A yoga teacher and physical therapist studies the structure and movement of the human body, revealing how a knowledge of both can improve your yoga practice
In Yogabody, author Judith Hanson Lasater emphasizes how an understanding of the human body is essential for understanding the dynamic movement of asana. Drawing on almost forty years of experience as a yoga teacher and physical therapist, she focuses here on macroanatomy and kinesiology in relationship to asana.
Organized into five parts—the locomotor system, the vertebral column, the lower extremity, the trunk, and the upper extremity—Yogabody takes you on a fantastic journey through the bones, joints, connective tissue, nerves, and muscles, revealing how these structures interact to create and express movement.
Judith conveys her expert knowledge in clear, concise language that makes it easy to understand, to remember, and to integrate. For seasoned teachers, novice teachers, and those in training to teach, Yogabody will help you guide your students to move with more enjoyment and less difficulty. For yoga students, Yogabody will help you practice more confidently on your own. Packed with color anatomical drawings, black-and-white diagrammatic asana illustrations, and helpful charts, you will learn what your body is made of, how it is designed to move, and how to bring the knowledge of both to awaken to asana.
Yoga practice is enhanced the more you know about how you're 'self-assembled' as noted in Yoga, Fascia Anatomy and Movement by Joanne Sarah Avison.
Judith asks you make this subject a lifetime endeavor and I can see why she means it.
This a very thorough reference material that intelligently integrates western and eastern medical and yogic terminology.
Was der Titel verspricht, hält das Buch auch:
J.H.Lasater vermittelt hierin ein tiefes Verständnis der Bewegungsabläufe und ihrer Anatomie in den Asanas. Als Yogalehrerin mit 30jähriger Erfahrung gibt sie viele einleuchtende Hinweise, die sich in der Praxis bestens bewähren. Sie vermitteln einfach die Grundlage für den achtsamen Umgang in der Yogapraxis. Auch die Anatomieabbildungen sind hervorragend - z.B. als Anschauungsmaterial im Yogaunterricht klärend. Was dieses Buch von anderen Yogabüchern unterscheidet ist die sehr verständliche, systematische Aufarbeitung und damit leichte Übertragung auf die Yogapraxis.
I am a novice to anatomy, but not a novice to yoga. This is actually the first yoga anatomy (or anatomy) book that engaged me to really read and understand it. The other books seemed like references for already knowledgeable people, but they didn't produce a coherent picture for me.
This book is structured by joints, not by muscles. So it provides a coherent biomechanical picture of forces working around each joint. This made much more sense to me than books that discuss each muscle, each bone separately. A muscle usually doesn't work in separation, one needs to understand forces occurring around each specific joint.
This book has made a number of very subtle corrections for me in certain asanas, i.e. whether you need to lift from tailbone or from lumbar spine in backward bends, or whether palms have to be absolutely straight on the floor in Adho Mukha Vrksasana.
The book contains all the professional terminology used concisely organised in one introductory chapter. So I think most of the reviewers who write the book is too technical didn't actually try to read and understand it.
using physio-terminologies and correct asana names in sanskrit..
these are valid concerns and could sink an ordinary work..
however, descriptions of applied practice and teaching are given in plain
english anyone can follow and understand.. the object obviously is to
teach the subject to serious readers a genuine interest..
so perhaps it isnt suitable for most novices or those seeking a beginners guide to basic yoga.. then again, yoga itself isnt for everybody..
this is an A4+ sized book of over 200pages with comprehensive index..
solid paperback with strong pages printed in california..
references to specialist material subject by subject thru the book..
text is clear and readable without my reading glasses..
handles like a good heavy magazine type publication..
it arrived [in australia] well packed ahead of time
for about $20.. thats serious value in quality reading..
body sections are covered, comprehensively, from the anatomy
to applied practice and applied teaching [theres a hint]..
despite some reviewers rejecting the presentation i found the clear
ink drawings with colors to be easily digestible and excellent..
within descriptions of anatomy, movement, asanas etc there is a wealth
of information not usually provided.. i found it interesting the section
on the sacrum and sacro-illiac joint [often overlooked] including
eg, that hormonal changes due to menstruation, pregnancy, lactation
soften the female sacral ligaments responsible for joint support..
that the female joint has a smaller and flatter surface for joint articulation..
that the female joint articulates at only two segments with the pelvis
[instead of three for the male].. given the structure and nature of
this 'wedge' joint which is pushed down into the pelvis when standing
by weight of the torso, this explains one reason my teachers often
advise menstruating or pregnant or lactating women to consider
variations in some asanas, such as some inversions etc..
these few hints cant really serve as a complete review of this work..
it is a self evident attempt at a definitive textbook of its kind..
i have no hesitation in recommending it to any serious yoga student
or yoga teacher or for that matter medical professionals seeking
an understanding of postural and movement anatomy in hatha yoga..
despite typos etc, it must get the 5 stars..
--Suza Francina
author, The New Yoga for Healthy Aging and other books for people at midlife and older.
However this book is not for superficial reading . It is meant for serious study and for those who want to really improve themselves as a yoga teacher they need to read this book seriously and be thorough with its contents . I have not yet completed this book but have started my serious study of this book and enjoying the same have started buying other Books by Judith to complement my knowledge on Yoga in general and Yoga Anatomy in Particular . I congratulate Judith Lasater for producing an excellent book that will be well appreciated by all Yoga teachers world wide .