Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual

Let's be honest, Ashtanga yoga can look... intense. All those challenging poses linked together, the specific breath, the gaze points – it's a beautiful, powerful practice, but diving in can feel a bit daunting, especially if you're trying to establish a home practice or just understand what's happening in a led class. I needed a guide, something more than just a quick online video.Enter David Swenson's "Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual." This book quickly became my absolute go-to, my silent teacher, my spiral-bound guru.What makes this book so incredible is its practicality. The spiral binding is a game-changer – you can actually lay it flat next to your mat without wrestling with pages! But beyond the smart design, the content is gold. The photos are clear, showing the postures step-by-step, and crucially, Swenson includes variations for every single pose. This is HUGE. It immediately makes the practice feel accessible, no matter your current level of flexibility or strength. It's not about forcing yourself into a shape, but about finding the pose that works for your body today.He covers the Primary and Intermediate Series, breaking down the vinyasa count, the breath, and the drishti (gaze points) in a way that's easy to follow. It demystifies the sequence and helps you build confidence whether you're practicing alone or just want to deepen your understanding of what's happening in a class.This manual has had a profound impact on my consistency. Having such a clear, user-friendly resource right there makes rolling out my mat and starting the practice so much less intimidating. It feels supportive and encouraging, like David Swenson himself is right there, patiently guiding you through.If you practice Ashtanga, or are even just curious about starting, this book is, in my opinion, essential. It's detailed, incredibly practical, and makes the journey into this dynamic practice feel achievable and deeply rewarding. It's more than just a manual; it's a true companion for your practice.

I got this book after watching tons of youtube videos on the primary series but wanting very detailed explanations of each pose. This book is perfect for that! It tells you how to move and hold your body at each step of every pose. It also has "easier" variations of each pose for those who are just learning or have mobility limitations. There is also a shortened version of the whole routine for those who don't have time or endurance for the whole series. Love, love, love this book! Would highly recommend for anyone getting into ashtanga!

Bought this book for my yoga teacher training as it was recommended as the "bible of Ashtanga yoga" which I can confirm. The postures are broken down nicely, step by step and David offers lots of modification for the beginner and a more modern approach to the series, which I really like. At the end of the book there are short forms of the primary series to suit those who may not have time to dedicate a full 2 hours or more to practicing each day. This actually came in handy when I started teaching, as I only have a 75 minutes class which is not enough time to guide students through the full primary series. If you are looking for a practice manual that focuses on the asanas, inhales and exhales in each part of the postures, and offers nice modifications, I highly recommend this book.If you are looking for a deeper analysis of all the asanas, the vinyasa count as well as some Ashtanga yoga philosophy, I would recommend checking out Gregor Maehle's "Ashtanga Yoga: Practice & Philosophy" which breaks the postures down on an anatomical level and has an in depth commentary/translation of the yoga sutras by Patanjali. Also Pattabi Jois' "Yoga Mala" will give you a deeper insight as to the benefits of each posture as he learned them from Krishnamacharya and talks more about the therapeutic benefits of each of the asanas.

I bought this book because I was recovering from serious nerve and muscle damage. I was an absolute beginner, with the extra added bonus of being able to easily hurt myself very seriously with a simple fall. My doctor initially recommended strengthening therapy, which is useful but not enough. Yoga seemed like an excellent solution (and I'd never tried it). But it didn't seem that I could do anything in my current state, and classes were out because I couldn't get into a cab.With Swenson's book I've made an incredibly quick recovery. It doesn't demand strength, agility or more concentration than you're prepared to give. Practicing the short forms gives you a sense of how to make a session longer and more useful, but even a 15 minute short form will do wonders for people starting out. Swenson takes the view that those rock-star positions are ideal forms, something you reach after years of work. Get yourself into an approximation of an ideal form and follow the flow from one position to another, and you'll still feel a huge benefit. And since Swenson shows photos of the approximations and flow, you don't have to guess what's next or what you could do instead.Would you be better off starting with a class? Perhaps. It wasn't really an option for me, and a lot of people are put off by the roll-your-eyes snobbery of...well...yoga geeks. Swenson's book allowed me to gain confidence and stability in a very short period of time, and I could now handle a class without being discouraged. But to put it simply: this book will last me forever.