Clear Progression
Build familiarity one step at a time instead of beginning from zero in every class.
Ashtanga Yoga for Beginners · Maitland, Florida
Begin exactly where you are. The practice grows with you.
Ashtanga Yoga can be an excellent practice for beginners when it is taught progressively, adapted thoughtfully, and shaped around the person—not around pressure to perform a perfect sequence.
No experience required
Individual instruction
Practice at your own pace
You do not need to be flexible.
You only need a willingness to begin.
YES.
Can beginners do Ashtanga Yoga?
Ashtanga is not reserved for advanced practitioners.
Despite its reputation as a physically demanding practice, Ashtanga can offer beginners a clear and supportive path when it is introduced one step at a time.
At The Yoga Shala, students begin with the foundations and receive guidance shaped around their age, experience, movement history, injuries, goals, and current capacity. The key is progressive learning—not trying to master everything at once.
What is Ashtanga Yoga?
A structured practice of breath, movement, and attention.
Ashtanga Yoga is a traditional system that brings posture, breathing, focused gaze, concentration, and consistent practice together. Unlike classes that introduce an entirely different sequence each day, Ashtanga follows an intentional progression of postures.
The consistency gives students time to learn. As the sequence becomes familiar, you can pay closer attention to your breathing, movement, effort, and response—rather than constantly trying to follow new choreography.
Breath
Movement
Drishti
Mindfulness
Consistency
A tradition passed from teacher to student
Structure gives the practice depth—not rigidity.
Ashtanga is a lineage-based practice that has been transmitted through generations of teachers and students. Each posture, breath, and movement has a place within a larger method, and each part prepares the practitioner for what follows.
At The Yoga Shala, students are introduced not only to postures, but also to breathing, Sanskrit terminology, concentration, and the cultural roots of the practice. The tradition is honored without asking every body to look or move the same way.
The program is led by Krista Shirley, Central Florida’s only Level II Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher, with more than two decades of study and practice connected to Mysore, India.
Why beginners often love Ashtanga
Consistency creates confidence.
Many beginners appreciate knowing what comes next. The practice becomes more familiar over time, allowing progress to be measured through steadier breath, better awareness, greater capacity, and a deeper relationship with the work.
Improved Strength
Develop useful strength through the core, shoulders, hips, legs, and coordinated whole-body movement.
Increased Mobility
Improve movement quality, joint mobility, and flexibility through consistent, progressive practice.
Better Focus
Use breath, gaze, and repeated movement to organize attention and quiet mental chatter.
Stress Relief
Create time to breathe, focus, move, and return to a steadier relationship with yourself.
The traditional way beginners learn
What is Mysore Style?
Mysore Style is the traditional method of learning Ashtanga Yoga. Rather than following a teacher through every movement as one large group, students practice at their own pace while the teacher moves through the room offering individual instruction.
This means a complete beginner can practice beside an experienced student without being expected to do the same postures, move at the same speed, or remain for the same length of time.
01Personalized instruction
02Thoughtful modifications
03Progressive learning
04Individual attention
05Non-competitive room
06Your own pace
Not
flexible?
flexible?
The most common beginner concern
Flexibility is not a prerequisite for yoga.
You do not need to touch your toes, sit comfortably cross-legged, or perform advanced postures before beginning. Many students arrive feeling stiff, tight, uncertain, or limited in their movement.
Yoga can help improve flexibility and mobility. You are not required to arrive with them already.
Why learn at The Yoga Shala?
You are not placed in the back of a crowded room and expected to keep up.
Our Mysore program gives beginners a structured way to learn while still receiving personal attention. The teacher can observe your breathing, movement patterns, confidence, and capacity over time—and respond to what is actually happening.
The practice is shaped around you.
Instruction can respond to your structure, experience, injuries, goals, and how your body is moving today.
You learn one manageable step at a time.
You are not expected to memorize the entire sequence or perform postures your body is not ready to learn.
Serious teaching without performance pressure.
The room is warm, encouraging, non-dogmatic, and designed to help beginners develop confidence over time.
Your first class
What should you expect?
Your first experience is focused on learning the foundations—not proving how much you can do. Most new students practice for approximately 45–60 minutes and gradually learn more as the practice develops.
What to bring
- Comfortable clothing that allows you to move.
- A yoga mat, or borrow one at the studio.
- A small hand towel and water bottle.
- Leave shoes in the designated cubby area.
- Avoid strong perfumes or heavily scented products.
What you will learn
- The basic breathing method used in Ashtanga.
- Sun Salutations A and B.
- Foundational standing postures.
- Elements of the finishing sequence.
- Individual modifications when needed.
Building a sustainable practice
You do not have to become someone else before you begin.
The practice develops through consistency, curiosity, and the willingness to learn—not through arriving flexible, fearless, or already in perfect shape.
You do not needExperience
You do not needFlexibility
You do not needPerfect fitness
Common beginner questions
Before your first practice.
No. Flexibility is not required before beginning yoga. The practice can help you gradually develop mobility and flexibility while learning how to move with greater awareness.
Not before you begin. The teacher shows you what to do and helps you learn the sequence gradually. Familiarity develops through repetition over time.
Most first-time students practice for approximately 45–60 minutes. Practice length can gradually increase as you learn additional postures and develop greater capacity.
Tell the teacher about your injury, symptoms, and relevant medical guidance before beginning. Mysore-style instruction allows the teacher to offer modifications and determine an appropriate starting point.
Ready to experience the practice?
The simplest way to understand Ashtanga is to begin.
Start with four classes for $50 and discover a traditional practice taught with personal attention, thoughtful progression, and genuine care for the person in front of us.
The Yoga Shala is a body movement studio with a specialized approach, customizing each client's class experience, based on their goals and needs. Our goal is to foster a lighthearted, non-dogmatic, warm and encouraging environment.
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