Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6135 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Spiral-bound
• 263 pages

Customer Reviews

Two years later, still in use...
It has been two years since I started my journey into Ashtanga and I still find myself referring back to this book on a regular basis when I am doing my personal practice. It spends little time on my bookshelf, instead it spends most of its time either beside me on my sofa or alongside my mat. I have rated it five stars, second only to my own instructor who I think rates a ten on sheer patience alone for putting up with me! PS: If you are buying the book, I would also recommend buying David Swenson's Primary Series DVD.

Fantastic for self practice
This book was recommended to me by my yoga teacher. Very clear instructions with great photographs to illustrate each pose mean that this book tells you everything you need to know.

The back of the book includes short form practices for those who are pressed for time and also has the standing and seated exercises on two page spreads which is ideal as an aide memoir when doing your practice.

My only criticism is that David Swanson is so brilliant at everything it makes me feel very inadequate when comparing my positions to the "correct" ones he performs.

I researched very widely before buying and looked at loads of yoga books. This is undoubtedly the one I would recommend to anyone wanting to do Ashtanga self-practice

Please bear in mind the following
Having bought this book, I will say that it is everything that one could hope for from an instruction manual: informative, lucid and encouraging for the beginner, with plenty of 'easier' options included .
However, I personally find that learning only from a book can be a little dry and uninspiring, and until you can remember the routine you will have to keep resorting back to the page, which can become tiresome when you just want to get on and stretch. And with this in mind, I would like to point out that if you search on the web, you can find David Swenson's DVDs to accompany this book, which will allow you to see everything in the book executed perfectly. Please also remember, whilst Ashtanga-style yoga is very rewarding, it is also challenging; although you can, of course, freely use the postures in this book to put together your own more relaxed Hatha-style workout, if you feel like it. Good luck and good health.