Structural Yoga Therapy Charts

Rating:
Summary: Great charts for warm-ups and yoga.
Review: Having recently taken up yoga again, after an absence of 20 years, I was happy to have these laminated wall charts to help me in my practice. However, these charts can be useful not just for yoga students, but also as a guide to warm-up exercises for any other fitness program.
There are three sets of charts. The first set "Joint-Freeing Series" consists of two pages of a total of 21 exercises that could be used as a warm-up routine to yoga, weight-lifting, running, etc. They basically focus on moving the joints of the feet, ankles, knees, hips, spine, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and neck. They are very easy and simple to follow. I have found them a great way to "wake up the body" at the beginning of a new day, as well as to re-energize in the middle of a long day. These joint-freeing exercises really have nothing to do with yoga, thus can be used by anyone, even those without any basic yoga experience.
The second set of charts consists of 4 pages of yoga poses (asanas). As with any yoga postures, taking classes is always a good way to start so you can make sure you are applying the principles correctly. The charts are a great tool to continue your practice at home, or if you have yoga experience, they're a great tool to refresh your memory. After taking yoga again for a few months, I use the charts at home to help me follow a routine of postures.
The drawings are simple line drawings making it easy to see the outline of the yoga posture. There are a total of 24 basic yoga postures shown. When I brought these to my yoga teacher, he commented that they were good basic poses. As a matter of fact, they were many of the poses that I learnt in the two months of classes I have attended.
The third set of charts consists of two pages showing the muscular system - anterior and posterior view. This is a good tool, as in the yoga posture charts, the author specifies which muscle the posture is working, so it is helpful to be able to look at the muscular system and see exactly which muscle you should be feeling stretch in the posture.
Another benefit of the muscular chart, is that you can use it "in reverse". By identifying a muscle that you know needs work, as in the case of an injury, you can then refer to the yoga postures charts to find the proper posture to work that muscle.
Yoga and stretching (as in the joint-freeing exercises) is a great way to attain flexibility of body and of mind. It helps you regain a certain peace of mind, since the exercises are slow, peaceful, and serene... If you're looking for a simple way to incorporate fitness in your life, I recommend these charts as a good place to start.
These therapy charts are a companion to the book Structural Yoga Therapy: Adapting to the Individual. The book was published as a teaching and training manual for serious practitioner of yoga, medicine, and body work, however the Yoga Therapy Charts can be used by anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent guide for your own basic home practice
Review: I brought these charts from Mukunda Stiles after I took a workshop with him a few years ago. They have been an invaluable resource for me.

Although I like to use videos to practice with at home, many times I like to spend more time on postures than some videos allow. Also, even though I am a yoga teacher, sometimes it's hard to plan the "perfect" practice for myself. Though I do "yoga on the fly" sometimes, it's easy for me to slip into my favorites (e.g., hip openers) and skip over the challenges (e.g., inversions).

Whenever I do the practice outlined in the charts, I always feel like I am getting a complete, compact yoga workout. I think of this as a basic, get-it-all-in practice. This has also been helpful to me as I work through some of my imbalances, particularly through my hips.

While this is not an easy practice, this is not the practice to choose if you want to kick your own butt or burn fat. However, it's great for alignment and overall well-being.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent guide for your own basic home practice
Review: I brought these charts from Mukunda Stiles after I took a workshop with him a few years ago. They have been an invaluable resource for me.

Although I like to use videos to practice with at home, many times I like to spend more time on postures than some videos allow. Also, even though I am a yoga teacher, sometimes it's hard to plan the "perfect" practice for myself. Though I do "yoga on the fly" sometimes, it's easy for me to slip into my favorites (e.g., hip openers) and skip over the challenges (e.g., inversions).

Whenever I do the practice outlined in the charts, I always feel like I am getting a complete, compact yoga workout. I think of this as a basic, get-it-all-in practice. This has also been helpful to me as I work through some of my imbalances, particularly through my hips.

While this is not an easy practice, this is not the practice to choose if you want to kick your own butt or burn fat. However, it's great for alignment and overall well-being.

Rating:
Summary: Structural Yoga Therapy
Review: This is an excellent book for yoga. Mukunda explains the specifics of yoga techniques that can assist you in improving your posture, areas of tightness and stress and abnormalities caused by heredity or life experiences. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Structural Yoga Therapy
Review: This is an excellent book for yoga. Mukunda explains the specifics of yoga techniques that can assist you in improving your posture, areas of tightness and stress and abnormalities caused by heredity or life experiences. I highly recommend it.