Learn About Ashtanga Yoga Postures

Ashtanga yoga is also known as 'power yoga', and for a very good reason.

Ashtanga yoga postures are less to do with meditation and more to do with developing strength and stamina.

Most of the Ashtanga yoga postures are much more difficult than with other yoga disciplines; this means that Ashtanga yoga is very popular with athletes and others who are very fit.

Ashtanga yoga postures are suitable for anyone with a decent level of fitness who is used to physical exertion. People new to exercise and new to yoga should avoid Ashtanga yoga postures until they build up their fitness. Even so-called 'beginner' Ashtanga yoga postures and routines are very physically demanding.

The postures used in Ashtanga yoga are also used in the much less intense Hatha yoga. The difference is that while Hatha yoga consists of discrete poses, Ashtanga yoga 'strings' these poses together to be performed in quick succession, to increase strength and stamina. There are six series of Ashtanga yoga postures, with each focussing on a specific part of the body and mind. Students must practice and become proficient in each series before they move onto the next one, as each series prepares students for the next one. Some ashtanga teachers use a modified sequence for people to start with, however.

Each series of Ashtanga yoga postures involves a sequence of standing, sitting, backbends, inversions, balancing and twisting into poses including the upward dog, downward dog, and standing forward bend poses.

Ashtanga Yoga Postures - What Happens During A Typical Class

Even though every yoga teacher is unique and individual in how they teach and practice, there is a very high degree of standardisation with Ashtanga yoga. Any Ashtanga class you attend worldwide will be run in line with the same official template.

The poses you will start with are a series of Sun salutations, which warm up the body; the sweatier you get during a class, the better. The heat you generate helps loosen the muscles and joints, both preventing injury and making it easier to perform the various poses. As you start to get hotter, you'll launch into a sequence of standing postures. These may range from fundamentals such as the Triangle to much more difficult poses requiring considerable balance. If you can't perfectly perform  particular Ashtanga yoga postures, you can modify them to match your level of practice and experience.

You should try and keep your pace rhythmic and consistent, with your gaze and concentration unwavering. Once you complete the standing postures, your body will be sufficiently warm and loose to perform the sequenced moves that are specific to each series. While these sets of postures do constitute a thorough workout within themselves, they nevertheless have a particular focus. The 30+ postures in the first series focus mainly on forward bends, while the second series predominantly consists of deep backbends, postures involving putting the feet behind the head and seven variations of the Headstand posture.

To maintain high levels of body heat during the session, you transition from one pose to the next by doing partial Sun Salutations. These may include lifting yourself up on your hands and swinging your legs back to go from a sitting position to a 'push-up' pose, lunging from one pose to the next or even using the Plank pose to transition between postures.