Ashtanga is a challenging yoga practice that BODY proudly offers, making it one of the only studios in Santa Fe to host this dynamic class.

Tom instructing one of his Ashtanga yoga classes

About Ashtanga: The Power of Rigorous Yoga

Known as one of the most demanding and traditional yoga styles, Ashtanga is a dynamic and empowering form of yoga that harmonizes breath, movement, and mindfulness. The practice involves a challenging sequence of asanas (poses) that are performed in a specific order which has the effect of ‘unlocking’ the body in an intelligent and scientific way, each pose preparing the body for poses to come. The poses are linked seamlessly with breath, ensuring a vigorous and physically engaging experience. These exhilarating and challenging posture flows were designed to purify the body to offer peace of mind, and eventually gave rise to many different styles of hot yoga, vinyasa (flow) yoga, and power yoga. The fixed order and specified breathing rhythm create a disciplined yet empowering routine that efficiently strengthens and shapes the body.

What to Expect in Class: Precision and Focus

In an Ashtanga class, the teacher balances leading the class with giving attention to each practitioner, emphasizing precise posture execution. This focused approach means there's little room for distractions – it's an opportunity to concentrate fully on executing poses, leaving no time for worries or negative thoughts. The class typically begins with sets of Sun Salutations, followed by standing poses, seated poses, back bending, and inversions.

Is Ashtanga for You?

If you thrive on intense workouts, are interested in developing the maturity of practice that comes with some degree of repetition, and seek the guidance of individual instruction, Ashtanga might be your perfect match. This practice develops and demands a high level of physical strength, flexibility, and endurance, making it an excellent choice for those looking to build both physical and mental resilience. However, while the Ashtanga series are challenging, the use of props and modifications are offered to make the practice accessible to practitioners of all levels.

If you’re a seasoned yogi, or you want something that makes it easier to measure your progression in the movements and is easy to modify the asanas to suit your needs, Ashtanga may be the style of yoga you need. It’s also great if you want to focus your yoga practice on building strength and physical health. With regular practice ashtanga can bring flexibility, strength, and focus and can also improve your mental state, giving you increased focus and clarity.

Ashtanga vs. Vinyasa Yoga

While Vinyasa yoga is more free-style and improvised, Ashtanga adheres to a set sequence of asanas, and the Ashtanga classes at Body largely honor the Ashtanga primary series sequence. Some variations from the traditional sequencing, such as selected second and third series poses, are offered in the spirit of providing greater opportunities for challenge and exploration. If you prefer the predictability of a structured practice, Ashtanga provides a clear path to visualize your progress and to free the mind to engage in a true moving meditation.

Ready for the challenge? Check out BODY’s class schedule and book your Ashtanga session here.

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