Ashtanga Poses Flashcards
Surya Namaskara A
“Sir-yah Nah-mah-scarah”
Normally 5 sets with 5 breaths in each down dog.
1 - Inhale. Hands above head, look to thumbs
2 - Exhale. fold
3 - Inhale. Chest lifts
4 - Exhale. plant hands, step or hop back into plank
5 - Inhale, low cobra or upward facing dog.
6 - Exhale. Downward facing dog
7 - 5 breaths
8 - Inhale. Bend knees, step or hop to front and lift your chest.
9 - Exhale. Fold in half.
10 - Inhale. Reach up, hands above head.
11 - Exhale. Arms down to side
12 - Samastitihi
Surya Namaskara B
“Sir-yah Nah-mah-scarah”
1 - Inhale. Hands above head, look to thumbs
2 - Exhale. fold
3 - Inhale. Chest lifts
4 - Exhale. plant hands, step or hop back into plank
5 - Inhale, low cobra or upward facing dog.
6 - Exhale. Downward facing dog.
7 - 1 breath
8 - Inhale. Plant left foot. Bring right foot up to top of mat, keep bend in front foot. Move into Warrior 1.
1 breath.
9 - Exhale. Complete flow back to down dog.
1 breath.
10- Inhale. Plant right foot. Bring left foot up to top of mat, keep bend in front foot. Move into Warrior 1.
1 breath.
11 - Exhale. Complete flow back to down dog.
5 breaths.
12 - Inhale. Bend knees, step or hop to front and lift your chest.
13 - Exhale. Fold in half.
14 - Inhale. Reach up into chair pose, hands above head.
15 - Exhale. Stand up tall then bring arms down to side.
16 - Samastitihi
Virabhadrasana
“Veerah-bah-draw-sah-nah”
Virabhadra - warrior/hero
Asana - hold
Warrior 1, 2, 3
Padangusthasana
“Paw-dawn-goose-t-ah-sah-nah”
Padan - foot
Gusth - big toe
Asana - hold
Heels hip distance apart Hands at hip Fold in half Grab big toe Pull body towards floor using arms 5 breaths Move to padahastasana
Standing posture 1
Utkatasana
“Oot-kah-tah-sah-nah”
Utka - fierce
Asana - hold
Chair pose
Padahastasana
“Paw-dah-hast-ah-sah-nah”
Padan - foot
Hasta - Hand
Astana - hold
Move hands from big toes to under foot, toes to wrist
Fold, pulling body towards foot with arms
5 breaths
Return to front of mat when done
Samastitihi
Standing posture 2
Immediately after padangusthasana
Utthita Trikosana
“Oot-hee-tah tree-kō-nah-sah-nah”
Utthita - extended
Tri - three
Kona - angle
Asana - hold
Open legs wide, arms up
Move right foot to face the front, back leg stays
Shift body towards front foot, angle arm towards forward foot straight down.
Opposite arm raises to the sky, straight up.
5 breaths
Switch sides, 5 breaths
Move into parivritta trikonasana
Standing posture 3
Follows padahastasana
Parivritta Trikonasana
“Parv-ree-tah tree-kō-nah-sah-nah”
Parivritta - revolved
Tri - three
Kona - angle
Asana - hold
Legs wide, front foot turned towards the front.
Square off hips, may need to widen back stance
Back foot 45 degree angle, heels in line.
Start with right foot forward, then reach up high with right arm.
Bring right arm to ground, left side of right foot.
Twist body towards left.
Open left arm towards sky and look up to thumbs
5 breaths.
Rotate and repeat on opposite side
When finished return to front of mat.
Samastitihi
Standing posture 4
Immediately after utthita trikosana
Utthita Parsvakonasana
“Oot-hee-tah pars-vah-kō-nah-sah-nah”
Utthita - extended
Parsva - side
Kona - angle
Asana - hold
Open legs wide, arms up Lunge into right leg. Lean body down, placing right arm on top of the lunge leg, and move your left arm above your head at an angle towards the wall. You want to create a long line from heel to fingers. 5 breaths Repeat on left side. Move into parivritta parsvakonasana
Standing posture 5
Do after parivritta trikonasana
Parivritta Parsvakonasana
“Parv-ree-tah Pars-vah-kō-nah-sah-nah”
Parivritta - revolved
Parsa - side
Kona - angle
Asana - hold
With legs wide, square hips to face front of right leg.
Lunge into right leg.
Prayer hands in front, lean down and twist body to the right, hooking left elbow over right lunged leg.
Stay there, or to advance move left leg towards floor and right arm over to the top angled, making a straight line between heels and toes.
Five breaths.
Swap sides
Five breaths
When finished return to top of mat
Samastitihi
Standing posture 6
Follows immediately after Utthita Parsvakonasana
Prasarita Padottanasana
“Prah-sah-ree-tah Paw-doh-tah-nah-sah-nah”
Prasarita - spread out
Padan - foot
Uttana - intense stretch
Asana - hold
Open legs wide. Fold in half for four postures, straight back.
5 breaths each hold.
A - hands at hip. Fold. Move hands to floor. Head hangs no wrinkles in neck. Hands pull towards ground. When finished, Hands back at hips for one breath before coming up.
B - Hands at hip. Fold. Keep hands at hip.
C - shoulder rinse. Fold.
D - hands at hip. Fold. Move hands down legs until grabbing big toe. When big toe is reached, pull body using arms towards ground. Hands back at hips for one breath before coming up.
After fourth hold, return to front of mat.
Samastitihi
Standing posture 7
Follows after Parivritta Parsvakonasana.
Parsvottanasana
“Pars-voh Tah-nah-sah-nah”
Parsva - side
Uttina - intense stretch
Asana - hold
Open legs wide. Rotate right foot towards front, back foot at 45 degree angle. Square hips to front. Prayer hands behind back, then fold in half. Eventually having forehead to toes. 5 breaths Rotate on heels to left side. Repeat 5 breaths. Move to front of mat. Samastitihi
Standing posture 8
Follows after Prasarita Padottanasana.
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
“Oot-hee-tah Haw-stah Paw-dawn-goose-t-ah-sah-nah”
Utthita - extended Hasta - hand Padan - foot Gusth - big toe Asana - hold
Face front of mat.
Bring right leg up and grab big toe.
Extend leg.
A - leg in front straight out. 5 breaths
B - leg wide to the side. 5 breaths
C - leg back in front and lifted as high as you can go. 1 breath.
D - leg go of leg and hold leg out straight. 5 breaths.
Move into Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana.
Standing posture 9
Follows after Parsvottasana
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
“Ar-dah Bad-dah Pahd-maw Paw-she-mow-tah-nah-sah-nah”
Ardha - half Baddha - bind Padma - foot Paschima - west Uttina - intense stretch Asana - hold
Straight left leg Bring right leg into half lotus position, right heel on left hip. Raise hands above head and fold over Five breaths Switch legs Five breaths
Move into Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana
Seated posture 4
Follows after Purvottanasana
Final flow series
1 - Take full flow but only one breath in dog.
2 - After dog, half fold then come up into chair pose.
5 breaths.
3 - Fold right away and start flow.
4 - Right leg warrior 1.
5 breaths
5 - Keep hands in air and spin backwards to left leg warrior 1.
5 breaths.
6 - Warrior 2 on left.
5 breaths
7 - Spin to warrior 2 on right.
5 breaths
8 - Flow down to down dog.
1 breath!!
9 - Jump through to seated position.Dandasana
“Dawn-dah-sah-nah”
Danda - stick
Asana - pose
Sit tall, legs out straight.
Place palms down at hips and push up tall.
Chin down, activate bondahs”
5 breaths
Move into Paschimottanasana.
Seated position 1
Immediately after jump through/sit down
Paschimottanasana
“Paw-she-mow-tah-nah-sah-nah”
Paschima - western
Uttina - intense stretch
Asana - hold
Legs out straight, fold in half keeping head up and back straight. 5 breaths each.
A - hook big toes and pull body down, head towards toes.
B - hands to outside of feet, thumbs between big toe and first toe.
C - both hands behind foot, coming from the sides. Back of one hand against foot, palms together.
Move into Purvottanasana
Seated position 2
Follows after dandasana
Purvottanasana
“Pur-vō-tah-nah-sah-nah”
Purva - eastern
Uttina - Intense stretch
Asana - hold
Place hands behind you, fingers towards hips.
Push up reverse plank, hips high with foot fully on ground, toes touching.
Head back, five breaths
Move into Ardha Baddha Paschimottanasana.
Seated posture 3
Follows after Paschimottanasana
Ardha Baddha Padmottasana
“Ar-dah Bah-dah Pad-mow-tah-sah-nah”
Ardha - half Baddha - bind Padma - lotus Uttina - intense stretch Asana - hold
Stand on left leg and bring right leg up.
Grab foot, pulling towards left hip and allow knee to fall back down.
Either place right arm at heart center or Swim right arm behind back and grab what you can, elbow or Opposite foot.
If you have grabbed your right foot with right arm, fold in half, left leg straight and left arm touching ground. Right arm can stay holding foot or let go and also reach ground.
5 breaths.
Swap legs
5 breaths
Return to front of mat
Samastitihi
Standing posture 10
Follows after Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana
“Tree-anguh Moo-kī-kah-pah-dah Paw-she-mow-tah-nah-sah-nah”
Tri - three Anga - limb Mukha - face Eka - one Pacha - foot Paschima - west Uttina - intense stretch Asana - hold
Left leg straight out, bend right knee towards you then place foot behind you. Heel rests against body. Sit up straight, arms above head. Fold over and grab foot with hands. Five breaths. Switch legs. Five breaths.
Follow by Janu Sirsasana
Seated posture 5
Follows after Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
Janu Sirsasana
“Jon-you Sir-saw-sah-nah”
Janu - knee
Sirsa - head
Asana - hold
Left leg straight, right leg in. When positioned, arms overhead and fold in half.
5 breaths.
Switch legs
5 breaths.
A - classic, leg folded against long leg, like a seated tree pose.
B - bring leg up, then move butt over the heel and sit on heel.
C - bring leg up, then twist the toes down with heel up against crotch.
Follow by Marichyasana
Seated posture 6
Done after Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana.
Marichyasana
“Mary-chee-ah-sah-nah”
Marichi - great sage
Asana - hold
Keep left leg out, bring right knee into chest with foot on ground. One hand width from left leg. Do each twist for 5 breaths then switch legs. Usually only A is done in 60 min class.
Move into navasana after this pose.
A - left leg straight, right knee up. Twist right arm around knee and behind to meet left arm. shoulder wraps around knee to the outside and binds with opposite hand. Then fold forward.
B - create half lotus leg with left leg and bring right knee up. This will create a leg bind. Then do same shoulder wrap as A. Swap sides.
C - bring right knee up again. This time twist body so left shoulder is near left knee. Hold twist with right arm back, and wrap left arm around left knee then bring back to the body to meet right arm. Creating a twist and bind.
D - following c, but this time add same lotus leg as b.
Seated position 7
Follows after Janu Sirsasana
Navasana
“Nah-vah-sah-nah”
Nava - boat
Asana - hold
Boat pose. Back straight, then bring knees up. Stretch arms out straight and lift legs.
Straighten legs
Hold five breaths
Repeat five times.
Move into finishing series (unless doing longer than 60 min class and going to do more seated series)
Seated position 8
Follows after Marichyasana
