Science of Yoga: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Perfect Your Practice (DK Science of)

As a yoga practitioner and yoga teacher training (YTT) graduate, I appreciate how The Science of Yoga Anatomy and Physiology (1st edition) by Ann Swanson bridges the gap between movement and biomechanics. The aesthetics of the book cover are captivating, drawing attention to the vivid colors that match the 3D depictions of the human body performing various yoga poses. The paperback edition feels comfortable to hold, making it easy to flip through pages during study sessions. The design of the chapter organization ensures that each section builds upon the next, and the visual content simplifies complex anatomical concepts. The economics of this book make it a valuable investment for yoga professionals seeking deeper anatomical understanding. A study published in The Journal of Sports Science & Medicine reveal how integrating anatomical awareness into yoga practice can improve flexibility and muscle coordination by 47 percent. This book has strengthened my appreciation for the science behind each pose. 📘🧘‍♀️💡

Based on the title I expected this to be rich with information, but the density and quality of everything inside over delivered. It's incredible-- both in scope and aesthetically. Can't recommend this enough to anyone who wants to deepen their personal yoga practice, but especially for yoga teachers. This should be mandatory reading!

i LOVE how this illustrates which muscles are working and which are stretching throughout the asanas- there is so much information in here, it could honestly be used as part of a YTT textbook. I come back to this book time and time again and pick up in different places. thank you Ann Swanson, I am so grateful to you!

As a yoga teacher and studio owner I love this book. It's a great reminder in clip notes of all the wonderful things yoga does to your body, it has all the poses right alignments in it and it's just amazing if you are into human body and need a quick reference to look up how different fibers in your muscles are call etcYou know - all the stuff you constantly forget since it's not in your everyday language but makes a big difference to still keep it in mind

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!

So far it looks good. I just started looking through it but noticed it doesn't have Warrior One. Only has two and three. Just interesting to me

A fantastic book, easy to read & understand. It really helped me learn more about yoga & the human body, I would definitely recommend it.

I love this book. Ann has a masterful way of combining western and eastern philosophies as well as subtle and gross anatomy in this book. I actually use it in my yoga teacher trainings and my students love it. The illustrations, the way it’s written, everything is so spot on. This is my go to for anatomy books for yoga.