Ashtanga Yoga Courses
2 courses · 1 instructor · 2 schools
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga is built around the Primary Series sequence, counted vinyasa, and the disciplined ongoing practice that defines this lineage. The course develops a steady personal practice through guided form, breath, and philosophy work, with online study letting practitioners build the sequence consistently and revisit specific postures as the practice deepens.
Online Ashtanga yoga: the Primary Series, Mysore style, and the path to teaching
Ashtanga is the fierce, precise grandparent of modern flow yoga — a set sequence of postures linked by breath and movement, practiced the same way each time so that the body learns and the mind settles. Studying Ashtanga means committing to a lineage and a method: the Primary Series, the count, the drishti and ujjayi breath. An Ashtanga yoga teacher training turns that dedicated practice into the ability to guide others.
Most people look for Ashtanga yoga courses online so they can build a self-practice and learn the sequence properly, and the programs available in 2026 range from learning the Primary Series to full teacher training. The first thing to understand is that Ashtanga is traditionally learned Mysore-style — self-paced, under individual guidance — which shapes how it is taught.
What the practice involves
Ashtanga is built on set sequences. The Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa) is the foundation everyone begins with; the Intermediate Series and beyond come only once the previous one is established. Woven through it are the tristana — the union of posture, breath (ujjayi), and gaze (drishti) — and the vinyasa count that links each movement. Teacher training adds sequencing, adjustment, and the methodology of guiding a Mysore room.
The discipline is in the daily repetition — the same practice, deepening over years. Ashtanga is a lineage within the wider field of online yoga courses, and its dynamic vinyasa contrasts with the slower, alignment-led Hatha yoga. The Yoga Alliance standards define how an Ashtanga training maps to the RYT-200.
Good to know
An Ashtanga training can lead to the RYT-200 like any registered style. Traditional authorization to teach came through the lineage of K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore (KPJAYI, now the Sharath Yoga Center). Note that the lineage carries a difficult history, including serious allegations against Pattabhi Jois; many respected teachers now teach the method independently. Check the lineage and route a program offers.
The structure of Ashtanga practice
Ashtanga follows a clear, cumulative structure rather than varied class-to-class sequencing:
| Element | What it is | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Series | The foundational set sequence (Yoga Chikitsa) | Where everyone begins |
| Mysore style | Self-paced practice with individual guidance | The traditional way to learn |
| Led class | The full sequence counted aloud by a teacher | Reinforces the vinyasa count |
| Intermediate & beyond | Advanced series for established practitioners | Added only once the prior series is set |
How you approach Ashtanga depends on your goal — building a Primary Series self-practice, or training to teach. Either way it sits within the broader yoga field, and many teachers ground it in a full 200-hour yoga teacher training before specializing in the lineage. An ashtanga yoga certification through a registered school leads to the RYT-200, though you can equally study ashtanga yoga online purely for your own practice.
Five things worth checking before you enroll
Who Ashtanga yoga is for
It suits practitioners who thrive on structure, discipline, and a strong physical practice — people who want to go deep into one method rather than sample many. It rewards consistency above all, so a willingness to practice regularly matters far more than starting flexibility. Many committed Ashtangis eventually train to teach, carrying the lineage forward.
How to choose a course
Choose by lineage and method. Look for a program that teaches the Mysore-style self-practice at the heart of Ashtanga, is transparent about the lineage it follows, and — if you want to teach — leads to the RYT-200. Depth in the Primary Series matters more than a long list of extras.
Favor teachers with genuine, long-term practice in the method and honesty about its history. Ashtanga is demanding and personal; a program that respects the tradition while acknowledging its complications is a more trustworthy place to commit the years the practice asks for.
The full name of the method is ashtanga vinyasa yoga.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mysore style?
Mysore style is the traditional way Ashtanga is taught: students practice the sequence at their own pace, from memory, in a shared room while a teacher gives individual guidance and adjustments. Named after Mysore in India, it is self-paced yet closely supervised, which is why it builds such a strong personal practice.
Do I need a 200-hour to teach Ashtanga?
To register with Yoga Alliance as an RYT-200, yes — an Ashtanga RYT-200 is the same foundational credential taught through this lineage. Traditional Ashtanga authorization also came through the Mysore lineage. Yoga is unregulated, so you can teach without registration, but most studios expect an RYT-200.
What are the Ashtanga series?
Ashtanga is organized into set sequences of increasing difficulty. The Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa) is the foundation everyone starts with; the Intermediate Series (Nadi Shodhana) and the Advanced Series follow, each added only once the previous one is well established. Most practitioners spend years on the Primary Series.
Is Ashtanga still tied to Pattabhi Jois and KPJAYI?
Historically yes — the modern method traces to K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, and authorization came through KPJAYI, now the Sharath Yoga Center. The lineage carries a difficult history, including serious allegations against Pattabhi Jois, and many respected teachers now teach independently. It is worth understanding a program’s lineage before you commit.
Can I learn Ashtanga online?
Yes, to a degree. You can learn the Primary Series, the vinyasa count, and the breath and gaze techniques online, and build a solid self-practice. Because Ashtanga traditionally relies on individual adjustment, look for programs that offer real feedback and, ideally, some live Mysore-style guidance rather than recordings alone.
Is Ashtanga yoga hard for beginners?
Ashtanga is demanding, but the set sequence is exactly what makes it learnable — you repeat the same primary series and progress at your own pace, often in a Mysore setting with individual guidance. Beginners can absolutely start; the challenge is consistency, not any single hard class.
What is the difference between Ashtanga and Vinyasa?
Ashtanga (properly ashtanga vinyasa yoga) follows a fixed sequence of ashtanga yoga poses in the same order every time, linked by breath. Vinyasa borrows that breath-linked movement but varies the sequence class to class. Ashtanga is the disciplined source; vinyasa is the freer, creative descendant.