Skillfulness in Action - Transitioning from Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog (the Feet) 

As I've written about before, the linking of Plank, Chaturanga, Upward Facing Dog and Downward Facing Dog together is a complex series of poses that Flow practitioners do hundreds if not thousands of times over the lifetime of their practice.  The last two blog posts have focused on the specificity of Upward Dog and Chaturanga individually, today I'm writing about the transition between the two, which can be just as culpable for injuries if practiced haphazardly as either pose on it's own.  

The goal in this transition is to catch the shoulders at elbow height in Chaturanga, keep the shoulders and elbows absolutely stable as the feet move, nothing else until the feet are set for Upward Dog.  This allows for the 90 degree angle required of Chaturanga to transition to the 180 degree angle that Upward Facing Dog requires without over stressing the lower back or the rotator cuff muscles.  

The easiest way to start to learn this transition is to involve our handy-dandy blocks and to utilize the knees during the transition.  

Have your blocks set up on the highest height, shoulder width distance apart just in front of the hands.  Set yourself up in plank, fingertips about an inch away from the blocks and lower yourself down into Chaturanga.  Keep your pelvis lifted and tailbone heavy as you tap your knees to the floor, lift the feet, point the toes and then lift back up into Upward Dog by straightening the elbows and lifting knees and thighs off the floor.  Remember this transition is about moving the feet and keeping everything else about your Plank/Chaturanga as stable and still as possible until you're ready to move to Upward Facing Dog.  Take note of your blocks - did they wiggle or fall over during your transition?  Try to keep them as still as possible! 

Next step would be to continue using the blocks, to be sure the shoulders and elbows are taken care of in Chaturanga, but this time keep the legs lifted and straight.  This transition requires a LOT more dexterity in the feet.  This dexterity and intelligence starts with the correct foot position in plank.  Make sure the ball of the foot is on the floor (you'll know the ball of the foot is on the floor if you are able to lift and spread your toes apart while in plank).  If you aren't on the balls of your feet, you won't have enough power in your legs to push your feet back from the curled position into the pointed toe position.  When you land in Chaturanga, push backwards through the balls of your feet until you come towards your toes, then flip over onto the tops of your feet, inhale up into Upward Facing Dog.  On the exhale lift the hips and drag the feet in towards the hands flipping back over the toes into Downward Facing Dog.  

Here's an overhead view of the foot transition - note the feet are hip distance apart but the outer ankles stay hugged into the midline throughout (no sickling). 

A few notes about learning this transition - 

• it's easiest to start on a hardwood or tile floor wearing socks, practice this transition back and forth several times so your feet/ankles get used to the feeling and you begin to build up some muscle memory.  It is normal to have some cramping in the feet and/or exhaustion in the feet when you are starting to condition them to do this work.  Take breaks but keep at it, practice and all is coming! 
• if your feet sickle (bow out away from the midline) you are at risk of injuring the tendon that runs on the outer border of the ankle. Try this transition with a hips distance wide (lowest height, medium width) block between the inner borders of the feet from Plank through to Downward Dog and try to keep the held in without dropping it the entire way. 
• your mat matters.  If it's too thin or sticky you will have a very hard time (thin mats curl up as you pull the feet in, very sticky mats fight you every step of the way).  I've tried a LOT of mats over the years and my favorite one for this transition, for all around use, and happens to be what I'm using in these videos is the Manduka Pro Lite. Full disclosure, I am an Ambassador for Manduka, but even if I wasn't, I would still recommend this mat.  I've had it for seven years (long before I've been an Ambassador) and it's still serving me well.  
• last note, everyone's skeleton is different and might affect whether or not this transition makes sense. I have heard that those with "goddess feet" (a second toe that is longer than the big toe) find this transition painful, and sometimes impossible to do.  Some practitioners get over it, and are able to flip the feet despite this skeletal difference, others decide to forgo this transition and simply tap the knees down and point both feet simultaneously.  Remember it's not about the pose (or the transition) necessarily, it's about being skillful in your choice to practice what makes sense and leave out what doesn't.  

Here's the transition in full, no props, just me and my mat. 

Happy transitioning yogis! 

                                                       -xxx-