Foundation First: Ashtanga Research Course
4.5 hrs
8 classes (35 mins)
100% Practice
The 8 day course titled Foundation First serves to remind you of the single greatest principle for doing a yoga pose: begin your pose by building a relationship between the ground beneath you and your skeleton.
The exercises for this course are designed to help you learn how to make your foundation the first priority in building your poses. Over the 8 days of the course you will use 6 foundational postures plus transitions to understand how to make a sound foundation for all poses. You’ll also learn how to work with a progression of steps to maintain a strong foundation as you go deeper into each posture. By doing this course you take a single clear and substantial step towards attaining Asana Vidya--Knowledge of the 3rd yogic limb--and you’ll also get the bonus of feeling empowered and inspired.
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Day 1
The focus for this day is on the foundation of the 9 Vinyasa Positions of Surya Namaskara.
For the first exercise you’ll place a block between your thighs to bring your attention to connecting your feet and legs to the earth in Samasthiti (Equal Grounding). You’ll move through several cycles ... -
Props set-up for Day 1
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Interview with David on How to maximize learning in the video course
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Day 2
In this session you’ll focus on the first 2 of the 6 foundational postures of the Ashtanga system: Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose) and Pada Hastasana (Hands to Feet Pose). One exercise focuses on establishing your leg and arm foundation by exploring the 1st Vinyasa position. First you’ll go i...
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Props set-up for Day 2
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Interview with David on Foundation First
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Day 3
This day features work with 3 of the most important foundational standing asanas Uttitha Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose), Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolving Triangle Pose and Parvotanasana (Side Intense forward Stretch Pose). First you’ll do exercises working with your back heel at the wall ...
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Props set-up for Day 3
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Interview with David about props and why we are using them
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Day 4
This day features Prasarita Padotanasana (Wide Legged Standing Forward Bend) one the 6 foundational postures of the Ashtanga system. You’ll learn about using the set up Vinyasa position to create a strong lower body stance that gives you the freedom to elongate your spine horizontally forward aw...
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Props set-up for day 4
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Interview with David on the Six Foundation Asanas of Ashtanga Yoga
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Day 5
This challenging and fun day is devoted to the foundations of back bending. You’ll work with Purvotanasana (Eastern Stretching Pose), Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose) as well some of the foundational back bends from second series including Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) an...
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Interview with David on the Foundation of Ashtanga Yoga
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Day 6
Uttitha Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose) is the focus of this session. Like the teachings on Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose) the root pose from Day 1 you’ll come back to the work of creating a clear interaction between your fingers and big toes, hands and feet, and arms and ...
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Props set-up for day 6
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Interview with David on "Ground the Femur Bone"
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Day 7
You’ll return to a study of the foundations of the main standing poses Uttitha Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) and Parivrrta Trikonasana (Revolving Triangle Pose) and this time you’ll also work with Uttitha Parsvakonasana (Extend Side Angle Pose). You’ll use the devices of facing the wall...
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Interview with David on the Big Toe and Fingers
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Interview with David on the subtle aspects of yoga
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Day 8
Arhda Baddha Padmotanasana (Half Bound Lotus Intense Forward Bend Pose) is an important foundational pose that can help you to safely learn to do Padmasana, the most classical, potent and alluring asana of all. In this class you’ll study the 1st Vinyasa as the foundational set up position tha...
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Foundation First essay for video course.pdf
185 KB