David began practicing yoga at a very early age. His older brother Doug was his first teacher. They practiced hatha yoga from whatever books they could find. David's introduction to Ashtanga came in 1973 when he met David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff in Encinitas, California. In 1975 David W. and Nancy brought K. P. Jois to the U.S. for the first time and David was fortunate enough to be there. He then initiated studies directly with Jois. Swenson made his first trip to Mysore in 1977 and learned the full Ashtanga system as it was originally taught by K. P. Jois back then. David Swenson is recognized today as one of the world's foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga Yoga.