Half Primary Series Asana Essentials
Learn important and often overlooked details of Ashtanga’s Primary Series (first half) so you can establish a solid foundation and progress in your yoga practice.
LIFETIME ACCESS
What You'll Learn In This Course
Did you know that Ashtanga's Primary Series begins with Utthita Hasta Pādāṅguṣṭāsana (Extended Hand to Foot Pose)?
This is where we begin...
Join David Robson and Jelena Vesić for a deep look into the postures and vinyasa for the first half of Ashtanga’s Primary Series. This course covers the Primary Series Asanas from Utthita Hasta Pādāṅguṣṭāsana (Extended Hand to Foot Pose) to Nāvāsana (Boat Pose).
We created this course to offer practitioners a resource to learn the proper technique to practice Ashtanga’s Primary Series. In each lesson Jelena expertly demonstrates each vinyasa and posture, while David breaks down the alignment and actions required to safely execute the vinyasa and poses.
Postures and vinyasa are taught with the traditional Sanskrit names and count along with their English translations.
You’ll also have a special class exploring jump backs and jump throughs. Here you’ll learn steps and progressions to work toward these movements.
In addition, as you continue through the course we’ll pay special attention to Ashtanga’s “gatekeepers”. We discuss the conditions of each posture and ways to work toward them no matter your experience level.
This course is right for you if:
- You’ve taken our Ashtanga for Beginners Course or you’ve learned up to the end of the fundamental postures
- You have unanswered questions about the poses/vinyasas up to half primary and want a trusted resource to dive deeper into the details.
- You’re working up to one of the gatekeeper postures of half Primary and looking for expert guidance and teaching to help you break through.
- You want to begin to gain a better knowledge of the Sanskrit counts and finer details of the practice.
This course might not be right for you if:
- You have not practiced Ashtanga before. We suggest starting with our Ashtanga for Beginners course first before proceeding to this one.
- You have an established Ashtanga practice and have been taught poses past Navasana. We’d recommend for you to join our Full Primary Series Asana Essentials instead.
Student Reviews
“David and Jelena are phenomenal teachers! I have signed up for every course they offered online this year. Each course was interesting and I learned so much about my practice. I loved how they dove into the details of the tradition and kept such high integrity in how they teach.” - Jamie Bailey
“I really like how David and Jelena break things down into incremental steps. It means that no matter what your ability level is, there’s something that you can work on. Their explanations and hints are applicable to so many parts of the practice… be it the timing of the breath or body position. Definitely worth it!!” - Lisa Huzel
“I loved EVERYTHING about this course!! Every session was eye-opening. After each class, I found myself appreciating each asana much more than before… even the asanas I wasn’t crazy about before. Highly recommended for yoga practitioners at all levels. Thank you, Jelena and David! “ - Mika Howard
Join Today and Receive Instant Access
Only $197 USD
Half Primary Series Essentials
- 10 High Quality Recorded Lessons
- LIFETIME ACCESS
- 24 Page Practice Manual
- Bonus: Primary Series Cheat Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the lessons inside the course pre-recorded?
The lessons inside this course are pre-recorded so that you can start the course and work through at your own pace.
There is no need to show up at a specific time, you'll be able to login and start watching whenever suits your schedule.
What will I need to watch the lessons inside the course?
To watch the lessons you'll need an internet connection to stream the videos and a zoom account if you choose to join the live Q&A sessions.
The course can be watched on any device (phone, tablet or computer), though for the best experience we suggest watching on a computer.
If I have an injury can I still take this course?
As always, we recommend consulting with your health practitioner before beginning any of our courses.
If you have an injury or other concerns, we suggest you never push into pain and listen to your body. We do offer plenty of modifications for each posture and vinyasa as well.
About David and Jelena
David Robson is a practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga, in the tradition of Sharath Yoga Centre (SYC). David is the director of the Ashtanga Yoga Centre of Toronto, where he leads one of the world’s largest Mysore programs outside of India.
David began a daily practice in 1998 while at university studying Comparative Religion. After graduating, David made his first trip to Mysore, India in 2002, where he initiated studies with his teacher Sharath Jois. Since then he has returned to Mysore annually to deepen and enrich his practice and teaching.
In 2007, David was Authorized to teach Ashtanga and now holds a level 2 authorization.
Jelena first came to yoga through dance. As a former ballet dancer of 16 years, the structure and rigour of the Ashtanga Yoga practice felt like home. Drawn to the discipline, mindfulness of the movement and emphasis on the breath, Jelena made the Ashtanga practice her sole focus in 2009.
Jelena has maintained a daily Ashtanga practice for over a decade. She’s made two trips to Mysore, India to study with her teacher, Sharath Jois.
Lastly, Jelena’s true passion lies in promoting rescue and adoption of (street) dogs. You can often find her sharing her love for #adoptdontshop on her IG, and sharing the joys of living with her two fur-babies, Boksoon and Khani, both celebrities in their own right.