Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual [Spiral-bound]

David Swenson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 20, 2007

This is the most user-friendly yoga book available! It contins the entire Primary and Intermediate series of Ashtanga Yoga with three options for every asana. It is spiral bound to easily remain open while practicing. It contains over 650 photos with clear instructions and commentary. It is a great book for all levels of practitioners to enjoy and teachers will find it to be an invaluable tool for teaching their students.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"The Most User-Friendly Yoga Book Ever Produced"

About the Author

David Swenson began the practice of yoga in 1969 at the age of 13. He found Ashtanga in 1973 through David Williams. In 1974 K. Pattabhi Jois made his first trip to the US and David began studies directly with him at that time. He then traveled to Mysore, India in 1977 and learned the entire system in it's original form. David is recognized today as one of the foremost authorities of Ashtanga Yoga.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 263 pages
• Publisher: Ashtanga Yoga Productions; 2nd edition (August 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891252089
• ISBN-13: 978-1891252082
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Yoga
  • #46 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Personal Health > Stress

More About the Author

David Swenson began the practice of yoga in 1969 at the age of 13. He found Ashtanga in 1973 through David Williams. In 1974 K. Pattabhi Jois made his first trip to the US and David began studies directly with him at that time. He then traveled to Mysore, India in 1977 and learned the entire system in it's original form. David is recognized today as one of the foremost authorities of Ashtanga Yoga.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

139 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is a extremely user-friendly book for all!, March 10, 2000

By 

"mtolentino" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual (Spiral-bound)

This book is an extremely user-friendly book for beginner and advanced persons doing Ashtanga yoga. I am a beginner and found this an invaluable tool in my personal practice. It has choices of practices; full practice of Primary and Second Series or the short forms of 15min., 30 min. and 45 min. practices, for those of us on the go. Unlike Power Yoga by Beryl Berder, I found this book clear and precise, with wonderful anecdotes from the author. Other books on Ashtanga yoga are often confusing, not clear about asanas and many other aspects of the practice. I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in yoga and particularly Ashtanga yoga.

94 of 98 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT AND ESSENTIAL, December 3, 2002

By 

adam david (new york) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual (Spiral-bound)

Worth the cover price alone for the photo of Doug Swenson practicing along the mountain ridges of Lake Tahoe on page 242. Were his life insurance provider aware of this shot, I guarantee his policy would be dropped immediately.

The other pages prove to be possibly the only book you really need on the physical exercise of yoga. While David Life and Sharon Gannen's excellent Jivamukti Yoga emphasizes the origins and much of the spiritual aspects for today's practitioner in clear, modern language (The Yoga Sutras are, after all, pretty dense stuff), Swenson's focus is the asanas, and the primary and intermediate series of the ashtanga yoga system.

The asanas are presented in clear, concise detail, along with photos.

The book does not intimidate by bogging the reader down in overly long details in either words or pictures. When explaining the translation of an asana's sanskrit name, instead of getting "This very interesting posture has an equally interesting history to its' names origin. In 436 BC, the first king of scotland travelled to india, etc. etc.", Swenson simply writes "Pada=Foot" (But if it is gorgeous, unbelievably crisp photos of asana practice you're looking for, the book to get is Linda Sparrowe's Yoga).

One does not need to practice ashtanga for this book to prove useful and inspirational: virtually every asana is displayed, so even if you prefer a vinyasa practice, you can always pick up some new - or remind yourself of many - poses within. (The wisely included index also proves mega-useful in this regard)

The book is also practical: not only does it display abrdged versions of the the series for the time-tied, but also because it has a unique spiral hardcover binding and displays one asana per page, making it easy to keep the book beside your mat for reference without it flipping shut every two seconds as you practice.

(Anyone who's ever had that experience knows it feels something akin to what Doug Swenson on the aforementioned page 242 is doing, with potentially far more fatal results)(Try transcending THAT!).

72 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference manual, but you can't learn from a book, May 11, 2000

By 

Alan Little (Munich Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual (Spiral-bound)

This is an excellent reference manual for continuing practice - as far as I am aware it is the only book with comprehensive documentation of the first two astanga yoga series, with explanations and modifications for both. A book isn't a substitute for lessons but it can be useful.

I agree with several of the other reviews here that Beryl Bender Birch's "Power Yoga" might still be a better buy for beginners as it has more detailed basic explanations. But readers should be aware - and aren't told anywhere in the book - that "Power Yoga" doesn't present the full astanga series. There are a few omissions for first series, and a lot from second series, whereas David Swenson's book is comprehensive.

If you get the chance to go to one of David's workshops, do. If you've bought and studied this book you may not pick up much new technical information, but you'll get to experience somebody who is a really funny guy and a great storyteller as well as an exemplary yoga practitioner.