emma_forever_yoga

emma_forever_yoga Movement rooted in clarity, anatomy, and lived experience. I help people build strength, flexibility, and skill by understanding how their body actually works.
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29/05/2026

So why do some people keep practising Chaturanga for years… and still struggle with shoulder pain, rounded shoulders, or feeling unstable in the movement?

One of the biggest things I discovered when researching shoulder mechanics is that Chaturanga isn’t just a yoga pose.

It’s a loaded upper body strength skill.

And like any complex movement, the body will often compensate if certain muscles don’t yet have enough strength, motor control, or endurance to stabilise efficiently under load.

Research around scapular dyskinesis and shoulder mechanics shows altered activation patterns are commonly seen in muscles like the serratus anterior and lower trapezius — two muscles that play a huge role in stabilising the shoulder blade during movements like Chaturanga.

That’s why supplementary exercises can be so valuable.

Things like:
• Scapular push-ups
• Prone swimmers
• Serratus activation drills
• Lower trap strengthening

This isn’t about yoga being “bad.”

It’s about respecting how complex yoga actually is.

Sometimes the thing that unlocks the pose…
isn’t more of the pose.

It’s building the capacity underneath it.

I also have a full YouTube follow-along video with exercises to help build strength and stability for Chaturanga 🙏

Shoulders rolling forward in Chaturanga isn’t always just a “technique” problem.One possible contributor is reduced serr...
21/05/2026

Shoulders rolling forward in Chaturanga isn’t always just a “technique” problem.

One possible contributor is reduced serratus anterior strength or control.

The serratus anterior helps stabilize the shoulder blade against the ribcage and maintain protraction under load. In movements like Chaturanga, arm balances, jump backs, and handstands, this muscle plays a huge role in shoulder stability and control.

When it’s not doing its job well, the ribcage can start to sink between the shoulder blades, which may contribute to that rounded-forward shoulder position many people experience under load.

The exercise shown here is one drill that can help train serratus anterior alongside rotator cuff co-contraction and scapular stability.

And yes… this one burns 😅

If you want more help with Chaturanga strength and shoulder stability, I also have a full follow-along Chaturanga class available on my YouTube channel.

Muscle of the week: serratus anterior.

15/05/2026

Why do some people keep getting shoulder pain during Chaturanga…

while others seem completely fine?

Yes — technique matters.

But sometimes the issue isn’t just the cue itself.

Because it doesn’t matter how hard you try to “pull the shoulders back”…

if the body doesn’t yet have the strength, stability, and motor control to actually hold that position under load.

Chaturanga is a highly demanding movement:
• deep shoulder extension
• elbows close to the body
• forward bodyweight shift under load
• huge scapular stability demands

And when certain muscles become dominant (pecs, lats, subscapularis) while stabilisers and external rotators aren’t doing their job efficiently (rotator cuff, serratus anterior, lower traps), we can start seeing:
• collapsing shoulders
• excessive internal rotation
• poor scapular control
• irritation at the front of the shoulder

Which is why strengthening shoulder stability matters so much.

Exercises like progressive push-ups, prone swimmers, and slow eccentric Chaturanga work can make a huge difference.

I’ve also got a full YouTube class breaking this down in more detail if you want to work on your Chaturanga strength ✨

References:
• Ascend Physical Therapy (2025)
• Struyf et al. Scapular Dyskinesis Review (2025)
• Physio-Pedia: Upper Crossed Syndrome (2024)
• Sahrmann S. Shoulder Muscle Imbalance & Subacromial Impingement

The rotator cuff muscles are the “fine-tuners” of the shoulder joint.In Chaturanga, they aren’t the main muscles doing t...
07/05/2026

The rotator cuff muscles are the “fine-tuners” of the shoulder joint.

In Chaturanga, they aren’t the main muscles doing the lowering phase — the triceps, chest, deltoids, and scapular stabilisers handle most of that work. The rotator cuff’s role is more about helping keep the shoulder joint stable and centered while the body moves under load.

When these muscles (or other stabilisers like the serratus anterior) become weak, the shoulder can become less efficient at handling force. This may show up as shoulders dipping forward, collapsing, winging, or feeling pinchy during repeated Chaturangas.

And interestingly, high reps alone usually aren’t the main problem. It’s often high reps without enough strength and control in the stabilising muscles.

That’s why exercises like:
• Prone T-raises
• Prone swimmers
• Scap push-ups

can be helpful for building better shoulder stability and awareness alongside improving technique.

The goal isn’t just “doing more Chaturangas.”
It’s building a shoulder complex that can actually control the movement safely and efficiently.

References:
• Physio-Pedia — Rotator Cuff & Shoulder Stability
• Magee, D. Orthopedic Physical Assessment
• Neumann, Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System
• Studies on repetitive load and yoga-related shoulder injuries





06/05/2026

Why do some people lower slowly in Chaturanga… while others drop?

A big part of it comes down to something called eccentric contraction.

When a muscle works, it can do three main things:

* Concentric → the muscle shortens (like pushing up)
* Isometric → the muscle holds (like a plank)
* Eccentric → the muscle works while lengthening

And this is the one most people overlook.

In a Chaturanga, your triceps aren’t just holding you up —
they’re controlling the descent as they lengthen.

That’s what gives you that slow, steady lowering.

But if you don’t have enough eccentric strength,
your body will take the path of least resistance…
and that’s when you drop.

⸻

🧠 How to train it

This is where something like a pronated skull crusher can really help.

Your arm position is very similar to Chaturanga:

* elbows stay close
* wrists stay straight
* you’re mimicking that same lowering pattern

But instead of supporting your full bodyweight,
you’re using a load you can actually control.

That means you can:

* slow the movement down
* build strength in that exact position
* train your triceps to control the descent

Because in Chaturanga, you’re working against gravity + bodyweight —
which can be a lot, especially if you’re still building strength.

So sometimes it’s not just about “trying harder”…
it’s about training the specific strength you’re missing.

And this is one of the reasons why adding weights can be so useful —
it gives you the opportunity to target a muscle
in a way that bodyweight alone doesn’t always allow.

⸻

🔁 Key takeaway

If you want more control in Chaturanga:

👉 Train your triceps while they lengthen

* Enoka, Neuromechanics of Human Movement
* McArdle et al., Exercise Physiology
* Basic strength training literature on eccentric vs concentric contraction





Most people think Chaturanga is just “arm strength”… but it’s really about control.When you lower into Chaturanga, your ...
30/04/2026

Most people think Chaturanga is just “arm strength”… but it’s really about control.
When you lower into Chaturanga, your triceps aren’t pushing you up — they’re working eccentrically, meaning they’re lengthening while still under tension to control the descent.
This is exactly where a lot of people struggle.
If the triceps (and shoulder stabilisers like the serratus and rotator cuff) can’t manage that load, that’s when you see the collapse at the bottom.
That’s why building strength specifically through this eccentric lowering phase is so important — not just for performance, but to reduce unnecessary strain through the shoulders, elbows, and wrists.
This week’s “muscle of the week” is the triceps, and understanding how they work can completely change how your Chaturanga feels.
I’ve also put together some simple drills to help build this strength progressively.

Chaturanga strength | yoga strength | upper body control | triceps strength | yoga for beginners

Some geeky refs if you’re into the why
• Eccentric muscle contractions: higher force, more control. Hoppeler, 2017.
• Eccentric vs concentric explained. Kenhub – Eccentric Muscle Contraction.
• Muscle biomechanics & contraction types. Physiopedia – Muscle Biomechanics.
• Eccentric strength in yoga poses (triceps + shoulders). Yoga Journal & Strength for Yoga.
• Chaturanga mechanics & scapular action. Yoganatomy & Yoga Anatomy Academy.
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29/04/2026

Most people think Chaturanga is just arm strength… but it’s really not.

It’s a combination of triceps, chest and shoulders for the push, core to hold your body in one line, and your upper back + shoulder stabilisers (serratus, traps, rotator cuff) to stop everything collapsing.

That’s where these drills come in.

This is a simple progression I use to build strength properly — starting with more support (wall, knees), then gradually increasing load through the upper body (single leg, blocks), and layering in isolation work (triceps, core, upper back) to support the full movement.

So yes, it’s great for beginners… but honestly, even more advanced practitioners should still be doing this kind of conditioning. That’s what helps prevent compensation — especially into the shoulders, elbows and wrists — and keeps your practice sustainable long term.

I’ll be breaking this down further in a YouTube video this week if you want to go deeper into it 🤍

Chaturanga strength drills | yoga strength | upper body strength for yoga





22/04/2026

Why is it that some people feel strong in yoga… but unstable at certain angles?

One reason is something called co-contraction — where opposing muscles work together to stabilise a joint.

You’re already training this in yoga…
just not at every angle, and not always under progressive load.

That’s where strength training can help —
it exposes your body to new positions, new demands, and builds stability across a wider range.

And just to be clear —
co-contraction is only one piece of the puzzle, not the whole story.

Your body adapts to how you train it.

—

If you want to understand your body (not just stretch it), say hi in the comments 👀

References

References: Enoka (2024); Choi et al. (2014); Sørensen & Farina (2013)

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17/04/2026

Vasisthasana asks a lot from the body — and one of the key stabilisers here is your glute medius.

It’s what helps support the standing hip, keep your pelvis level, and stop you from collapsing.

Strong and steady from the ground up.

13/04/2026

There’s a lot of conversation about what yoga is and isn’t.

So I went down a research rabbit hole 🧠

Yoga does build strength, flexibility, balance, and control — but not always in the way people think.

It’s not a complete system for cardiovascular fitness or maximal strength on its own…

But it is one of the most powerful tools for improving how your body moves and produces force.

This post looks at what vinyasa and ashtanga-style yoga actually do physically — from a science-based perspective — and how yogis can complement their practice (and how lifters and athletes can benefit from yoga too).

The goal isn’t to replace yoga.
It’s to understand it — and then build around it.

⸻

📚 References

• Forseth, B. et al. (2020). Yoga intensity and cardiovascular response. Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

• Veneri, D. et al. (2025). A comparison of muscle activation between select standing and seated yoga poses among healthy adults. International Journal of Yoga, 18(1), 38–44.

• Bhunia, G. B., & Ray, U. S. (2023). Improvement in muscular strength, body flexibility and balance by yogasana and reduced detraining effects through yoga breathing maneuvers. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 15(1), 100815.


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Even the smallest lives can teach us how to be brave..🐈‍⬛
12/04/2026

Even the smallest lives can teach us how to be brave..🐈‍⬛

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