Amazon.in:Customer reviews: Yoga Anatomy

A readable and informative resource for yoga teachers and practitioners

Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on 4 November 2021

This book has several competitors, and so this review will focus on a few of the features that I believe make it one of the best books on yoga anatomy, and the most appropriate for many users. To clarify, H. David Coulter’s “Anatomy of Hatha Yoga” has some advantages over this book, but Coulter’s book is also denser and will send neophyte readers to the glossary / internet / library much more often. On the other hand, some of the other yoga anatomy books fixate entirely on postural yoga and treat it entirely as a matter of skeletal alignment and muscular engagement. While a lot of this book (and any such book, really) focuses on skeletal alignment and muscular engagement, I appreciated the books exploration of breath and the nervous system – topics that are often neglected. In short, this book offers a mix of reader-friendliness and detail that makes it at once approachable and tremendously informative.

One important feature of this book is that it avoids the dogmatism of some yoga texts, encouraging experimentation and recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach to bodies is bound to fail. This can best be seen in the “Cueing Callout” boxes that explore the pithy adjustment directives for which yoga teachers are famous (and often satirized,) advice that is often misunderstood in ways detrimental to a student’s progress.

A second key feature involves keeping anatomy and physiology distinct from the folk science of yoga / ayurveda. While Kaminoff and Matthews do refer to ideas like prana and apana, they do so in a broad, conceptual way that doesn’t conflate said ideas with science. A common problem in yoga texts is conflation of science with folk science such that confused readers are left with a muddle of puzzle pieces that don’t belong to the same puzzle.

Finally, as one who’s found pranayama (breathwork) to be one of the most profoundly transformative elements of a yoga practice, I appreciated that the book not only had a chapter on breath dynamics, but that all the posture discussions included a “breath inquiry” section that encouraged readers to reflect upon the effect of the posture on breathing, as well as suggesting ways in which a practitioner might experiment to improve one’s breathing.

The only criticism I have is that many of the text-boxes in the early chapters seemed to contain random information that could have been incorporated into the text, into footnotes, or edited out altogether. [In contrast to the aforementioned “Cueing Callout” boxes that had a clear and distinct purpose.] If you’re a yoga teacher or dedicated practitioner without a deep scientific background, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than this book for learning about the anatomy of yoga.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Yoga Teachers buy immediately!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 7 January 2023

Verified Purchase

Absolutely necessary if you are teaching yoga

2 people found this helpful

Roxanne

Text worthy information useful for professionals with questions

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 26 October 2022

Verified Purchase

This book may have much more information than an average yoga practitioner may need.
It's so informative I'd like to see it as required
reading for PT professionals and doctors.

3 people found this helpful

Miss B

As fantastic as the other editions but more….

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 30 June 2022

Verified Purchase

Leslie Kaminoff is a master yoga educator. Having had previous editions of this book that were used on yoga TTC and have also done one of his Leslie’s courses, you cannot beat the level of knowledge and expertise here.
This is as fabulous as previous editions but expanded. One reviewer said it was complicated but I personally did not find that as I have over 15 yoga anatomy books and this is still the best there is for language, description, explanation and diagrams. Highly recommended for yoga teachers, serious practitioners and those that like to be a bit nerdy on anatomy!

2 people found this helpful

LG

The classic Yoga Anatomy book

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on 14 June 2022

Verified Purchase

I have had v.1 for years as a reference and this version has so much more material. Highly recommended if you are a curious yoga practitioner or teacher. It will be a reference you will refer back to over and over.

srphoto

I love this book so far

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on 10 February 2022

Verified Purchase

I'm only on chapter one so far but it's a fantastic book. The writers are humble and encouraging, the information within is engaging and fascinating.

Saria Moubayed

Arrived looking used

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on 3 October 2022

Verified Purchase

Amazing book, however the cover is not looking neat. It was intended as a gift so I’m quite disappointed about that. Wish it came in mint condition.

carlos

Great book! 4 start because the book came with a damaged spine.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 13 February 2022

Verified Purchase

Kasha

Detailed

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on 28 February 2022

Verified Purchase

I really regret purchasing this edition. It's very complex and detailed, especially for a beginner. I prefer the previous "purple cover" 2nd edition, which is easier to follow along and remember. Simple is better. There are far better anatomy books available.

5 star		85%
4 star		9%
3 star		3%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

AbeBooks Books, art & collectibles	Amazon Web Services Scalable Cloud Computing Services	Audible Download Audio Books	DPReview Digital Photography	IMDb Movies, TV & Celebrities

Shopbop Designer Fashion Brands	Amazon Business Everything For Your Business	Prime Now 2-Hour Delivery on Everyday Items	Amazon Prime Music 90 million songs, ad-free Over 15 million podcast episodes

Yoga Anatomy

›

Customer reviews

Customer reviews

Yoga Anatomy

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From India

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

From other countries

Yoga Anatomy › Customer reviews

Customer reviews

Yoga Anatomy

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From India

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

From other countries

Yoga Anatomy

›

Customer reviews