Ashtanga Yoga - The Practice Manual Hardcover – Illustrated, 1 Sept. 2007

I say mind blowing because it is this book that has laid the way for some serious ashtanga yoga practice. I have got so much value from this book, not just from David's wonderful step by step breakdown, but also the ethos of the book and the thumbnails at the back that you can have open so you can just flow through your practice and glance down to see what asana is next. I highly recommend this book - it is very thorough and relatively user friendly. My only criticism is the austere visual style - you see the cover and think, wow this looks likes a dynamic book, but when you open it you see a black and white, quite linear layout. There are pluses to this in the sense that you have a clear 'no fuss' guide, however I feel it is visually a little too dry. Saying that, there is a seriousness about it that is a reflection of the discipline that is required to develop a sustained ashtanga yoga practice. David is a clear and concise teacher and I highly recommend this book for anyone who want a sincere, practical and informative companion on their journey through the primary and intermediate series. The short forms are great as a leading practice to the full series too. This kind of book is such an achievement that my criticisms are purely superficial - the book is fantastic for anyone who really wants to learn and practice ashtanga yoga from an experienced, grounded and inspiring teacher.

I ordered this product to learn beginner yoga positions and to help me relax from everyday stress. There are many books available and i wasn't sure which to choose, however many customers rated this product 5 stars which led me to believe this was worth my money (and i will also agree after having read the book).The content is so simple to follow in relation to the positions given: each position is accompanied with step by step pictures and alternatives to the 'asanas' (postures) if you cannot perform a section. The title of each posture is explained and translated so that the user can understand what he/she is reading. There are very useful comments at the bottom of each page regarding the postures and how to focus on parts of the body (referred to as 'drishti') whilst flowing through each position.I have seen a dramatic increase in my own flexibility over the period of 3 weeks from simply taking the time to stretch out once a day, and i highly recommend this book to the beginner who wants an introduction to basic shapes and postures in yoga. I am thoroughly enjoying this product!

I purchased this book fourteen years ago back in 2003 at the beginning of my Ashtanga journey. Since then it has been my faithful companion at every home practice I've done, and I've done loads! After 14 years I have a daily Ashtanga practice and I no longer have it open very often, but it is my go-to book whenever I need to check a posture, drishti, alinement, or anything. When I move on a new posture it gives me all that I need. In my opinion an essential book for every Ashtangi, no other book even comes close to this awesome practical guide. Big clear pictures! Get in!

I think that this book is a great guide for any Ashtanga yoga lover who wants an easy, detailed yet simple step by step guide. The photos demonstrating the postures and sun salutations are great and I like the fact that they have variations of the postures dependant upon your level. There is a 15 min, 30 min and 1 hour (or is it 45 min - can't remember) routine which is great for your practice as you can fit it in regardless of how much time you have. I also like the way the Sanskrit asanas (posture names) are translated and broken down into English.This really is a great book for beginners, as it gives some good introductions to yoga, but also for the more advanced yoga student as there is lots of opportunity to learn more about the secondary series and more subtle areas such as bandas.I definitely recommend this book, it is the kind of book you could use daily or keep on your bookshelf for reference.

This book is amazing. It takes a little while to get your head round some of the words, but you can always reference back and it has translations underneath.I really enjoyed initially reading through this book before putting some of the techniques and postures into practice, i found that I learnt a lot about the nature of yoga and its benefits as well as the safest way to practice it.The book offers numerous postures and with each posture it offers different levels of difficulty, meaning that you can build you strength and confidence slowly.The book offers routines of varying time scales, however this book has helped me to construct my own routines to suit my needs.I would recommend this book to everyone wanting to learn ashtanga yoga but lacks confidence on where to start.

As a beginner I'm trying to throw myself into the world of yoga but I can only get to class once a week. This book, in conjuction with that class, is enabling me to practise at home whenever I can and has significantly helped me develop a personal practise.David clearly explains all the postures as well as providing clear photos of them and two or more easier variation to work with. There are also some short practices laid out at the back of the book along with a quick reference for key sequences for ease of practise without too much flipping.Well worth the investment, this book is my home yoga teacher/partner.

Can't remember this purchase.