There are many reasons to practice ashtanga yoga through a video. Perhaps you are too busy to regularly attend classes or you might live in an area where ashtanga yoga classes are not offered. While it is possible to learn some ashtanga postures through a video, finding a qualified teacher is your best option.
Primary Series
Ashtanga yoga is a precise series of movements performed in a specific order in a system that marks each movement with a corresponding breathing pattern, according to Bill Counter of Ashtanga Yoga in Sacramento, California. Students start out learning the first sequence, called the primary series. This is a challenging sequence that often takes years to master. Since the series is always the same, it is possible to learn how to perform the postures, and the order in which to perform them, from a video.
Adjustments
One of the most important parts of learning ashtanga is being adjusted by your teacher. Your teacher will manipulate your body into the full posture, helping to increase your flexibility and allow your body to get the full feeling of what it is attempting. If you do not attend class, you cannot get the full experience of practice.
Corrections
Another downside to studying the primary series of ashtanga yoga at home is that, if you are performing a movement wrong, there is no teacher to correct you. If you are performing postures incorrectly, you are not learning the series and you are leaving yourself open to injury. Since a video is only two-dimensional, it is not always possible to get the full view of the correct way to perform each posture.
Qualified Instruction
Ashtanga yoga is a dynamic practice that involves jumping, twisting, balancing and inverted postures. It is best to practice with a qualified professional teacher who can show you the correct techniques and help protect you from injury.
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