Ashtanga Preparation: Learn the Route

Familiarity is useful when you are learning Ashtanga. This preparation repeats a simple passage with knees down and a low Cobra option. It is not a traditional counted Sun Salutation or a shortened Primary Series. Keep the pace easy enough to place your hands and feet carefully, and learn the traditional transitions in class.

The sequence

1. Warm up
2. 01 Mountain Pose“Feel the weight through both feet and let the shoulders soften.” 48s
3. Sun Salutation
4. ☀ Sun Salutation A11 movements · one breath each · 2 rounds 2m 10s
   1. Exhale Mountain
   2. Inhale Upward Salute
   3. Exhale Forward Fold
   4. Inhale Halfway Lift
   5. Exhale Plank to Chaturang...
   6. Inhale Upward-Facing Dog
   7. Exhale Downward-Facing Do...
   8. Inhale Step forward
   9. Exhale Forward Fold
   10. Inhale Rise
   11. Exhale Mountain
5. Warm up
6. 03 Standing Forward Fold“Bend the knees, release the neck and fold only as far as comfortable.” 48s
7. Flow
8. ≈ Vinyasa flow19 poses · 20s each 6m 20s
   1. Half Forward Fold
   2. Kneeling Plank
   3. Cobra Pose
   4. Downward-Facing Do...
   5. Half Forward Fold
   6. Standing Forward F...
   7. Mountain Pose
   8. Mountain Pose
   9. Standing Forward F...
   10. Half Forward Fold
   11. Kneeling Plank
   12. Cobra Pose
   13. Downward-Facing Do...
   14. Half Forward Fold
   15. Standing Forward F...
   16. Mountain Pose
   17. Triangle Pose
   18. Triangle Pose
   19. Staff Pose
9. Moon Salutation
10. ☾ Moon Salutation17 movements · one breath each 1m 30s
    1. Exhale Mountain
    2. Inhale Upward Salute
    3. Exhale Crescent
    4. Exhale Crescent
    5. Exhale Goddess
    6. Inhale Star
    7. Exhale Triangle
    8. Exhale Pyramid
    9. Inhale Low Lunge
    10. Exhale Garland squat
    11. Inhale Low Lunge
    12. Exhale Pyramid
    13. Exhale Triangle
    14. Inhale Star
    15. Exhale Goddess
    16. Inhale Upward Salute
    17. Exhale Mountain
11. Cool down
12. 06 Seated Forward Fold“Bend the knees and hinge a little from the hips; leave the feet alone rather than pulling.” 48s
13. 07 Easy Seat“Let the shoulders settle and notice a few natural breaths.” 48s
14. Rest
15. 08 Corpse Pose“Let the floor carry your weight; the breath can find its own rhythm.” 1m 48s