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Ashtanga Yoga Therapy for Beginners

Can A Beginner Take Ashtanga Yoga?

Ashtanga is a Sanskrit word which means eight limbs; these eight limbs refer to the eight limbs of yoga laid out in its sutras. Ashtanga yoga involves a set of series of poses done in a set flowing Vinyasa style. Ashtanga yoga is basically a method of yoga which involves synchronizing your breath with a progressive series of postures. This process produces intense internal heat which allows your body to sweat and detoxify the muscles and other internal organs. As a result you get an extremely light but strong body, your blood circulation gets improved and you also get a calm mind. The primary series or the first series of Ashtanga yoga involves yoga chikitsa that is yoga therapy which helps to detoxify your body, realign your spine, and build flexibility, strength and stamina. These series have about 75 different poses; if you follow the whole series then it will take about 90 to 120 minutes to complete this series. Primary series begin with sun salutation and then moves to the standing poses, sitting poses, inversions and lastly back bends for relaxation. The second or intermediate series helps to strengthen and purify your nervous system. This series also helps to strengthen the subtle energy channels throughout your body. This series will be introduced to your only when your primary series or your base will be strong.

Ashtanga yoga is a very athletic and vigorous style of yoga practice. If you are a person who likes to do exercise in a sense of order or if you like to do things independently then this form of yoga is ideal for you even at beginner’s level. But if you are not familiar with yoga or if you are absolutely raw with this form of exercise then it would be wise to take some beginning class for ashtanga yoga. There are many yoga studios which offer ashtanga yoga at beginner’s level where a trained yoga teacher or instructor leads a class of students in order of poses. Once you learn the order of poses then you can self led your own yoga session and may also discontinue with the yoga class.

A beginner’s ashtanga yoga class can be a 45 to 60 minute class which involves mainly the primary series of ashtanga yoga. Select a beginner class what have small student teacher ratio as this will ensure proper learning of all the techniques, sequences and modifications involved in this form of yoga. At beginners level the teacher or the instructor makes sure to instruct you at a moderate pace unlike other participants who practice ashtanga yoga daily. As you speed up at your own pace with practice you will cherish more benefits from ashtanga yoga.

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