Can Beginners Do Ashtanga Yoga? Complete Guide In 2023

Can Beginners Do Ashtanga Yoga?

Yes, Ashtanga yoga as taught in Mysore is an excellent approach to learn any yoga. However, we require assistance with more than simply the beginning of anything. Finding someone or a resource to assist you in getting started is the simple part.

The greatest choice for newbies is this one. Ashtanga is a technique that uses a hierarchy of levels. Only when you are ready will you be taught. Only when your teacher is confident in your ability do you advance through the levels (Primary, Secondary, Advanced).

The present narrative is deceptive for a beginner yogi seeking the perfect class or style that could be more accurate.

I’ll concede that Ashtanga has some more challenging poses that are part of the fourth through sixth series. But I’m here to tell you that Ashtanga is also fantastic for beginners.

For the Novices

Can a beginner start with Ashtanga yoga? Absolutely! Beginners will discover that the approach is appropriate for everyone, whether they want to participate in a guided or Mysore-style class.

The instructor will guide You through the primary series by the teacher, who will make any necessary corrections or revisions. No matter your age, body type, or fitness level, the instructor will work with you to ensure you get the most out of your practice.

You can learn Any yoga well by practicing Ashtanga as part of Mysore. Ashtanga is a fantastic approach to blending yoga’s contemplative aspects. You can concentrate more on the breath by following a predetermined path throughout the practice.

Thanks to that attention, you will be able to sense your body and where you are that day. You can push yourself harder one day and a bit harder the next. You can get in touch with yourself better through the meditation component of the practice.

Both newcomers and experienced yogis will benefit from the Ashtanga Yoga tradition. See for yourself by taking a guided class or practicing the conventional Mysore technique. You could develop an addiction, just like I did.

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Tips for starting Ashtanga as a beginner

1. CHOOSE A GOOD TEACHER, NOT A POPULAR ONE

Sadly, in today’s market, the teacher may not always have the best interests of the novice Ashtanga pupil. They are currently selling to the students. Always remember that being a yoga instructor is now a career choice and a well-liked one.

To do this, they must draw pupils to make ends meet. It is a scale economy; therefore, the more, the better. This indicates that teachers frequently give students what they desire rather than need.

2. THE DEATHLY DUE TO IMPATIENCE AND GOALS

Our biggest challenge in this situation is walking before we can run. The abundance of information accessible causes our eyes and thoughts to take over.

We may want to do too much too fast since we are naturally idealistic, ambitious, and impatient. Therefore, beginning as we plan to carry on entails taking learning and practice in tiny, methodical increments.

The body reacts similarly; gradually, in fits and starts, it comes to understand that we are consistently infusing in it. Similar to training horses, muscles require steady coaxing and persuasion. In other words, it takes time for muscle memory to change and grow similarly.

Conversely, resisting the urge to proceed too rapidly might be challenging when we watch stunning photographs of difficult yoga poses online.

3. DON’T SKIP THE BASICS.

Getting the practice’s fundamentals correct is the one thing every teacher stresses, and the one thing a beginner student resists the most. Naturally, we don’t want to construct our home on an uneven surface.

A stitch in time saves nine, as they say, and having to tear everything down and start from scratch is far more complex and unpleasant than learning the fundamentals.

Before continuing, it is best to obtain this concept as clearly in one’s thoughts (and body) as possible because everything else is a growth of an initial understanding.

4. THE ESSENCE OF HONOR

Honesty is the remedy for the foes above of ambition, idealism, and impatience. We will benefit significantly in the long term if we can be honest about where we are. This also means using social media with more caution.

 Don’t get me wrong; we develop the advanced asanas we desire most, so we will get there. Instead, determining one’s current level of capability is the quickest path to achieving this.

We can only work productively here. The ability to challenge yourself to the appropriate level is a crucial component of starting Ashtanga yoga properly.

5. Effect CONTINUITY Features 

There is an effort to be consistent with each of them. We can only make genuine progress in the world with this quality.

Contrarily, making inconsistent progress by working hard one day or week and then not at all the next is not a prescription for long-term success. In Ashtanga, the opposite of this is an injury. Therefore, this is what we should strive towards.

Since most people stop for this reason, we want to stay as far away from it as possible. Everyone encounters minor roadblocks, tugs, and adjustments along the way. However, inconsistent tactics are frequently the cause of a severe injury.

6. Monitoring UP ON OUR GOALS

Checking in with oneself before beginning is the first and most crucial piece of advice we could provide. Considering our goals and striving for the highest goals could be beneficial.

I don’t necessarily mean in Asana, but it’s still a good idea to keep those goals in mind as we steadily increase our Asana. To keep going, we, too, require this type of inspiration.

But when I say “aim high,” I mean “aim for the most important thing we can imagine.” This is inner tranquility that results from self-knowledge and self-acceptance. Always keep in mind to ensure that one is moving in the best direction for them. 

7. BECOMING IMPLICATED ON THE PLATEAU

We’ve been talking about how beginning connects to continuing. We must thus comprehend how to handle the plateau. At first, we advance tremendously quickly; we can witness advancement regularly.

With yoga, we reach the table when this advancement slows down, which it ultimately does. Graduate from the honeymoon stage if you prefer something more relatable.

This implies that to continue, we must employ every technique known to man. These all revolve around consistency, as was already said. How yoga ultimately ingrains itself into our way of life yoga as a lifestyle. Consequently, it becomes more difficult to refrain from doing it.

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How Is Ashtanga Yoga Taught To Beginners?

Ashtanga yoga for beginners is often taught in two different methods. One entails a led (or guided) class in which the instructor leads the group through the Ashtanga yoga asanas. The pupils in the other class start to remember the positions in a Mysore-style lesson. Both have a lot to offer novices.

1. Ashtanga Yoga Class Taught

The instructor verbally leads the students through the steps in a led class. Each breath continues, and the instructor shouts out each stance.

A good rule of thumb is to observe what the person sitting next to you is doing to understand how to approach the pose because teachers tend to exhibit less during this sort of session.

It is important to note that as we acquire more expertise, we are urged to refrain from looking around the classroom during class to reduce the likelihood that we would compare ourselves to others. Instead, we’re encouraged to focus on our breathing and the pose’s gazing point.

2. Class of Ashtanga Yoga, Mysore Style

The majority of Ashtanga yoga establishments run their classes like those in Mysore. Ashtanga yoga gained popularity, and Sri K Pattabhi Jois began to teach in the southern Indian town of Mysore. Hundreds of seasoned practitioners go to Mysore every year to train under Sharath Jois’ direction.

Each student in a Mysore class moves through the predetermined sequence at their speed while synchronizing it with their breathing. For a newcomer, this could first appear intimidating.

Nevertheless, exercising in a Mysore-style environment is tremendously liberating since it gradually becomes more inward practice, and our breath leads us.

Beginners are urged to enroll in Mysore-style courses and are frequently given a cheat sheet—a piece of paper with the positions depicted—as well.

I always strike a bargain with the newbies who come to my Mysore lessons. I advise them to give it a month since, by then, they will have learned most of the postures and will have a better understanding of what this kind of practice entails.

3. Yoga bandhas

Bandhas are physical energy locks that are all over the body.

Mula bandha, aruddiyana bandha, and Jalandhara Bandha are the three primary bandhas in yoga. It is possible to activate and engage all three bandhas. e in Your yoga practice might be enhanced by each bandha. We primarily concentrate on mula bandha and uddiyana bandha in Ashtanga yoga.

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WRAP UP

For beginners, Ashtanga yoga is beneficial. In reality, most studios offer a beginner’s class, which is often a 1-hour modified-led session in which the instructor leads the students through a predetermined order of poses. There will likely be a lot of explanations to guide the students into each stance.

A novice might also begin by enrolling in Mysore-style lessons. In this situation, the teacher introduces a brief segment of the primary sequence to the new student.

For instance, the instructor will teach the sun salutations and the breath in the first lesson. The instructor could include some standing poses in the next class. In this manner, learning progresses.

FAQs

Q: Can novices practice the Ashtanga primary series?

Most Ashtanga lessons are divided into six series, starting with The Primary Series. For most students, this first series serves as an introduction.

Q: Who should not do Ashtanga yoga?

Those who are traumatized or anxious should avoid this stance.

Q: How difficult is Ashtanga yoga?

Because it requires a lot of patience and discipline, Ashtanga is regarded as the most challenging yoga technique. 

Q: What is the most accessible type of yoga for beginners?

Hatha yoga.

Video guide

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