Written by physiotherapists and yoga teachers, this book is a unique text on the science of hatha yoga and yoga therapy, explaining the effects of yoga on each part of the body. This comprehensive text includes hundreds of photographs, diagrams and tables, making it a useful and informative guide for teaches and students of all styles of yoga.
Explore the physiology of 30 key yoga poses, in-depth and from every angle, and master each asana with confidence and control. Did you know that yoga practice can help lower your blood pressure, decrease inflammation and prevent age-related brain changes? Recent scientific research now backs up what were once anecdotal claims about the benefits of yoga to every system in the body. Science of Yoga reveals the facts, with annotated artworks that show the mechanics, the angles, how your blood flow and respiration are affected, the key muscle and joint actions working below the surface of each pose, safe alignment and much more. With insight into variations on the poses and a Q&A section that explores the science behind every aspect of yoga, this easy-to-understand, comprehensive book is an invaluable resource to achieve technical excellence in your practice and optimize the benefits of yoga for your body and mind.
his book combines the perspectives of a dedicated yogi with that of a former anatomy professor and research associate at two major American medicine schools. He has set himself the ambitious goal of combining the modern scientific under- standing of anatomy and physiology with the ancient practice of hatha yoga. The result of an obvious labour of love, the book explains hatha yoga in demystified, scientific terms while at the same time honouring its traditions. It should go a long way in helping yoga achieve the scientific recognition it deserves. Useful as both a textbook and a reference work, this is a book that all serious yoga teachers and practitioners will want on their shelves.
While many people practice yoga simply because it helps them feel good, the physiological basis for yoga’s effects on the body and mind is often unknown or misunderstood. Understanding these physiological concepts can help to deepen your yoga practice. The Physiology of Yoga separates speculation from fact by examining how the body responds and adapts to yoga within many systems of the body: musculoskeletal, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, endocrine, reproductive, and digestive. Straightforward explanations guide you in sorting through conflicting information about what yoga really can help you achieve and in evaluating whether certain yoga methods provide benefits to any or all of those systems. You can experiment with concepts through Try It Yourself sidebars, which focus on mindful movement, meditation, and breathing. The 14 Myth or Fact sidebars explore popular claims about yoga, such as whether a shoulder stand can stimulate the thyroid or if twists can detoxify the liver. You’ll get the most current research to determine the validity of various claims so you can avoid practices that could be harmful or counterproductive and can decide for yourself what works for your practice. Finally, experience firsthand how yoga affects your physiology by exploring specific yoga poses and four sequences. Each sequence explains which of the physiological principles from the earlier chapters may be most prevalent in that sequence. With The Physiology of Yoga, you or your students can navigate all the conflicting views and opinions about the impact of yoga and learn to practice yoga while fully enjoying the benefits of mindful movement.
The best-selling anatomy guide for yoga is now updated, expanded, and better than ever! With more asanas, vinyasas, full-color anatomical illustrations, and in-depth information, the second edition of YogaAnatomy provides you with a deeper understanding of the structures and principles underlying each movement and of yoga itself. From breathing to inversions to standing poses, see how specific muscles respond to the movements of the joints; how alterations of a pose can enhance or reduce effectiveness; and how the spine, breathing, and body position are all fundamentally linked. Whether you are just beginning your journey or have been practicing yoga for years, Yoga Anatomy will be an invaluable resource—one that allows you to see each movement in an entirely new light. With Yoga Anatomy, Second Edition, authors Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews, both internationally recognized experts and teachers in anatomy, breathing, and bodywork, have created the ultimate reference for yoga practitioners, instructors, and enthusiasts alike.
This handbook guides yoga teachers and trainees in how to approach teaching students with common injuries and health conditions safely, confidently, and in a manner that empowers students. Dr Andrew McGonigle combines his medical background with extensive knowledge of yoga to address common injuries in detail with an in-depth review of anatomy. The book describes the psychology of pain and injury with reference to the latest research on pain and biomechanics. It also provides advice and tips on how to modify yoga techniques to suit the needs of students with injuries. Detailed illustrations throughout the book provide a visual guide to support understanding. This book is part of the series 'Yoga Teaching Guides', which provides expert information on essential topics as well as ideas for creative teaching.
A full-color illustrated exploration of the body in motion during yoga practice • Examines anatomical patterns and body mechanics in specific asanas, such as forward bends, twists, external hip rotations, arm balances, and back bends, to inspire confidence in students, deepen practice, and prevent injury • Provides detailed images and photos overlaid with anatomical diagrams, allowing you to see clearly what is happening within each asana discussed • Explores how various yoga postures interrelate from the perspective of functional anatomy In this full-color illustrated guide, David Keil brings the anatomy of the body in yoga asanas to life. Writing in an accessible, conversational tone, he outlines how practitioners and yoga teachers alike can utilize a deeper understanding of their anatomy and its movement and function to deepen their yoga practice, increase confidence, prevent injury, and better understand their students and their challenges. Providing detailed images and photos overlaid with anatomical diagrams, allowing you to see clearly what is happening within each asana discussed, Keil shows how the muscles, joints, tendons, and structure of the body work together to support integrated movement. He discusses the basics of functional anatomy, exploring the workings of the foot and ankle, the knee, the hip joint, the pelvis and SI joint, the spine, the shoulder, and the hand, wrist, and elbow. He examines anatomical patterns and body mechanics in specific asanas, such as forward bends, twists, external hip rotations, arm balances, and back bends, such as, for example, how a wide-legged forward bend shifts the position of the femur and the pelvis, allowing students with tight hamstrings to accomplish a deep forward bend--something they struggle with when the legs are together. Keil also shows how various yoga postures interrelate from the perspective of functional anatomy. Revealing in detail how everything in the body is connected and how your anatomy functions holistically during yoga practice, this book helps you to understand the body better and connect and integrate yoga postures in a completely new way.
The definitive book of yoga therapy, this groundbreaking work comes to you from the medical editor of the country’s premier yoga magazine, who is both a practicing yogi and a Western-trained physician. Beginning with an overview of the history and science of yoga, Dr. McCall describes the many different techniques in the yoga tool kit; explains what yoga does and who can benefit from it (virtually everyone!); and provides lavishly illustrated and minutely detailed instructions on starting a yoga practice geared to your fitness level and your health status. Yoga as Medicine offers a wealth of practical information, including how to: •Utilize yogic tools, including postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, for both prevention and healing of illness •Master the art of becoming more in tune with your body •Communicate more effectively with your doctor •Adopt therapeutic yoga practices as either an alternative or a complement to surgery and to expensive, sometimes dangerous medications •Practice safely Find an instructor and a style of yoga that are right for you. With twenty chapters devoted to the work of individual master teachers, including such well-known figures as Patricia Walden, John Friend, and Rodney Yee, Yoga as Medicine shows how these experts have applied the wisdom of this ancient holistic practice to twenty different conditions, ranging from arthritis to chronic fatigue, depression, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, infertility, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, and obesity. Defining yoga as “a systematic technology to improve the body, understand the mind, and free the spirit,” Dr. McCall shows the way to a path that can truly alter your life. An indispensable guide for the millions who now practice yoga or would like to begin, as well as for yoga teachers, body workers, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals.