Yoga Anatomy

I bought this book about two months after going to my first Ashtanga yoga class. At the time, despite that I enjoyed going to the classes and get a good workout I felt I didn't really know what I was doing. I remember the teacher talking about the importance of the breath and the "bandas", but I couldn't understand how those really worked and why there were so important to the practice. Yoga Anatomy provided me the answers to all those questions and even more answers that came after on body positioning, muscle groups etc. With a huge number of asanas being covered I found it the perfect tool for improving my practice and discover new asanas at my own pace (I love flicking through the book and read up about a few asanas and then try to apply what I learn in the next class or even at home). The drawings are immensely useful, and the technical contents are a mine of information that I go back to every time I want to deepen my understanding of certain asanas or learn to do a new one (like the one on the cover page!). Another great things is that the asanas covered are the same as those found in Ashtanga, vinyasa flow or other type of hot yoga so there is something for every types of practitioners :)

Haven't quite gotten through even half of it, but the amount of useful and well put together information is really well worth the price! If one can manage past all the explanations of sometimes tedious terminologies and some rather simple and common knowledge basics - (some dry information really), there is a vast array of very useful, less commonly known explanations to the processes of some really peculiar and complicated nature of our bodies and their functions, I sure had my exciteful moments of newfound revelations in-so-far. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to develop a better self understanding, or studying human body functions in general.

Although I found some of the text hard going, it does explain the workings of the anatomy relating to Yoga Asanas in terms of muscle, bones and tendons. The analysis is purely from the physical aspect and does not concern itself with spiritual or other intangible elements. The Illustrations are amazing and beautifully presented I have found that the book increases my understanding of yoga practice and has helped me to understand what is happening when I attempt the postures and makes me approach the practice with more mindfullness.

This is not an introduction to anatomy. This is anatomy applied to yoga. It does cover the basic anatomical theory and terms used to describe the postures, including skeletal and muscular actions. However a prior understanding of the muscles; their names and perhaps how they are linked, would make sure you got the most out of this book book. The revised edition is clearer and better structured than the first edition. INSIDE THE BOOK The first 4 chapters cover: -Beautiful introduction discussing how intrinsic the basic yogic concepts are in the body, before we even start asana. -How breathing effects the shape of the body/spine and how this relates to yoga (why we inhale and exhale with certain movements). -The spine including it's development and range of motion. -The skeletal system including how to describe actions of the of the joints and bones. -The muscular system including how to describe muscle contractions, briefly what are agonist-antagonist pairs, and a little about how flexibility and strength relate to the muscles. The author relates everything to the basic concepts of yoga discussed at the beginning. None of this is in depth, but enough to basically understand what is happening in each posture anatomically. From chapter 5 it begins to apply this anatomy clearly and thoroughly to asana. The book does NOT cover the names of muscles but obviously, DOES use them. Previous knowledge or another book will be needed to understand the names of muscles and where the muscles are exactly. For example: (view "look inside" to get a better idea) "Concentric contraction. To stabilize and abduct shoulder joint: Rotator cuff, biceps brachii (long head), deltoid." From the book you will understand what concentric contraction is and what abduct the shoulder means, i.e. you will understand how to describe the muscular and skeletal actions. However without prior knowledge, you won't find out what or where the rotator cuff, biceps brachii (long head) or deltoid are, or get an idea of how they are linked and work together. Some of the muscles are labeled in the images, but not all muscles involved are labelled, and not in all of the postures, and there's no specific section teaching muscle names or position.

I'm a yoga teacher and was looking for something to delve deeply into the anatomy of the postures. This book describes the anatomy beautifully and goes into detail. It's detailed but clear enough for a layperson like me to understand. I also found little Youtube links by the same author which give snippets about yoga anatomy. I'd highly recommend this book to yoga teacher and practitioners who want to look beneath the surface to see what is happening while moveing into and out of the yoga postures.

If you are interested in understanding yoga then this book is essential.you can return to time and time again. I started by getting this book from the library to see what all the fuss was about but found it was so helpful to my practise I had to have it.lovely to own . Clear concise and full of interesting information that you can refer to time and time again

Great book, well illustrated and very well explained. It gives you the good basics of anatomy and what you need to know to teach safely and efficiently! Also, it illustrates most of the common asanas and what muscles are engaged or stretched. Great one to have!

Beautiful work and really good material.

A condition d'être anglophone, cet ouvrage de Leslie Kaminoff est une référence pour l'anatomie du yoga. Les images et schémas sont de très grande qualité, on apprend beaucoup sur les systèmes du corps humains (musculaires, ligamenteux, osseux...) et l'on y trouve de très bonnes idées de postures pour varier les pratiques en fonction de nos besoins physiques. Seul bémol à noter (même si ce n'est pas le but de l'ouvrage), il aurait été encore - plus - parfait si l'auteur précisait les adaptations aux postures en cas de contrindication ainsi que la meilleure façon d'entrer ou de sortir de l'asana pour préserver les articulations.

Spedizione e condizioni del prodotto impeccabili. Il libro è in lingua inglese, e tratta di vari argomenti come: Respiro, sistema muscolare e scheletrico, varie posizioni. Le immagini sono veramente ben fatte. Per ogni asana vengono indicati i muscoli interessati e la loro azione.

This book contents are very useful.

O guia e perfeito para a compreensão de cada Asana. Amei pela abordagem da respiração, inovadora e esclarecedora quanto a respiração diafragmatica , pois não conseguia conceber como alguma respiração não envolveria o diafragma! Entende a respiração como uma mudança de formas espaciais me foi bem útil.

For years, I'd been happily flowing through Vinyasa classes, attempting to fold myself into various shapes, and generally feeling good. But there was always this little voice in the back of my head asking, "Okay, but how is this actually working? What muscles are really doing the heavy lifting (or lengthening)? Am I even doing this pose correctly for my body?" Enter "Yoga Anatomy" by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews. This book is the answer to every curious yogi's unspoken questions. It's not just a dry textbook; it's like having a brilliant, patient anatomy professor right there on your mat with you. The real stars of this book are the illustrations. Full-color, detailed, and showing muscles and skeletal structures in action within each pose – they are simply phenomenal. I spent ages just poring over them, finally understanding why my hamstrings scream in certain forward folds or why my shoulders feel a particular way in Chaturanga. It breaks down complex movements into understandable visual information. But it's not just pretty pictures. The accompanying text is clear, concise, and incredibly insightful. It explains the principles of breathing, the relationship between the spine and movement, and how slight adjustments in a pose can completely change its effect. It empowers you to move beyond just mimicking shapes and truly understand what's happening inside your body. This book has profoundly impacted my personal practice. I approach poses with more intelligence and awareness. I can make modifications that genuinely serve my body, rather than just following general cues. It's also given me so much more appreciation for the incredible complexity and adaptability of the human form. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner, a budding yoga teacher, or just someone who wants to understand their body better while on the mat, "Yoga Anatomy" is an invaluable resource. It's detailed without being overwhelming, impactful in its clarity, and has made my yoga journey so much richer and more informed. Consider it your body's new best friend on the path to deeper understanding.