Ashtanga Yoga — Glossary

Every Ashtanga Yoga term explained in plain language: technique, equipment, rules and slang – with tips on avoiding the classic mistakes.

Bandha (Lock) (Movement)

Literally "lock": a light, targeted engagement that stabilises the torso. The best known one is mula bandha at the pelvic floor.

Chaturanga (Movement)

The low, half-height plank that runs through every flow: elbows tight to the body, stop at 90 degrees, shoulders never sinking below the elbows.

Drishti (Gaze Point) (Cheat code)

A deliberately chosen, motionless point where your eyes rest during a pose. Vision is one of your strongest balance sensors – fix it and the wobble settles.

Edge (Slang)

The word every yin class uses: the point where you feel tension but can still breathe calmly – roughly 30 to 70 percent of your maximum depth.

Props (Equipment)

The umbrella term for block, strap, bolster and blanket. They bring the floor up to you instead of forcing you into a crooked pose – arm extensions, not a weakness.

Ujjayi (Ocean Breath) (Movement)

Breathing through the nose with the glottis slightly narrowed, so the breath rushes audibly like a soft ocean sound. In a flow it sets your tempo: one breath, one movement.

Vinyasa (Movement)

Two meanings at once: linking one breath to one movement, and the concrete transition plank, chaturanga, upward dog, downward dog that a flow class keeps returning to.

General

Terms from training theory that apply in every sport.

1RM (One-Repetition Maximum) (Rule)

The maximum weight you can move for exactly one clean repetition. The reference value behind almost every training plan.

BMR & TDEE (Rule)

BMR is your basal metabolic rate at complete rest; TDEE is total daily expenditure including everyday movement and training. Nutrition targets always work off TDEE.

Cadence (Movement)

Steps per minute when running, or pedal revolutions when cycling. For most runners, 170–180 steps per minute sits in the sweet spot.

Core Tension (Movement)

Active stabilisation of abdomen, back and pelvis — the bridge that lets force travel between legs and arms at all.

Deload (Cheat code)

A deliberately lighter week with volume or intensity clearly reduced, so adaptation can catch up.

DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) (Cheat code)

Delayed muscle soreness 12–72 hours after unfamiliar load. Not a measure of training quality.

Knee Valgus (Movement)

The knees collapsing inward during squats, jumps and landings. One of the key risk markers in technique analysis.

Progressive Overload (Cheat code)

The one principle no training works without long-term: the stimulus has to grow over time, otherwise adaptation stops.

RIR (Reps in Reserve) (Rule)

How many clean reps you had left at the end of a set. RIR 2 means two more were available.

RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) (Rule)

A scale for perceived effort. In strength training it usually runs 1–10, where RPE 8 means you had two more reps in the tank.

Zone 2 (Aerobic Base) (Cheat code)

The easy endurance zone where you can still hold a conversation in full sentences. The base of almost every endurance plan.