Yoga

Shake Your Booty With Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga yoga is known by a few different names in North America.  It’s also called astanga yoga and power yoga.  This is perhaps the best known and most popular type of yoga taught in North America.  It’s a vigorous and athletic type of yoga, which makes it very similar or aerobics or dancing, which North Americans are already familiar with.

Not For Everyone

Since there are some very complex moves and a lot of physical dexterity requires in ashtanga yoga, you really need your doctor’s approval before you can take a class.  Don’t just think that by getting the clothes, the incense and the ashtanga yoga mat that you are ready to go.  If you have problems with arthritis, balance or have had major surgery anytime in your life, you should look into other branches of yoga.

One of the goals of ashtanga yoga is for you to work up a good, virtuous sweat.  Americans like to sweat during their workouts, as it shows that they are accomplishing something.  However, sweating is good for a different reason in India.  Sweat not only means that you have gotten a good workout, but are purifying your body of any toxins.

And ashtanga yoga will make you sweat.  You don’t just jump right into twisting yourself up like a pretzel, though.  Just like with any other workout routine, you need to gradually warm up. You begin with deep breathing exercises to calm down and get ready for yoga class.  Then you will chant mantras, which help you also get in the mood for yoga.

You Need Professional Instruction

Although there are plenty of books, videos and DVDs about ashtanga yoga, you can do yourself more harm than good by trying to learn it yourself.  Forget about it.  If you are truly interested in ashtanga yoga, you need to learn how to do the stretches and positions the correct way, so you don’t pull your muscles or put undue strain on your joints.

There are some things in this world that you can’t learn from a YouTube video, and correct ashtanga yoga positions are one of them.  You need an instructor to help physically place you in the correct position.  Then, you feel what this position is like.  In this way, you remember what it feels like in order to know that you are doing it correctly.

Later on, if you are really into ashtanga yoga and continue to practice, you can do the routines yourself without any supervision.  But in the beginning months, it is safer and more economical to go to a professional ashtanga yoga instructor.  There are many low cost classes in community colleges and YMCAs.