Despite being a fashionable form of exercise and quasi-spirituality, ashtanga yoga positions should be considered with all of the respect of a gymnastics or break dancing routine. You can very easily get hurt in trying to perform ashtanga yoga positions if you do not train for them and then properly warm up and cool down each time you do a routine.

You Need To Be In Good Health Already

Perhaps you might see old black and white portraits of chubby Indian gurus putting themselves through incredible ashtanga yoga postures. This does not mean that ashtanga yoga positions can safely be done by anyone out of shape. It has only been through years of practice could the chubby yogis manage to do their routines without also injuring themselves.

You cannot just jump, bend or roll into ashtanga yoga positions. You also need a lot of training. Like gymnastics or break dancing, ashtanga yoga postures require a great sense of balance and upper body strength. It's not enough that you are thin – you also need to be strong. You need to get yourself basically fit before you can attempt any ashtanga yoga positions.

Don't Skip The Warm Up Drill

Even after months or years of basic training, you still need to go through a warm up routine of at least fifteen minutes before you can attempt any ashtanga yoga positions. Fortunately, many yoga routines work the warm up drills into their routine or classes. You tend to begin with calming your mind, breathing in a ritual way and chanting mantras. You then begin easy stretches.

This helps you to focus on the yoga routine at hand and helps you become more attuned to your body. You don't need your mind wandering when you are attempting to do ashtanga yoga positions. You need to pay close attention to your balance, muscles and body positions. Warm up drills help you not only get physically prepared for the demands of ashtanga yoga positions, but also mentally prepared.

Don't Compare Yourself To Others

You will learn yoga at your own pace. This might be slower than others, or it might be quicker than others. When you learn is the right time for you to learn. Don't compare yourself to others in your yoga class in this way. Just do the best you can do. If a yoga position hurts you, your instructor should be able to quickly modify it for you.