Science of Yoga

This fascinating book combines impressively simple explanations of how yoga impacts your body and how to perform each yoga pose with the in-depth illustrations for which DK books are known. I say “impressively simple” because the author, Ann Swanson, managed to condense a large amount of yoga research and anatomical information into a compact, highly readable format. The book begins with a primer on human anatomy and physiology – there’s a two-page spread on each of the major systems of the body, such as the digestive system and the skeletal system, along with details about how yoga can impact each system. As someone who hasn’t taken an anatomy class in about 18 years, I really appreciated this refresher! Next, there are two-page spreads on each yoga pose, or asana – the asanas are organized into the seated asanas, standing asanas, inversion asanas, and floor asanas. The incredible full-body illustrations of each pose show which muscles are engaged and/or stretched by each pose. As a newcomer to yoga, I especially appreciate the alignment diagram for each pose, which provides detailed instructions on exactly how you should position your body to perform the pose safely and effectively (i.e. forearms should be rotated inward). Speaking of safety, there are variations suggested for most poses to accommodate injuries and preferences. The third part of the book, the Q&A section, covers topics from “Stress,” to “Cautions” (poses to avoid if you have certain medical conditions), to “On the frontiers of science” (a lovely summary of the process of health research and how to evaluate any yoga studies you hear about in the news). Finally, I love that the author included a bibliography, which is organized by chapter – Ann Swanson provides the full citations to the scientific studies she references in the text, so you can easily look up the study yourself if you want more information. Overall, this is a beautifully done book, which I recommend highly to everyone from yoga newbies to yoga teachers!

I just received this book, The Science of Yoga, yesterday and have already read it (at least initially) cover-to-cover-- it's incredible! I have been a student of yoga my whole life (40+ years-- my mom did yoga, so I did it with her as a kid) and am also an anatomy enthusiast, as well as a social psychologist and educator by trade. I have never found a book that so elegantly integrates the wisdom of yoga with western scientific understanding of the human body and in such a beautiful and accessible manner. I love the way that it illustrates each asana (pose) from multiple perspectives offering deep insight into the ways in which each ansana supports whole body well being and giving clues to how to modify poses when people's bodies don't act the way that human bodies typically act. I have hypermobile joints which have become significantly misaligned recently; I find that my yoga practice (I include meditation as part of practice-- not separate from) is really the only thing that helps to heal my body. Seeing how each asana is meant to engage one's muscles (and body, by extension) helps me conceptualize how to modify the asana depending on how my joints are engaging that day and offers better "signposts" to help me sense my own alignment, adjust accordingly, and ultimately deepens my self-awareness on multiple levels. I also love the Q&A section and particularly admire the way that it seamlessly synthesizes western research and yoga philosophy in such a thorough and accessible manner-- the section on yoga therapy and transformation are two of my favorites! It is not only your gift for explaining complex ideas but your use of visuals (impressive!) and layout that make this work so accessible and engaging for so many people. I have already convinced both my dad and my partner to develop their own practice using evidence from the book-- they both really need it! Thank you for @AnnSwanson for creating such a helpful guide-- I am looking forward to spending many hours pouring over it!

With little scientific background (I majored English/writing in college), I have studied yoga anatomy and physiology in a number of teacher trainings and workshops and am always interested in learning more, but it does not come easily to me. I have found I learn this stuff better in a practical way, in person with a teacher or through videos, and in the context of actually practicing the asana and pranayama, where I can experience the lessons in my own body. Until now, books have been of little help. When I saw this new book recommended on Amazon, I was immediately struck by the illustrations, and ordered it right away. I was not disappointed. The illustrations deliver with a simple color-coding system that highlights muscles that are stretching, engaging and stretching, and engaging in each asana that the author chose to include. The names of the muscles and joints and their anatomical positions are explained, and alignment and modification tips are given. I hope the author decides to expand on the number of asanas illustrated online or with a follow up book, though there are plenty to work with already. While I found the Q&A in the back of the book to be a bit basic, I'm sure it would be a wonderful guide to yoga beyond asana for readers new to the practice. What I didn't expect and found very valuable was the first part of the book which was an introduction to many of the systems (adrenal, skeletal, muscular, digestive, etc.) of the body. Again, the illustrations are top notch and the descriptions are clear and concise. The author drops in the benefits of yoga, pranayama, and meditation practices here and there with a fresh approach: she uses the most current research, not old yoga myths. In fact here and there she busts some of those myths. Scientists are finding everyday that there are proven reasons to engage these practices, we don't need to perpetuate ancient myths, fun as they are, anymore. Yogis of all levels of experience will benefit from this book, I believe. Great Book Ann!

En anglais mais une vrai source de savoir. A compléter cependant avec d’autres livres pour une compréhension optimale.

Unfortunately I returned my copy because I received it damaged. I can only talk about my first impressions. At first glance the way that knowledge is presented seems a little too general, the layout is a like a chaotic school textbook too. That may be appealing for some but me personally, I like simple, old-fashioned books where the knowledge is condensed in an organized manner. I could probably still learn from this book as it approached many different subjects. Now, the illustrations are fantastic. Too bad they decided to put those detailed, beautiful illustrations split across two pages, which makes them almost useless. You can't even read some descriptions. This is a huge flaw in my opinion. Possibly in the future the format could be slightly bigger, and some illustrations smaller, so one would fit on a single page. That, I would reorder.

解剖学的な視点から英語の勉強も兼ねて身体を把握したくて購入。満足です。

Detailed and informative. Happy to have it in my library.

This book is an excellent, concise guide to understanding joint mobility and muscle engagement. I’m hooked - I’ve sat down to read it for pleasure twice already! As an experienced and senior yoga teacher, finding a book I want to read, and return to, is gold dust. The clear illustrations, with color-coded visuals for engaged and stretched muscles, make it easy to see and understand key movements. I especially appreciated the practical tips throughout, which, while familiar, are very useful for teachers looking to share helpful insights with students. Overall, it simplifies complex concepts, concretes the anatomically relevant facts and provides actionable advice, making it a great resource for both personal practice and teaching. I love it!