The Origins Of Ashtanga Yoga Poses Are Shrouded In Mystery
Before actually understanding the different Ashtanga yoga poses, it would pay to first of all learn about the history of these poses. As you may or may not know, Ashtanga yoga is the brainchild of one Sri K Pattabhi Jois who was a student of the well-known yogi Sri Krishnamacharya. Yogi Sri Krishnamacharyas claim to fame lies in the fact that it was he who tutored famous names such as B.K.S. Iyengar, A.G. Mohan, Indra Dhevi and Srivatsa Ramaswami, all of whom are famous in the world of yoga.
To be sure, the Ashtanga yoga poses as developed by Pattabhi Jois owed a lot to the book that was published by Krishnamacharya in the thirties and which was called Yoga Makaranda. The origins of Ashtanga yoga poses is mired in mythology and there are many teachers of Ashtanga yoga poses that actually feel that the system developed by Jois owed a lot to manuscripts used by Krishnamacharya called the Yoga Korunta.
According to legend, it was this manuscript that, though found in a crumbled shape and written on palm leaves having been eaten away by ants, helped in the development of the Ashtanga yoga poses. Suffice to say that there is still a lot of confusion reigning when it concerns describing the true origins of the Ashtanga yoga poses. One thing stands out and that is that Ashtanga yoga poses are by nature a lot more aggressive than the exercises used in other forms of yoga.
Experience And Strength Required
One would not be wrong if comparing Ashtanga yoga poses to gymnastics because of the amount of skill and strength required to perform these poses. Whats more, if you are new to yoga or are suffering from an injury, performing Ashtanga yoga poses is not recommended and you would be better off trying other yoga styles.
In any case, these poses are performed in sequences and are rather restrictive by nature and so will not easily allow for modifying to suit individual needs. In addition, Ashtanga yoga poses mean putting more emphasis on the physical aspects rather than the spiritual aspects as is common in other styles of yoga.
It may also be a good idea to attend an Ashtanga yoga class in order to learn the steps involved in properly executing the poses. This will give you a better chance of learning the right way of synchronized breathing and to complete different movements while only taking a single breath.