r/ashtanga
What do I do if Ashtanga Primary is impossible?
This is Ashtanga Yoga Tech Support. Real questions from the yoga community, answered.
The Question
Hi all, I am trying to gain flexibility and mobility after finding out a lot of my issues with things like shoulder are due to having poor mobility. I wanted to try getting into Yoga. However, I have very poor mobility at the moment, ie can't even get close to touching toes. This means I am very far off being able to do most of the exercises in the Ashtanga Primary Series. Is there an alternative, easier, start which allow me to build up to it? Or, how would someone go about altering all of the exercises to an easier for to build up from? I am also doing this on my own, due to limited funds (I am being made redundant) / not being the most social person. I have adhd, so am planning on using this as a way to approach mindfulness as the typical approaches don't work with my mind. I figure giving me something physical to focus on might help externalise the hyperactivity of my brain and make mindfulness approachable. Any advice is helpful, but please consider my barriers (funds, adhd, antisocial, poor mobility). Thanks! 🙂 Edit: Thanks for all the great advice! Managed to do a full primary series after altering it to my level of flexibility. It was exhausting and I think it took me like 2 hours. People do this every day?? I definitely felt a good stretch in all the right places, but have a lot of work to do to gain flexibility.
— via r/ashtanga
Our Response
You just did it.
You modified the whole series and practiced for two hours. That's exactly right.
Here's what you do now: keep that same approach, but practice six days a week. Not two hours. Forty-five minutes. Maybe an hour.
You don't need to be flexible to start Ashtanga. You need to show up and bend as far as you bend.
Can't touch your toes? Bend your knees. Can't bind? Don't bind. Can't jump? Step.
The series is the map. Your body right now is where you start walking.
The ADHD thing—you're onto something. This practice is a moving anchor. Same sequence. Same breath count. Every day. That repetition is the point.
Your flexibility will come. Not from trying harder in the pose. From showing up tomorrow.
One thing: don't practice alone forever. When you can, find a teacher. Even once a month. You need eyes on you eventually.
But for now? You already know what to do.
Not sure where to start?
Chat with the intake assistant — tell it about your practice and it’ll point you to what fits.
Talk to the Intake Bot →
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