I have returned to yoga after an absence due to injury(ankle). I was doing yoga for four years and have recently started up again, I have been at it for 17 weeks now, usually do 45 minutes everyday. My problem is I am obsessed with perfecting chaturanga, and I can’t figure out if what I am doing is wasting my time.
Okay here is my issue: I have recently learned that years ago I was doing it wrong. I have learned the proper alignment now, elbows in line with wrists and to shift forward from plank before lowering. Okay here is what is driving me BANANAS… when I go from plank into chaturanga it seems I can only lower halfway, meaning I hover about 7-8 inches from the floor 
Doing it on my knees is not challenging for me at all, I can go all the way down when I do it on my knees. I prefer the full version because it is more comfortable to me. So since I only lower halfway, is this still considered chaturanga? It is driving me so crazy to the point I practice it for 30 minutes until I can’t even move anymore, and yes I know that isn’t a good thing, but I need to know if what I am doing is still chaturanga or if I should keep doing it this way …will I ever get stronger???
I can’t afford a class so I watch videos and read as much as I can , and I use a mirror to be sure I am doing the poses correctly.
HELP>>>> can someone please advise me?
Thank you kindly
Greetings. Welcome.
I don’t see how one could find profundity in asana through the mire of obsession. Has it occurred to you that you may be impeded by your obsession and frustration?
What does “all the way down” mean to you as offered in this thread? The pose, as I understand its alignment, has the forearms perpendicular to the floor and the upper arms parallel to the floor. Ergo the proximity of your torso relative to the floor is the length of your ulna/radius.
Obviously there are two ways to enter Chaturanga. The first is the more common Phalakasana (or adho mukha dandasana) to Chaturanga (aka "lowering down). The second is coming up into the pose from the prone position on the mat. Perhaps experiment in your own practice with coming up into the pose rather than down into it. However the bigger picture answer (from my perspective) is “do the pose once or twice, get as much self-knowledge from it as you can, then move on in your practice”. It sounds like you are already looking at the attachment and I can assure you that is the more fundamental and fruitful yoga in this issue - not the distance between your tummy and the floor.
It should be mentioned, not so much for the OP as for the general public, that excessive repetition in chaturanga in conjunction with poor alignment/action, increased body weight, age, and fitness can lead to rotator cuff injury.
Thank you for your reply. I understand that I have become too worried about perfecting this pose. What I mean is about lowering down is that I heard you should hover between 3-4 inches from the ground, I cannot do this without straining myself, therefore my shoulders are higher than or rather than even with my elbows. My alignment is really strong and steady, I had friends take pictures so I could see exactly where I am at. I can only lower halfway from plank into chaturanga so I guess my question is really is this acceptable? Will I get stronger over time? I suppose I will but I do take care to keep my pelvis tucked, abs engaged, shoulders back, heart forward and wrists under elbows when I move forward, also I do pull up my thighs and hover on toes, I can do this ONLY half way down and am able to hover for at least 30 secs. It is just that I cannot seem to get my shoulders even with my elbows. Is this okay? I am starting to ease off and remember why I started yoga, not to be obsessed but to explore my poses clear my mind and feel better overall. I should also mention that I am actually underweight.
Thank you
You’re welcome.
I wouldn’t say “too worried” because I am not you and you may not be worried enough (for you). Who am I to say? What I would say is that it sounds like you are battling and that sucks all the joy out of a practice intended to be filled with joy.
Of course it’s “okay”. However alignment isn’t a thing that is strong and steady. Action is a thing that may be strong and steady. Alignment either is or it is not:-) You are either aligned or you are not aligned. And both are “okay” however one is a place we are moving toward and the other is a place we are moving from.
Have you dismissed my suggestion to come into the pose from the ground up?
If that one is tossed how about using a yoga belt looped to be just wider than your shoulders. Slip it on the arms, up to the belly of the biceps and come into the pose using the belt now as a hammock to support the torso.
gordon
Hi,
I agree with Gordon…try working from the ground up as well as lowering down.
A good strong,straight,well aligned half way is MUCH better than a sloppy,curvy,droopy all the way down.
When working from plank keep the back of head and neck in line with rest of your back…as dropping your head will make it soooo much harder…and keep pulling up on your thighs while pushing your heels back…try with heels pressing into a wall until you get the sensation…
Keep trying…you will get stronger.
Thank you both for your suggestions, it helps me so much to have support on here. I have tried coming into it from the ground up, but it is so hard for me, can’t really do it very well that way. I like the idea of the hammock, however I don’t have one, but the idea of heels against the wall is something I will try out today. I should also mention that I have no ligaments in my one ankle and I have nerve damage which makes it hard to have weight on my toes in my one foot, I do really push my thighs up and try to keep my head straight. I feel better knowing about my form, it is really strong and straight, just my shoulders are higher up then I would like at this point.(more of a slight angle from my shoulder to elbow) I do know yoga is different for everyone, I was just worried that perhaps because I am not hovering 3 inches off the floor that I shouldn’t bother with doing this pose at all. But thanks to you both I think that I will continue and if one day I can go lower then great! And if I cannot, well I am still really happy with what I can do right now:) I just needed to hear it for myself, as I have checked so many videos from teachers that say it is okay to even lower and inch or two when starting this pose, so halfway for me is pretty good I think, like I said I just needed to hear it. I so wish I could hire a teacher but I just am unable to ATM. Thank you both so much, I really needed this help.
…I should also mention that I have no ligaments in my one ankle and I have nerve damage which makes it hard to have weight on my toes in my one foot…
THIS is a casual mention???
I know it’s 30 below up there but really?
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;57702]…how about using a yoga belt looped to be just wider than your shoulders. Slip it on the arms, up to the belly of the biceps and come into the pose using the belt now as a hammock to support the torso.[/QUOTE]
In charturanga I can not get into right angles between wrist / forearm, and between forearm and upper arm. In a “strong” day I may be able to do one or two perhaps hold for 5 seconds but not more. I often think there is something wrong with my wrist / arm / shoulder alignment.
Oh what a good tip from IA, I use a rope to secure upper arms to torso, seated front facing a wall, upper arms tucked to side ribs (perpendicular to floor), lower-arm parallel to floor, and push palms into the wall. I used body weight to push into wall while resist with palm / lower-upper arms / serratus anterior, and contract shoulder blades toward each other. This is itself a very good practice to align body toward chaturanga, the pose hopefully soon I will be comfortable with.
Thank you IA for a wonderful tip, much appreciated !!
And I welcome corrections or suggestions. 
Namaste
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;57731]THIS is a casual mention???
I know it’s 30 below up there but really?[/QUOTE]
LOL!! Well I thought I would mention it because it is a challenge for me to do some poses, mostly balancing and even warrior. As for yesterday I did make sure my head wasn’t dropping while in chaturanga, and what a difference! I was so busy concerning myself about keeping everything else in line I forgot about my head! rolls eyes. However I did notice that I can lower a bit more if my head isn’t dropping, I also noticed though that even though I can go lower I am noticing that my back wants to sway, so I think what I also need to work on is strengthening my core.
Thank you again for the helpful tips!! 