Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $14.45 You Save: $5.50 (28%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $7.53 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Yoga Anatomy
Book Review: Clear and Concise
Summary: 3 Stars
Clear, concise, comprehensive, and beautifully illustrated, Yoga Anatomy gives an anatomical perspective of the human body in yoga poses. Each pose is treated with information about its classification and level, key (body) structures used, joint actions, parts of the body working, muscles being lengthened, breathing activity, obstacles, cautions, and notes. Kaminoff does a fine job of explaining--and showing--how the muscles, spine, breathing, and body position are connected and how to get the most out of your yoga practice.
This Silver Nautilus award-winning book is a yoga instructor's delight. People like myself who dabble in yoga will find that it offers invaluable insight into the inner workings of yoga poses within the body. The anatomical drawings that accompany each pose make it an easy-to-use resource and even if you didn't read the accompanying text, you would learn something. For those who haven't had an introduction to the philosophy of yoga or the practice, I'd suggest that you read a yoga "primer" as well, since Yoga Anatomy delves into the details without much preamble--although, the first two chapters thoroughly explain the finer points of breathing and the spine (postural development). This book is a valuable resource and worth keeping in your home library of healing arts.
Book Review: Clear and easy to understand
Summary: 4 Stars
Being new to yoga, I wanted to see the muscle use in each pose. It helps me to understand when I don't have an instructor around to point out the correct muscle alighnment during poses.Book Review: Deep Wisdom, clearly presented
Summary: 5 Stars
The opening chapter alone is worth the price of this book. Re-imagining ourselves as our cellular components, then comparing the processes of a cell to the processes of our bodies... wow! I had learned much about prana in my many years of practice, but this was my first taste of apana, sthira, and sukha! Truthfully, I find much less value in the detailed anatomical descriptions (very technical) and much more value in the author's philosophy, which is sprinkled throughout the book in chapter headings and side notes. A valuable addition to any yogi or yogini's library!Book Review: Essential reference guide
Summary: 5 Stars
As a yoga practioner and teacher, I have always been in search for an easily understandable anatomy book on yoga-- and Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff provides that. Each asana (pose) that is explained shows the following:
- a beautiful illustration of the pose showing the muscles and bones that are used in the pose (joints and organs are shown some asanas too)
- the English and Sanskit name (along with the pronouncitation)
- Classification and Level
- Joint Actions
- Working (muscles being used)
- Lengthening (muscles being stretched)
- Obstacles and Notes (mucscles, bones or joints that may hinder the yogi to coming into the pose, and provide helpful hints to overcoming that)
- Breathing (suggestions on how to use the breath and where to direct the focus of the breath)
Leslie Kaminoff explains many of the most commonly practiced asanas--including standing, sitting, kneeling, supine, prone and arm support poses. There is also a chapter on the breath and another on the spine.
My complaint is that the muscles mentioned in the text weren't completely identified in the illustration. For example, if there are 40 muscles involved in the pose, only 10 or less are pointed out in the illustration. This can get slightly frustrating because unless you are an anatomist or physical therapist, I do not memorize all the muscles, bones and joints and their placements. It may be asking too much to show each and every muscle mentioned into the drawings, so I refer to another book, Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germain for reference (this book provides a breakdown of body parts and the muscle groups). But nevertheless, the illustrations are invaluable in providing a deeper understanding of the pose.
Overall, this is the best anatomy book on yoga I've read so far. I have read H. David Coulter's Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, and a book as thick as the bible is sure to overwhelm. Yoga Anatomy provides a fairly easy-to-understand format, however it is not for newbies. This book is more for serious yogis and teachers who already have a basic knowledge of anatomy and would like to learn more.
Book Review: Every yogi should have one
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great book, thorough & easy to read, with wonderful illustrations. Leslie Kaminoff has a wealth of knowledge to offer: knowledge of the body, of the dynamics of the breath, and of the asanas. This is the kind of book that instructors & practitioners alike should own for reference. The breadth & depth of the material is amazing.