Customer Reviews

Anatomy Of Hatha Yoga

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a most unusual book. The author, a professor of anatomy and long-time yoga practitioner, explores, in great detail (when necessary), the human anatomy as it relates to the practice of hatha yoga. For someone such as myself who previously knew *Nothing* about human anatomy, this was a fascinating journey. If nothing else the book will teach you about anatomy, a topic you may previously have had no interest, but in the process it will deepen your knowledge of yoga. Its really well done how the author brings such a seemingly dry, technical subject to life. The author nicely groups the discussion around particular topics as they relate to yoga. For example, there are chapters on the nervous system, on breathing, and on what is happening with your hips and sacrum. Perhaps there are similar books on the market, but I suspect not. I'm reminded of Bill Graham's comment about the Grateful Dead: "They're the best in the world at what they do; they're the only ones in the world who do what they do." I suspect similar comments would apply here. Physically, the book is well produced. Considering the glossy paper used, the price of the book is quite reasonable. The are fantastic anatomic drawings that greatly add to one's understanding. Read this book, and enrich your practice of yoga.

The one problem with this amazing tool -- and here I disagree with an earlier reviewer -- is the lack of Sanskrit names for poses. The myriad English names for poses, names that have developed in various studios, seem to be regional and unheard of outside of their limited expanse. It would have been easier to cross-reference postures to texts such as Light on Yoga, if "Anatomy of Hatha Yoga" had consistently supplied the original Sanskrit, instead of vague, although evocative, English bastardizations.

A much needed approach to yoga! As a yoga teacher, I found this book to be extremely useful and I have referred beginning (and not so beginning!) students to at least read the "basic premises". As others have mentioned, the only drawback is it is not all easy reading and some may be put off by that. But even if you read excerpts throughout, you & your practice will benefit immensely from this book.

This is an excellent book for tachers of yoga, as well as for those teaching other physical disciplines. The author has a clear grasp of anatomy and a readable presentation style. What takes this book a step beyond other anatomy texts is that in addition to a basic and general presentation of anatomy , the author then connects that basic anatomy to yoga postures, including photos and diagrams. I highly recommend this book to anyone teaching others to work with their bodies.

It's not for the causal reader. It goes into great detail about Hatha Yoga, poses etc.. If you are looking for more of a lifestyle book it isn't for you.

Excellent book! Full of information a Yoga teacher or practitioner needs to practice Yoga safely and with full awareness of the body and it's functions. It should be every teachers Bible.

This book well written and perfectly edited gives you a real inside on how our body function in relation to yoga practice. along with Iyengar , Erich Schiffmann, and Van Lysebeth books this book is a must.

you can find my review on www.soloyoga.com in italian! I am really sorry this book has not yet been translated in italian, a must have for teachers and a must have for anyone who has not got a good teacher available near. Good anatomy and excellent instruction, Thank you for this book , grazie di esistere, alexandra

This book is essential if you want to deepen your yoga practice, for how can you really fully understand and better your practice if you don't have a clear understanding of the mechanics of your own body? My suggestion to get the most of the book is to first read chapter one "Movement and Posture" to get a general foundation of the concepts and terminology that will be used throughout the book. Subsequent chapters provide detailed anatomical information pertinent to types of postures. Chapters, therefore, are in the vein of "Abdominopelvic Exercises", "Standing Postures", "The Shoulderstand", etc. So choose a style of asana that you'd like to focus on, read through the pertinent chapter, and then spend a couple of weeks putting the knowledge to work experientially, deepening your understanding of those areas of your body and the series of associated asanas. Don't expect to learn the vast amount of information in one reading. Expect to frequently refer back to the book as you put the information into practice. In my opinion, you'll get far more value out of the book if you use it as an experiential guidebook, rather than treating it like a textbook.

As a yoga student of less than two years, i have found this book to be invaluable. While very dense, easier to read as a reference than a novel, it contains rich details about the entire body's anatomy as it relates to yoga. You learn what muscles are used in countless poses, and how to deepen your practice to invigorate deeper tissues through more knowledgeable yoga. It also dwells on breathing and meditation.
It's a bit expensive, so you should be a committed yogi or yogini of any level before you spend the money. Keep it handy, read a bit here and there as you grow your own practice, and you will find yourself becoming more aware of your amazing body.