Style quiz result
Your style: Ashtanga
Ashtanga suits you: the same set sequence of poses in the same order every time, practised with a steady breath. You will see your progress clearly.
Ashtanga follows a fixed series, starting with sun salutations and moving through standing and seated poses. Many studios teach it led, with the teacher counting the breaths, or Mysore style, where you practise the series at your own pace with the teacher adjusting around the room. It rewards people who like routine and a physical challenge.
Read what ashtanga yoga is and ashtanga compared with vinyasa, then look for led or Mysore classes in the studios below.
Ashtanga has two common class formats. In a led class the teacher counts each breath and the whole room moves together. In a Mysore class each student works through the series at their own pace, and the teacher gives individual instruction and adds poses as you are ready. Beginners usually start with the opening sun salutations and standing poses only, then add the seated poses over weeks or months. The Ashtanga primary series page lays out the order.
What to try in your first ashtanga class
Look for a class called Ashtanga basics, beginners, half primary or an intro to Mysore. Tell the teacher you are new; in a Mysore room they will show you the first sun salutation and let you build from there. Do not eat a big meal in the two to three hours before, since the series includes twists and forward bends.
Learn the sun salutation and the shape of chaturanga with knees down before you go. Expect to feel your hamstrings and shoulders; bend your knees in forward bends rather than pulling yourself down, and rest whenever your breath gets short.
Studios that teach ashtanga
8th Yoga Shala and Wellness Hub
ALON Yoga Studio
anahaw Yoga Studio
Ananda Marga Yoga Center
Ann Yoga Studio
Antipolo Ashtanga Yoga Shala
Ashtanga Yoga Baguio (AYBGO)
Ashtanga Yoga CDO
Ashtanga yoga: questions
Do you have to memorise the Ashtanga sequence before a Mysore class?
No. In a Mysore room the teacher shows a new student the first few poses and adds more as each one becomes familiar. Most people learn the order through repetition over a few weeks, and a printed sequence card helps between classes.
Is a led Ashtanga class or Mysore better for a first try?
A led class is easier to follow at first because the teacher counts every breath and names every pose. Mysore suits you once you want individual attention and your own pace. Many studios recommend a few led classes or a basics course before Mysore.
How long until the Ashtanga primary series feels familiar?
It varies a lot from person to person. Practising two or three times a week, many people know the standing sequence within a month, while the full primary series takes much longer. The aim is a steady breath through each pose, not finishing the series.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Fitness program: 5 steps to get started; NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety; NHS, Exercise in pregnancy; CDC, Pregnant & Postpartum Activity: An Overview; Canadian Family Physician (Chan et al., 2014), via PubMed Central, Hot yoga and pregnancy: Fitness and hyperthermia. Last reviewed 2 October 2026.
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