Hatha Yoga Illustrated

Rating:
Summary: The best Yoga book, period! BUY NOW!
Review: Hello. I am a bodybuilder/weightlifter and long distance runner who started doing Yoga in 2002 (I practice 6-7 days a week, at least 90-120 min. daily)after surgery to repair the L5-S1 disc in my back, which I blew out while running with a cold and coughing intensely (coughing, sneezing, and laughing allegedly places tremendous pressure on your spine). I have read or purchased at least 15 books on Yoga. This one is by FAR the best (9.5.04). One pet peeve of mine has been hairy, anoerexic-looking, freaky looking Yogis showing off incredibly difficult poses that take years and years to master, if at all. These authors and models are very normal looking and easy on the eyes. This book does indeed display difficult poses, but also shows important modifications for those less accomplished. The book shows the Sun Salutations of course, and dozens of other standing, seated and twisting, forward bends, reclining, arm balances and inversions. Each has a thorough description of the benefits and instructions with fantastic photos for all levels of practioners. You will develop more lean muscle mass, lose weight, and increase flexibility and balance if you are serious about your training (obviously combined with a healthy eating style). The authors summarize several different workouts in a one-two page layout at the back of the book.

Another nice feature in my opinion, the authors don't ramble on about the horrors of eating meat, simply saying that it is an intensely personal decision. Moreover, the authors refrain from outlandish promises that I have found to be either completely inaccurate, scientifically unproven, and/or lies. Yoga is like any other form of fitness. You get out of it what you put in. Rather than making wild, unproven claims, the authors offer responsible descriptions of "potential" benefits. I found this measured approach to be very refreshing.

Because I have read so many Yoga books, I have endured the many wild and completely irresponsible claims by many Yogis and even Yoga Journal magazine (weighing in on the dangers of genetically modified foods [tell that to starving people in Sub-Saharan Africa], peacefullness, and non-violence, yada, yada, yada). The authors achieve a perfect balance in this regard.

This book is PERFECT for anyone from beginners to advanced practioners.

Also, thank you again to Amazon.com for offerring this book at a great price and of course perfect service.

Namaste

Rating:
Summary: The best Yoga book, period! BUY NOW!
Review: Hello. I am a former bodybuilder/weightlifter and long distance runner who started doing Yoga in 2002 (I practice 6-7 days a week, 60-90 min. daily)after surgery to repair the L5-S1 disc in my back, which I blew out while running with a cold and coughing intensely (coughing, sneezing, and laughing allegedly places tremendous pressure on your spine). I have read or purchased at least 15 books on Yoga. This one is by FAR the best. One pet peeve of mine has been hairy, anoerexic-looking, freaky looking Yogis showing off incredibly difficult poses that take years and years to master, if at all. The authors, a husband and wife, are very normal looking and easy on the eyes. This book does indeed display difficult poses, but also shows important modifications for those less accomplished. The book shows the Sun Salutations of course, and dozens of other standing, seated and twisting, forward bends, reclining, arm balances and inversions. Each has a thorough description of the benefits and instructions with fantastic photos for all levels of practioners. You will develop more lean muscle mass, lose weight, and increase flexibility and balance if you are serious about your training (obviously combined with a healthy eating style). Most importantly, unlike many other books (the arrogant Baron Baptiste's books, for example), the authors summarize several different workouts in a one-two page layout at the back of the book.

Another nice feature in my opinion, the authors don't ramble on about the horrors of eating meat, simply saying that it is an intensely personal decision. Moreover, the authors refrain from outlandish promises that I have found to be either completely inaccurate, scientifically unproven, and/or lies. Yoga is like any other form of fitness. You get out of it what you put in. Having said that, Yoga has NOT improved my depression, hypothyroidism, hypertension, or asthma, which many books claim Yoga can/will do. Rather than making wild, unproven claims, the authors offer responsible descriptions of "potential" benefits. I found this measured approach to be very refreshing.

Because I have read so many Yoga books, I have endured the many wild and completely irresponsible claims by many Yogis and even Yoga Journal magazine (weighing in on the dangers of genetically modified foods [tell that to starving people in Sub-Saharan Africa], peacefullness, and non-violence, yada, yada, yada). The authors achieve a perfect balance in this regard.

This book is PERFECT for anyone from beginners to advanced practioners.

Also, thank you again to Amazon.com for offerring this book at a great price and of course perfect service.

Namaste

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I am a 42 year-old male in better than average physical condition but when my ankles, knees, and shoulder recently requested that I abandon the jump rope for another regular excersize, I decided to check out yoga. So far I've explored roughly 15 books on the subject and have found Hatha Yoga Illustrated to be the keeper. I came to this conclusion when I noticed that I was comparing and cross-referencing the other books to this one, and that it contained virtually ALL of the important information from the others, collectively. There are many good books on the subject, but I found this to be the most comprehensive.

Hatha Yoga Illustrated will get you started immediately, and also offers advanced information should you need a more intense program in the future. The book features detailed and well-organized instruction for all of the major poses, complete with variations and counterposes. The two authors are a man and a woman so it favors neither gender, as with some of the other books I've read.

My only two criticisms are extremely minor: The women in the illustrations are very good-looking which, as petty as this sounds, can serve as a temporary distraction (that's a criticism?!) Also, there could be a little more info on routines. This is somewhat of a moot point however, because you'll probably want to build a routine to suit your own specific needs and abilities, and this book certainly provides you with the tools to do that.

In conclusion I'm forced to use the old "if you can read just one book - this is the one!" cliche, but only because it is so appropriate in this case. I highly recommend Hatha Yoga Illustrated, and congratulate it's authors on a job very well done.

Rating:
Summary: Not just for beginners
Review: I have been practicing yoga for several years now and have read tons of books on the subject. This is an excellent book on the basics. It covers 70 poses not including variations. Countrary to my assumptions, not all of the posture's described are 'beginner's poses', there are a few more difficult poses that are common to certain schools of yoga. The descriptions on how to do the poses are pratical - not so much detail that you're doing a 100 point check list. Simplier modifications are often given, useful if one is not as flexible or strong as required to do the final form (or injured, or tired, etc.). One addition I greatly appreciate is that counterposes are given for each posture, this gives a beginner some idea of what to do next. In fact, for each pose, the following details are listed: counterpose, drishti (what you should look at), physical benefits, mental benefits, and countraindications (injuries or health problems that may prevent you from practicing a posture or require a simpler variation).

The routines in the back of the book are short, but extremely helpful for how to build a routine. There are routines for a gentle practice, flexibility, some examples of vinyasa segments, and both sun and moon salutations.

I really am enjoying this book.

Rating:
Summary: Not just for beginners
Review: I have been practicing yoga for several years now and have read tons of books on the subject. This is an excellent book on the basics. It covers 70 poses not including variations. Countrary to my assumptions, not all of the posture's described are 'beginner's poses', there are a few more difficult poses that are common to certain schools of yoga. The descriptions on how to do the poses are pratical - not so much detail that you're doing a 100 point check list. Simplier modifications are often given, useful if one is not as flexible or strong as required to do the final form (or injured, or tired, etc.). One addition I greatly appreciate is that counterposes are given for each posture, this gives a beginner some idea of what to do next. In fact, for each pose, the following details are listed: counterpose, drishti (what you should look at), physical benefits, mental benefits, and countraindications (injuries or health problems that may prevent you from practicing a posture or require a simpler variation).

The routines in the back of the book are short, but extremely helpful for how to build a routine. There are routines for a gentle practice, flexibility, some examples of vinyasa segments, and both sun and moon salutations.

I really am enjoying this book.

Rating:
Summary: An all around excellent yoga book
Review: Now that yoga is so fashionable there are more yoga books in print than ever before. Many of these books are of poor or mediocre quality.

Hatha Yoga Illustrated is an excellent all around book on yoga. The visual images of the poses are clear, there is a great deal of helpful information concisely presented. The book is devoid of the superflous "blah-blah" so often present in yoga books. This is a hatha yoga manual, you won't find much yoga philosophy herein, but what is stated on these topics is sound and sensible.

No book is an entirely adequate substitute for personal instruction, but this book should have an honored place in every yoga students collection of yoga books.