Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series: Poses, Benefits & How to Start

About 1 in 6 American adults practiced yoga in 2022, according to the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey. If you have taken a vinyasa or power yoga class at a US studio, you have probably done moves that trace back to one sequence: the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series.

The Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series is a set routine of postures linked to the breath. You do the same poses, in the same order, every time. It starts with sun salutations, moves through standing and seated postures, and ends with a calm finishing sequence.

It has a reputation for being hard, sweaty and meant only for flexible people. Part of that is true. It is a demanding practice. But it was built to be learned slowly, one pose at a time, and nobody is expected to do the full series on day one.

This guide covers what the Primary Series is, where it came from and how it reached the United States. You will also find the full pose list in order, how long a practice takes, what research says about its benefits, and a realistic eight-week plan for getting started safely.

If you are still deciding which style of yoga to study in depth, you can compare the courses offered at Inteyoga to see how an integrated Hatha approach differs from a single-style program.

Ashtanga Primary Series at a Glance

Fact	Detail
Name	Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series (First Series)
Sanskrit name	Yoga Chikitsa, often translated as “yoga therapy”
Style	Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
Popularized by	Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (1915 to 2009)
Origin	Mysore, Karnataka, India; Jois founded his institute there in 1948
Arrival in the US	Jois first taught in Encinitas, California, in 1975
Number of Ashtanga series	Six
Postures in the Primary Series	About 70 to 75, depending on how variations are counted
Breaths per posture	Usually five
Full practice time	About 60 to 90 minutes
Core method	Tristhana: breath, posture and gaze (drishti), plus bandhas

What Is the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series?

The Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series is a fixed sequence of yoga postures practiced in the same order every time, with each movement matched to an inhale or an exhale. It is the first of the Ashtanga series and the base for all the others.

In most US studio classes, the teacher builds a new sequence each day. Ashtanga works the other way around. The order never changes. Once you know it, you can practice alone at home, in a hotel room or at a studio’s early morning session without anyone calling out the poses. Many people find this freeing, because there is nothing to plan and nothing to guess.

The Primary Series belongs to a style called Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Here, vinyasa means breath-linked movement. Short linking moves, also called vinyasas, carry you from one posture to the next.

One naming point clears up a lot of confusion. “Ashtanga” also refers to the eight limbs of yoga in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. The Primary Series is a physical posture practice. It is not the same thing as Patanjali’s eight-limbed path, although Ashtanga teachers often present the postures as a way into the other limbs.

Where Did the Primary Series Come From?

The Primary Series was popularized by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, who taught in Mysore, India, and said he learned the system from his teacher, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. Jois opened his Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore in 1948.

Jois described the practice in his book Yoga Mala, first written in Kannada in 1962. He suggested staying in each posture for five to eight breaths, and most Ashtanga classes still follow that guideline.

The deeper history is debated. Krishnamacharya said the system came from an old text called the Yoga Korunta, but no copy has ever been found.

His own 1934 book, Yoga Makaranda, already lists nearly all the Primary Series postures, which suggests the sequence took shape in his teaching. The scholar Mark Singleton has also shown that Indian physical culture of the early 1900s, including gymnastics and wrestling exercises, influenced some of the flowing moves used today.

After Pattabhi Jois died in 2009, his grandson R. Sharath Jois led the tradition in Mysore. Sharath Jois taught at his own center in Mysuru until his death in November 2024.

The sequence has also changed over the years. Early students have reported that some standing postures and linking moves were added later, so “traditional” Ashtanga has always grown a little.

How Did Ashtanga Yoga Come to the United States?

Ashtanga yoga reached the US in 1975, when Pattabhi Jois taught his first American workshop in Encinitas, California. The trip was arranged by two of his early American students, David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff.

That first workshop was small. According to AshtangaYoga.info, only 10 to 15 students took part. Jois’s son, Manju Jois, came on the trip and stayed in the US to teach. Pattabhi Jois returned many times in the following decades.

During his early US visits he taught students who became leading Ashtanga teachers in the West, including Tim Miller and David Swenson, according to Yoga Journal.

This history matters for US readers. Yoga Journal notes that much of the breath-based, flowing yoga taught in Western vinyasa classes has been influenced, directly and indirectly, by Jois’s teaching.

Power yoga, which took off in the 1990s, was shaped in part by teachers who had studied with Jois, such as Bryan Kest. Jois himself did not consider power yoga the same practice as Ashtanga.

What Does “Yoga Chikitsa” Mean?

Yoga Chikitsa is the Sanskrit name for the Primary Series and is usually translated as “yoga therapy” or “yoga for health.” The name reflects the series’ traditional aim of preparing and balancing the body.

Traditional Ashtanga teaching says the Primary Series cleanses and aligns the body. It is full of forward bends and hip openers, which teachers link to the spine and digestion. These are traditional ideas, not proven medical effects.

So read the name as an intention. “Yoga therapy” here is a traditional label. It does not mean the Primary Series is a medical treatment, and it does not replace care from a doctor or a qualified yoga therapist.

What Is the Ashtanga Yoga Series?

The Ashtanga yoga series is a set of six fixed posture sequences in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, learned one after another and starting with the Primary Series. Each Ashtanga series is a complete practice, and students usually practice only one series in a session.

All six sequences share the same frame. They begin with the sun salutations and standing postures and end with the same finishing postures. The block in the middle is what makes each series different, and each has its own traditional aim.

Ashtanga series	Sanskrit name	Common meaning	Who practices it
Primary Series (First Series)	Yoga Chikitsa	Yoga therapy, or yoga for health	Beginners to advanced
Intermediate Series (Second Series)	Nadi Shodhana	Nerve or energy-channel cleansing	Steady Primary Series practitioners
Advanced A to D (Third to Sixth Series)	Sthira Bhaga	Centering of strength and grace	A small number of very experienced practitioners

Think of it as a ladder. The Primary Series is the first rung, and every later series builds on it.

How Many Ashtanga Series Are There?

There are six Ashtanga series today: the Primary Series, the Intermediate Series and four Advanced Series, known as Advanced A, B, C and D. The Advanced Series are also called the third, fourth, fifth and sixth series.

The count has changed over time. Early students of Pattabhi Jois learned four series: primary, intermediate, advanced A and advanced B. A further “Rishi series” was said to be for people who had mastered the first four. The later split of the advanced postures into four parts is why most sources now list six Ashtanga series.

How Do Students Move From One Ashtanga Series to the Next?

In the traditional method, a student moves to the next Ashtanga series only when the teacher decides they are steady in every posture of the series before it. New postures are added one at a time, usually in a Mysore-style class.

R. Sharath Jois taught that each posture should be mastered before the next one is given. Other senior teachers, such as Manju Jois, allowed more freedom in how students learned the postures, so the pace can differ from one teacher to another.

Many students spend several years on the Primary Series alone. Many others practice only the Primary Series for life, and that is a complete practice. The series are not levels to rush through. A steady breath and a safe body matter more than how far along the sequence you are.

How Is the Primary Series Structured?

The Primary Series has four parts: an opening sequence, a standing sequence, the seated Primary Series itself and a finishing sequence. Learn these four blocks first and the long pose list becomes much easier to remember.

Part	What it includes	Main purpose
1. Opening	Opening chant, Surya Namaskara A (5 rounds), Surya Namaskara B (5 rounds)	Build heat, set the breath rhythm
2. Standing sequence	Forward folds, triangles, side angles, wide-leg folds, balances, warrior poses	Build strength, balance and leg flexibility
3. Seated Primary Series	Forward bends, twists, hip openers, core work, a first backbend	The heart of Yoga Chikitsa
4. Finishing sequence	Shoulder stand, plow, fish, headstand, lotus, closing chant, rest	Cool down and calm the nervous system

Traditionally, practice begins with a short Sanskrit invocation to Patanjali and ends with a closing prayer for the well-being of all. Many teachers still include both. Some studios skip the chants, and that is a studio choice, not a rule.

What Is the Full Ashtanga Primary Series Pose List?

The full Ashtanga Primary Series pose list runs from Samasthiti and the sun salutations through the standing, seated and finishing postures below. Names are given in Sanskrit with a plain English meaning. Small differences between schools are normal.

Opening Sequence

#	Sanskrit name	English name
1	Samasthiti	Equal standing
2	Surya Namaskara A	Sun Salutation A (5 rounds)
3	Surya Namaskara B	Sun Salutation B (5 rounds)

Standing Sequence

#	Sanskrit name	English name
1	Padangusthasana	Big toe forward fold
2	Pada Hastasana	Hands under feet forward fold
3	Utthita Trikonasana	Extended triangle
4	Parivrtta Trikonasana	Revolved triangle
5	Utthita Parsvakonasana	Extended side angle
6	Parivrtta Parsvakonasana	Revolved side angle
7	Prasarita Padottanasana A, B, C, D	Wide-leg forward fold (four versions)
8	Parsvottanasana	Intense side stretch
9	Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana	Extended hand-to-big-toe balance
10	Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana	Half-bound lotus forward fold
11	Utkatasana	Chair pose
12	Virabhadrasana A and B	Warrior I and Warrior II

Seated Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa)

#	Sanskrit name	English name
1	Dandasana	Staff pose
2	Paschimottanasana A, B, C	Seated forward bend
3	Purvottanasana	Upward plank
4	Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana	Half-bound lotus seated forward bend
5	Tiriang Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana	One leg folded back forward bend
6	Janu Sirsasana A, B, C	Head-to-knee pose (three versions)
7	Marichyasana A, B, C, D	Sage Marichi’s poses (two forward bends, two twists)
8	Navasana	Boat pose (usually 5 rounds)
9	Bhujapidasana	Shoulder-pressing arm balance
10	Kurmasana	Tortoise pose
11	Supta Kurmasana	Sleeping tortoise pose
12	Garbha Pindasana	Embryo in the womb pose
13	Kukkutasana	Rooster pose
14	Baddha Konasana A and B	Bound angle pose
15	Upavistha Konasana A and B	Seated wide-angle pose
16	Supta Konasana	Reclining angle pose
17	Supta Padangusthasana	Reclining big toe pose
18	Ubhaya Padangusthasana	Both big toes balance
19	Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana	Upward-facing forward bend
20	Setu Bandhasana	Bridge (Ashtanga version)
21	Urdhva Dhanurasana	Upward bow or wheel (often 3 rounds)
22	Paschimottanasana	Seated forward bend, to counter the backbends

Finishing Sequence

#	Sanskrit name	English name
1	Salamba Sarvangasana	Supported shoulder stand
2	Halasana	Plow pose
3	Karnapidasana	Ear-pressure pose
4	Urdhva Padmasana	Upward lotus
5	Pindasana	Embryo pose in shoulder stand
6	Matsyasana	Fish pose
7	Uttana Padasana	Extended leg pose
8	Sirsasana A and B	Headstand
9	Balasana	Child’s pose
10	Baddha Padmasana and Yoga Mudra	Bound lotus and sealed gesture
11	Padmasana	Lotus pose (seated breathing)
12	Utpluthih (Tolasana)	Lifted lotus
13	Savasana	Final rest

You do not need to memorize all of this at once. In the traditional method, a teacher adds new postures only when you are steady in the ones before.

How Many Poses Are in the Primary Series?

The Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series has about 70 to 75 postures in total, depending on how you count the lettered variations and the sun salutations. The seated middle section alone has around 25 to 30 named postures.

Books give different totals because they count differently. One may count Janu Sirsasana A, B and C as one posture; another counts three. Both describe the same practice.

For a beginner, breaths are a more useful number than poses. In a led class, each posture is usually held for five breaths. Add the linking movements and a full practice includes several hundred breath-linked moves.

How Long Does the Primary Series Take?

A full Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series usually takes about 60 to 90 minutes for a steady practitioner, including the finishing sequence and final rest. Beginners and people who breathe more slowly may need longer.

Three things decide your practice time. The first is breath speed, since Pattabhi Jois taught slow, deep breathing. The second is how many postures you do, because most beginners stop partway through. The third is rest: final rest is part of the practice, so allow at least five minutes.

For busy weekdays, many practitioners use the “half Primary.” This usually means the sun salutations, the standing sequence, the seated postures up to Navasana, and then the finishing sequence. It takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes, which fits before work or on a lunch break.

Practice option	What it covers	Approximate time
Sun salutations only	Surya Namaskara A and B, short rest	15 to 20 minutes
Sun salutations + standing + finishing	Opening, standing sequence, finishing	35 to 45 minutes
Half Primary	Up to Navasana, then finishing	45 to 60 minutes
Full Primary	All four parts	60 to 90+ minutes

What Are Tristhana, Vinyasa, Bandha and Drishti?

Tristhana means “three places of attention”: posture, breath and gaze. Ashtanga teachers treat these three as one practice rather than three separate skills.

Breath

Ashtanga uses long, even breaths through the nose with a soft sound. Many teachers call this ujjayi breathing. Sharath Jois described it more simply as deep breathing with sound. Either way, the goal is an even, steady breath that sets the pace of the whole practice.

Vinyasa

Vinyasa is the count of movements and breaths that carries you into and out of each posture. A full linking vinyasa often moves through Chaturanga Dandasana, Upward-Facing Dog and Downward-Facing Dog before the next seated posture.

Bandhas

Bandhas are internal “locks” that give the body support and lightness. Two matter most in Ashtanga. Mula Bandha is a gentle lift of the pelvic floor, and Uddiyana Bandha is a light drawing-in of the lower belly. A third, Jalandhara Bandha (the chin lock), is used mainly in pranayama. Bandhas should feel light. Gripping hard makes the breath tense.

Drishti

Drishti is the fixed gaze point for each posture. Ashtanga uses nine main gaze points: the tip of the nose, between the eyebrows, the navel, the hand, the toes, far to the left, far to the right, the thumbs and upward. A set gaze keeps your attention from drifting around the room.

If you can keep an even breath, you are practicing Ashtanga well, even in the simplest version of a pose.

Also read: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training: 200 Hour Certificate

What Are the Benefits of the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series?

The main benefits of the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series are better strength, flexibility, balance, body awareness and focus, plus real aerobic work from the flowing sun salutations. Research on this exact sequence is still limited, so it helps to separate what studies show from what practitioners report.

What Research Suggests

• The sun salutations count as vigorous exercise. A study of Ashtanga-style sun salutations measured an energy cost of about 6.7 METs (Carroll, Otto and Wygand, 2003). Under the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 6 METs or more counts as vigorous activity.
• It raises heart rate more than gentle yoga. A 2007 comparison by Cowen and Adams found that Ashtanga-style classes raised heart rate more than gentle or relaxation-based classes.
• It can work as moderate exercise over months. In an eight-month randomized controlled study of an Ashtanga-based program for middle-aged premenopausal women, participants rated their effort as light to somewhat hard, and about half had exercise heart rates at 60 to 80 percent of their estimated maximum.

A Practical Example: Does It Count Toward Your Weekly Exercise?

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans ask adults for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening work on two or more days. Ashtanga covers both kinds of work: the sun salutations raise your heart rate, and holding your body weight in postures builds strength.

Here is a rough example using the standard MET formula (calories per minute = METs x 3.5 x body weight in kg / 200). A 150-pound (68 kg) person doing sun salutations at 6.7 METs burns roughly 8 calories a minute.

So 15 minutes of sun salutations burns about 120 calories. The seated postures are less intense, so the rate for a full 90-minute practice will be lower than that. Treat these numbers as estimates, not measurements for your own body.

What Practitioners Commonly Report

Regular practitioners often describe stronger arms, core and legs, since the repeated vinyasas work like steady body-weight training. Many also notice looser hamstrings and hips, because the series is full of forward bends and hip openers.

Others value the mental side. A set sequence and a fixed gaze leave less room for a busy mind. The routine is easy to keep, because there is nothing to plan. And new postures are added slowly, which gives clear, earned milestones.

These are general reports, not guaranteed results. What you get depends on how often you practice, your starting health and how well the practice fits your body. Claims that the Primary Series detoxifies the body or cures disease are not supported by research.

Is the Primary Series Suitable for Beginners?

Yes, the Primary Series can suit beginners if it is learned slowly, with modifications and ideally under a qualified teacher. A beginner should not try the full series on the first day.

The traditional Mysore method was designed with beginners in mind. You learn the sun salutations first. The teacher then adds standing postures one by one, over days or weeks. So a complete beginner practices a short, safe version of the series.

The Primary Series may be a good fit if you like structure and routine, enjoy a physical and sweaty practice, want to practice on your own once you know the order, and can be patient with slow progress.

It may not suit you right now if weight-bearing on your wrists, knees or spine is painful, if you prefer slow, held postures and deep relaxation, or if you are recovering from illness, surgery or a long period of low activity.

In those cases, a gentler Hatha or restorative practice may be a better place to start. The NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) gives similar advice: start with a class that suits your level and talk to your health care provider first if you have a medical condition.

How Should a Beginner Start? An Eight-Week Plan

The safest way to start the Primary Series is to build it in small blocks over several weeks, with short sessions three or four times a week. The plan below is a general starting guide from the Inteyoga Editorial Team. It is not a medical program, so adjust it to your body and your teacher’s advice.

Week	What to practice	Session length	Focus
1	Surya Namaskara A (3 rounds), Savasana	15 minutes	Learn the breath count
2	Surya Namaskara A (5) and B (3), Savasana	20 minutes	Smooth, even breath
3	Full sun salutations + first 4 standing postures + short finishing	30 minutes	Foot and knee alignment
4	Sun salutations + full standing sequence + short finishing	40 minutes	Balance and steady gaze
5	Add Dandasana, Paschimottanasana, Purvottanasana	45 minutes	Seated posture, relaxed shoulders
6	Add Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana to Janu Sirsasana C (with modifications)	50 minutes	Hip and knee care
7	Add Marichyasana A to D and Navasana	55 minutes	Twists without strain
8	Practice “half Primary” with the full finishing sequence	60 minutes	Consistency over depth

A few simple rules make the plan work:

1. Practice on an empty stomach. Wait two to three hours after a meal.
2. Keep the same order every time. Your memory of the sequence grows with repetition.
3. Never force a posture. Effort is normal. Sharp, pinching or joint pain means stop.
4. Add a posture only when the one before it feels steady. This is the heart of the Ashtanga method.
5. Always finish with the closing sequence and rest, even on short days.

Here is how that might look in a real week. Someone with a 9-to-5 job could practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:30 a.m. for 20 minutes in weeks one and two, then add a longer Saturday session from week three.

Traditionally, Ashtanga students practice six days a week, with one rest day and extra rest on full moon and new moon days. As a beginner, three or four sessions a week is a sensible, sustainable start.

Want to go deeper than one style? If you plan to build a solid foundation as a teacher, keep an eye on Inteyoga’s 200-hour yoga teacher training in Goa. The next 200-hour program is planned for approximately mid-2027; dates, fees and curriculum are not yet confirmed.

What Is the Difference Between Mysore Style and a Led Class?

In a Mysore-style class, each student practices the sequence at their own pace while the teacher gives one-on-one help. In a led class, the whole group moves together as the teacher counts each breath and movement. Both are traditional ways to learn the Primary Series.

Feature	Mysore style	Led class
Pace	Your own breath	Teacher’s count
Sequence	Only the postures you have been given	Full or half series for the group
Teacher’s role	Individual guidance and adjustments	Leads the count, gives group cues
Best for	Learning the order, steady progress	Learning correct breath counts and rhythm
Typical frequency	Most days of the week	Often once or twice a week

A typical class opens with a short chant and five rounds each of Sun Salutations A and B. Students then move through the standing and seated postures they have been taught, followed by backbends, the finishing sequence, a closing chant and rest. Mysore-style sessions are traditionally held in the early morning, which makes them easy to fit in before a workday.

How Do You Find a Good Ashtanga Teacher in the US?

Look for a teacher with long, regular experience in the Ashtanga method, a clear approach to safety, and a willingness to modify postures for your body. The quality of the teacher matters more than the studio’s name.

A few practical checks help. Ask how long the teacher has practiced and taught Ashtanga, and who they trained with. Some teachers are authorized by the Mysore institutes that carry on the Jois lineage, while many experienced teachers are not, so treat authorization as one signal among several.

You will often see “RYT 200” after a teacher’s name. According to Yoga Alliance, the RYT 200 credential means the teacher completed a 200-hour training with a Registered Yoga School (RYS 200) and registered with Yoga Alliance.

Yoga Alliance is a voluntary registry, not a government license, and the credential says nothing specific about Ashtanga experience. You can check a teacher’s or school’s listing in the Yoga Alliance directory.

Before your first class, ask these questions:

• Do you offer a beginner or Mysore introduction program?
• How do you handle injuries and modifications?
• Can I ask for no hands-on adjustments, or light ones only?
• How are new postures added to a student’s practice?

A good teacher will answer clearly and will never pressure you into a posture that hurts.

What Are Safe Modifications for Hard Poses?

The safest modifications keep the breath smooth and protect the knees, lower back, wrists and neck. Here are simple options for postures that often challenge beginners.

Challenging posture	Common difficulty	Simple modification
Chaturanga Dandasana	Weak arms, sagging hips	Lower the knees to the floor
Jump back and jump through	Lack of arm strength	Step back and step through instead
Padangusthasana and Paschimottanasana	Tight hamstrings	Bend the knees; hold a strap
Ardha Baddha Padma postures	Knee strain in half lotus	Place the foot on the opposite thigh or rest the sole on the inner thigh
Marichyasana binds	Hands will not meet	Hold a strap or hug the knee
Navasana	Weak core, back strain	Keep the knees bent, hands behind the thighs
Supta Kurmasana	Deep hip and shoulder demand	Practice Kurmasana only, with bent knees
Urdhva Dhanurasana	Shoulder or lower back strain	Practice Setu Bandhasana (bridge) instead
Salamba Sarvangasana and Sirsasana	Neck strain	Skip inversions or use legs-up-the-wall; learn inversions only with a teacher

Using a modification is not cheating. In Ashtanga, a steady breath matters more than the shape of the posture.

What Are the Most Common Mistakes?

The most common Primary Series mistakes are rushing, holding the breath and forcing the joints into deep shapes. Most problems come from ambition rather than from the sequence itself.

• Forcing lotus. Pulling a foot into lotus can strain the knee. The rotation should come from the hip.
• Holding the breath in hard postures. If you cannot breathe evenly, back off.
• Collapsing in Chaturanga. Letting the shoulders dip below the elbows loads the front of the shoulder.
• Pulling in forward bends. Rounding hard and yanking on the feet can strain the lower back and the hamstring attachments.
• Skipping the finishing sequence. The closing postures and rest help the body settle after heat and effort.
• Comparing yourself with others. Two people with different bodies will never look the same in a posture.
• Accepting forceful adjustments. You can always ask a teacher not to adjust you, or to adjust you lightly.

Ashtanga Primary Series vs Vinyasa Yoga: What Is the Difference?

The main difference is that the Ashtanga Primary Series follows a fixed order of postures every time, while Vinyasa yoga, often called Vinyasa flow, changes the sequence from class to class. Both link breath and movement, and Vinyasa flow has been strongly influenced by Ashtanga.

Feature	Ashtanga Primary Series	Vinyasa flow
Sequence	Fixed, same order every practice	Changes each class
Origin	Mysore tradition of K. Pattabhi Jois	Modern style developed from Ashtanga and other methods
Pace	Set by the breath count	Set by the teacher; fast or slow
Music	Usually none	Often used in US studios
Progression	New postures added one by one	No formal posture-by-posture progression
Home practice	Easy once the order is learned	Needs a plan or a recorded class
Physical demand	Moderate to high	Low to high, depending on the class
Best for	People who like structure and self-practice	People who like variety and creative flow

Neither style is better. Ashtanga gives depth through repetition, and Vinyasa gives variety. Plenty of students practice Ashtanga most mornings and take a Vinyasa class on the weekend for a change.

Primary Series vs Intermediate Series

Once the Primary Series is steady, some students move on to the Intermediate Series.

Feature	Primary Series	Intermediate Series
Sanskrit name	Yoga Chikitsa	Nadi Shodhana
Main focus	Forward bends, hips, core	Backbends, leg-behind-head, arm balances
Traditional aim	Balance and strengthen the body	Work on the nervous system and energy channels
Who practices it	Beginners to advanced	Steady Primary Series practitioners only

Who Should Be Careful With the Primary Series?

People who are pregnant, injured, recovering from surgery or managing heart, blood pressure, eye or joint conditions should talk to their doctor before starting the Primary Series. The series includes heat, inversions, deep forward bends and strong weight-bearing on the arms.

Take extra care, or check with your doctor first, if any of these apply:

• Pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) considers modified yoga a safe option in an uncomplicated pregnancy, but advises avoiding hot yoga and poses that keep you lying on your back or still for long periods. Jump-backs, deep twists, strong core work and inversions in the Primary Series need major changes, so a prenatal class is usually a better fit.
• High or low blood pressure. Inversions and fast transitions may not suit you.
• Glaucoma or eye pressure problems. A 2006 study in Ophthalmology found that eye pressure roughly doubled during headstand in experienced practitioners, and a 2015 study found pressure rose in several head-down yoga positions, including in people with glaucoma. Ask your eye doctor before doing inversions.
• Heart conditions. The sun salutations can raise heart rate quickly.
• Recent surgery or injury, especially of the spine, knees, shoulders or wrists.
• Neck problems. Avoid shoulder stand, plow and headstand until you are cleared.
• Osteoporosis. Deep forward bends and loaded twists may need to be modified.

Injury risk is worth knowing about. A 2008 survey of Ashtanga practitioners by Mikkonen and colleagues found that 62 percent reported at least one injury lasting longer than a month.

The survey had no control group, so it cannot show that Ashtanga causes more injuries than other activities. For yoga in general, the NCCIH’s review of yoga safety notes that the most common injuries are sprains and strains, and serious injuries are rare.

The practical rule is simple. Pain that is sharp, pinching or in a joint means stop. Mild muscle effort does not.

A Practice Checklist for the Primary Series

Use this checklist before, during and after each session to practice the Primary Series more safely. You can print it or save it on your phone.

Before practice

• Stomach empty (two to three hours after a meal)
• Non-slip mat, a strap and a block within reach
• Room airy and not too hot
• You know which postures you will practice today
• Any new pain or health change checked with a doctor

During practice

• Breath slow, even and through the nose
• Gaze steady on the drishti
• Bandhas light, not gripped
• Knees protected in lotus and half-lotus shapes
• Modifications used without guilt

After practice

• Finishing sequence completed, even if short
• At least five minutes of Savasana
• Water and a light meal after resting
• Any painful posture noted and shared with your teacher

How Does Inteyoga Fit Into Your Yoga Path?

Inteyoga does not currently run an Ashtanga Vinyasa program. It offers an integrated, restorative approach to Hatha and Raja Yoga for people who want to study beyond any single style. We want to be clear about that up front.

Inteyoga, also known as Swami Krishnananda Yoga Vidyapeeth, is a residential yoga school in Colva, South Goa, India, managed by Inteyoga Shala LLP. The school is registered with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga School at the RYS 200, RYS 300 and RYS 500 levels. The founder-director is Dr. Ashutosh, MBBS, M.Sc. (Yoga).

Many Ashtanga practitioners reach a point where they want more than a physical sequence. They want to understand breath, rest, the nervous system and the inner practices of yoga. Our current program is built for that stage.

The program is the Advanced TTC 300-Hour Integrated Restorative Yoga (Including Yoga Nidra, Chakra Sadhana, and Prana Vidya Intensive):

• Duration: 43+2 days (43 training days plus one arrival day and one departure day), residential and taught in English.
• Eligibility: a completed 200-hour yoga teacher training (TTC 200) or equivalent; age 18 to 59, with 21 and above recommended and 18 to 20 considered case by case.
• Confirmed batches: December 13, 2026 to January 26, 2027; February 5 to March 21, 2027; May 24 to July 7, 2027; July 16 to August 29, 2027; September 7 to October 21, 2027; November 1 to December 15, 2027.
• Gift-it-Forward model: there is no payment required to apply or to participate. After completing the program, participants may voluntarily support future aspirants. There is no obligation to contribute.
• Travel from the US: the Government of India’s e-Visa rules list attending a short-term yoga programme as a purpose for the e-Tourist Visa. This is a short-term yoga program, and participants receive a participation or completion certificate rather than an academic degree or diploma. International participants, including US citizens, use the Indian e-Tourist Visa route, subject to nationality-specific eligibility and current Government of India rules.

If you have a steady Ashtanga practice and a 200-hour qualification, this program can add depth in restorative practice, Yoga Nidra and pranayama-based inner work. Full details are on the 300-hour yoga teacher training in Goa page.

Also read: 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training In Goa: A Complete 2026 Guide

How We Wrote This Guide

This guide was written by the Inteyoga Editorial Team and checked against primary sources, official bodies, US government health data and peer-reviewed studies. We link to our sources so you can verify each claim yourself.

Historical details come from established references, including Pattabhi Jois’s Yoga Mala, Krishnamacharya’s Yoga Makaranda, Mark Singleton’s Yoga Body and published accounts of Ashtanga’s arrival in the US.

US participation figures come from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Safety guidance follows the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and published eye-pressure studies. Yoga Alliance terms follow Yoga Alliance’s own published standards. Research claims are limited to what the cited studies measured.

Where the history is disputed, such as the origin of the sequence, we say so. Where the evidence is thin, such as research on this exact sequence, we say that too.

Conclusion

The Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series is a structured practice that rewards patience. It ties breath, posture and gaze into one steady rhythm. Because the order never changes, it is easy to practice at home once you know it, and its pose-by-pose learning path is kinder to beginners than its reputation suggests.

Start small. Learn the sun salutations, then add the standing postures. Use modifications without guilt, and let your breath set the pace rather than your ambition. Treat pain as information, and work with a qualified teacher when you can.

If your practice is steady and you want to explore the restorative and inner side of yoga, take a look at the Advanced TTC 300-Hour Integrated Restorative Yoga (Including Yoga Nidra, Chakra Sadhana, and Prana Vidya Intensive) in Colva, South Goa. Apply through our booking page, email info@inteyoga.org, or message us on WhatsApp at +91 935-473-7240.

Also read: Best Yoga Classes in Goa: Honest 2026 Guide to Drop-ins & TTC

About the Author

Inteyoga Editorial Team is the editorial team of Inteyoga (Swami Krishnananda Yoga Vidyapeeth), a residential yoga school in Colva, South Goa, managed by Inteyoga Shala LLP and registered with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga School (RYS 200, RYS 300 and RYS 500).

The team writes practical, research-aware guides on yoga practice and teacher training. Inteyoga’s founder-director is Dr. Ashutosh, MBBS, M.Sc. (Yoga), Yoga Master Level 6 (Yoga Certification Board, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India). Learn more about our teacher.

Medical Disclaimer

This article is for general education only. It is not medical advice and does not replace advice from a doctor or other qualified health professional. The Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series is a physically demanding practice.

If you are pregnant, injured, recovering from surgery, or living with a heart, blood pressure, eye, bone or joint condition, talk to your doctor before starting. Stop any posture that causes sharp or unusual pain. A yoga teacher is not a medical provider, and yoga is not a treatment for any disease.

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