Ashtanga Yoga Postures

Rejuvenating Sirshasana, Head Stand Yoga Pose
Discover More Great Ashtanga Yoga Postures And Exercises


Latest Yoga Lovers News And Updates

So, what's your favorite ashtanga yoga posture? Do share.
Click to discover how to contribute to Yoga Poses Galleries and become a star.

The Next Best Thing To Fruits And Vegetables
Discover the new convenient, affordable and natural whole food supplement product providing nutrition from 17 vegetables, fruits, and grains.



Head Stand Posture -- Sirshasana


Benefits of ashtanga yoga postures...

  • upper body, brain, head, face, and neck get an abundance of blood and health giving chemicals

  • purifies and calms the mind

  • greatly helps your natural posture, and function of the heart

  • Caution: be very mindful of neck injuries, such as whiplash, when choosing these powerful Inverted Poses.


ashtanga yoga postures head stand
  1. Start in a kneeling position or Cat Pose, facing a wall if you desire

  2. interlock your fingers in front of you, on the floor

  3. spread your arms and elbows out on the floor, creating a stable base

  4. lift your hips into the air and position the top of your head into the interlocked hands and fingers

  5. slowly walk your feet toward your head

  6. contract and engage your abdominal muscles to stabilize your torso

  7. when ready, gently push your toes away from the floor, raising your legs upward

  8. keep the back and legs straight, arms and shoulders relaxed

  9. tighten the leg muscles so the legs are touching each other. [Beginners may rest their feet and/or legs against the wall.]

  10. lift and create space in the lower back by gently tucking in your sacrum to stabilize your pelvis and hips

  11. allow your shoulders to relax and move away from your ears, and lengthen your neck

  12. relax your face, head, eyes, and jaw

  13. with the downward pressure of your forearms against the floor, the pressure on the top of your head is light

  14. As you inhale, pull energy through your feet, body, and down into your head

  15. as you exhale, lengthen your spine and torso toward the sky allowing the head to rest lighter on the floor

  16. hold the pose for as long as you desire, breathing in and out deeply

  17. when completed, slowly bend at the waist bringing your feet back to the floor

  18. then, move back into kneeling position

  19. rest - lie on the floor in Savasana or Corpse Pose for a few minutes.

Scroll down for more ashtanga yoga postures.


It is important to rest your body after you complete your stretching or ashtanga yoga postures, and before you begin yoga breathing and pranayama. The body has to transition from one focus and activity to another. If we do not rest, stress and tension can develop in the body and the mind.

When practicing pranayama, whether it be for three minute or thirty-three minutes, we must sit with a straight spine. Sit comfortably on the floor or a straight-backed chair.

You should always ask an experienced teacher in deciding which pranayama yoga breathing exercises to perform and suited to you.


I update Yoga-Training-You.com very frequently, so please subscribe to my monthly newsletter, Yoga Lovers. It tells you each month about new yoga information that I've added.

Please subscribe to Yoga Lovers

E-mail Address
First Name
Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you Yoga Lovers.


More Ashtanga Yoga Postures


Click on the asana charts below, showing you more poses...


ashtanga yoga postures sirshasana

ashtanga yoga postures adho mukha vriksasana handstand


Yoga Training


ashtange yoga postures teacher training My name is Karen Sandler.

If you're interested in becoming a yoga teacher, I offer an outstanding 200 hour certification course.

For teachers, I offer accredited continuing education CEU classes.

Click on my photo for details.

All courses geared to take you to the next level in your yoga practice.


Search This Site...

Here are hatha yoga poses that you can search on for details. Locate the "Search Bar" below this list. I've also included the Sanskit name...

tree - vriksasana
crow - kakasana
dancer - natarajasana
warrior or hero pose - virabhadrasana III
hand to toe - utthita padangusthasana
side arm balance - vasisthasana
shoulder stand - sarvangasana
head stand - sirshasana
hand stand - adho mukha vriksasana
plow - halasana
mountain - tadasana
warrior or hero - virabhadrasana II
warrior or hero - virabhadrasana I
triangle - trikonasana
cat or table pose - marjariasana
sun bird - chakravakasana
staff - dandasana
seated boat - paripurna navasana
downward facing dog - adho mukha svanasana
upward facing plank - purvottanasana
face down moves - navasana vinyasa
leg raises - ab vinyasa
knee to chest - apanasana vinyasa
monkey god - hanumanasana
runners poses - ashwa sanchalasana
thunder bolt - vajrasana or virasana
pigeon - kapotanasana
bridge - setubandhasana
bow pose - Dhanurasana
wheel pose - chakrasana
standing forward bend - uttanasana
camel - ustrasana
seated forward bend - paschimottanasana
ashtanga yoga postures

Loading



Warrior / Hero Pose -- Virabhadrasana II

  1. Start by standing with your legs spread apart

  2. rotate your right leg and foot out 90 degrees

  3. lift and rotate the left heel about 45 degrees. The left heel is in line with the right arch of the foot

  4. spread the toes out of both feet, engage and tighten the thigh muscles

    ashtanga yoga postures virabhadrasana warrior hero

  5. rotate your trunk and pelvis so that you are looking over your right leg

  6. bring the arms up horizontal to the floor at shoulder height

  7. relax the shoulders, move the shoulder blades toward the pelvis, and spread the fingers creating a line of energy along the underside of the arms

  8. rotate the arms so that the palms are facing upward, then rotate the lower arms and hands, palms toward the floor

  9. when ready, bend your right leg at the knee positioning it over your ankle

  10. tighten and activate the back leg, pushing the heel into the ground

  11. open up the pelvis, keeping the spine straight

  12. keep the sacrum scooped in and draw the abdomen in

  13. open up the chest, turn the head, and gaze over the front hand and fingers

  14. hold the pose for as long as you desire, breathing in and out deeply

  15. when completed, straighten your leg, allow your arms to fall by your side

  16. turn, repeat these ashtanga yoga postures for the other side.


ashtanga yoga postures parighasana gate pose




ashtanga yoga postures uttanasana


Runner Position - Ashwa Sanchalasana

ashtanga yoga postures ashwa sanchalasana runner

  1. start in a kneeling position - Cat Pose, knees and hands on the floor

  2. bend and move the right leg forward placing your right foot between your hands. Knee directly above your ankle

  3. tighten the right leg muscles to support the knee in this position

  4. tuck the toes in on the left foot

  5. sink your pelvis down toward the floor, keeping it square

  6. for a variation, take your left knee off the floor and straighten the left back leg

  7. create a line of energy from the head, through the spine to the back heel

  8. as you inhale, draw energy up through the legs into the pelvis

  9. exhale, allow the cleansing energy go out of the pelvis toward the floor

  10. keep the spine and neck lengthened as you hold the pose for as long as comfortable - few seconds to a minute

  11. repeat for the other side by coming back into Cat Pose.


Standing Forward Bend Pose -- Uttanasana

ashtanga yoga postures uttanasana

  1. Start in a standing position, legs together, hands on hips

  2. keep the toes pointing forward and root your feet deep into the earth

  3. lengthen your whole body upward through the torso and top of the head

  4. keep your shoulders back and square

  5. exhale, bring your arms out to your sides

  6. activate your legs by tightening your thigh muscles and bringing your patella or knee-cap upwards

  7. keep your sacrum or tail-bone scooped down and under, bend forward from the hips keeping your back lengthened

  8. stretching your arms, move your hands to the legs, feet or the floor. Use a block if necessary

  9. relax your neck, head, face, and jaw

  10. as you inhale, draw the energy up the legs and into your pelvis

  11. as you exhale, lengthen the spine

  12. hold the pose for as long as you desire, breathing in and out deeply


    ashtanga yoga postures chakrasana


    Half Moon Pose - Ardha-Chandrasana

    ashtanga yoga postures ardha chandrasana half moon pose

    1. start these ashtanga yoga postures in a kneeling position, knees and hands on the floor

    2. bend and move one leg between your hands. Knee above your ankle

    3. extend the other leg back, toes touching the floor

    4. breathe deeply, lengthening your back, neck, and extended leg. Breathe

    5. when ready, push up and balance with your arm and leg into Half Moon Pose

    6. turn your head and face the sky to naturally open up the torso

    7. breathe into the core of your body, the area just below your navel -- your center of gravity and balance

    8. with every exhalation, have a sense of your energy flowing out of your head, hands, and feet

    9. hold the pose for as long as you desire, breathing in and out deeply

    10. when ready, exhale down back into runners pose, then relax.

    11. repeat the steps for the other side.


    Cat Pose - Marjariasana

    ashtanga yoga postures marjariasana cat pose

    1. start on all fours - knee's and hands on the floor

    2. place the flats of your feet on the floor or curl your toes under

    3. Inhale, lift the sacrum and head up, stretching the back.

    4. Hold the move for a couple of seconds, feeling the stretch on the front of your body

    5. Exhale, contract your abs, arching your back, bringing your sacrum and head toward each other.

    6. Repeat several times, inhaling and exhaling as you move the spine.


    Yoga Vinyasa's


    ashtanga yoga postures setubandhasana


    Yoga Meditations


    ashtanga yoga postures nataraj


    Therapeutic Ashtanga Yoga Postures

    These asanas have the reputation for helping in certain disorders and illnesses.

    They are never a substitute for medical attention, though they may aid in the correction of some disorders.

    Take great care when performing any ashtanga yoga postures.


    Return from Ashtanga Yoga Postures to Yoga Training You home

    footer for ashtanga yoga postures page