdominals and glutes to stay active (see how many exercises you need for abs for more core work).
- Trains control. The slow, deliberate lowering develops strength through the range of motion.
- Needs no equipment. You can practice it almost anywhere.
- Fits into a flow. Doing it as part of a sequence combines strength with breathing and mobility. Classes such as yoga sculpt blend similar movements with light weights.
Push-ups in general are often associated with upper-body and core strength, and weight-bearing exercise may help support bone health. The strength of evidence varies, so treat these as general benefits rather than guarantees.
Hindu push-ups
A Hindu push-up (also called a dive-bomber push-up or dand) starts from a downward-dog-like position with hips high. You swoop your chest down and forward toward the floor, then lift into an upward-facing-dog-like position, and reverse the path. It works the chest, shoulders and triceps and asks for shoulder and spine mobility. If you have shoulder, wrist or lower-back issues, take care with it, since the finishing position arches the back and loads the wrists.
How to do a yoga push-up
- Begin in a high plank, wrists under shoulders, body in a straight line.
- Shift slightly forward so your shoulders are over or just ahead of your wrists.
- Bend your elbows and lower, keeping them close to your ribs and pointing back.
- Stop when your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, with elbows at roughly 90 degrees, and no lower.
- Press back to plank, or follow with upward dog.
Easier versions
- Lower your knees to the floor.
- Use a countertop or bench to make the angle easier.
- Lower in a controlled way and push back up from your knees.
- Practice the scapular push-up to build shoulder stability first.
Mistakes and cautions
- Sinking the shoulders below the elbows, which can strain the front of the shoulder.
- Letting the hips sag or pike.
- Flaring the elbows, which is a looser style used in some standard push-ups but not in chaturanga.
- Wrist pain. Spread your fingers wide, or use fists or push-up handles if comfortable.
Stop if you feel sharp pain. If you have a wrist, shoulder or back condition, speak with a qualified professional or yoga teacher.
Fitting it into training
You can use the yoga push-up as a warm-up, a skill session, or part of a bodyweight circuit. Allow recovery time between hard push-up sessions. Pair it with chest flexibility exercises to keep the chest and shoulders mobile, and add loaded work such as dumbbell chest exercises if you want more chest strength.
FAQ
What is a yoga push-up called?
Chaturanga dandasana, or four-limbed staff pose.
What are the benefits of push-ups?
Upper-body and core strength, no equipment needed, and easy to scale for different fitness levels.
What are the benefits of Hindu push-ups?
They train the chest, shoulders and triceps while moving the spine and shoulders through a large range. They are more of a mobility-strength blend than a pure strength lift.