From Book News, Inc.
Coulter, who received a PhD in anatomy in 1968, and has taught in numerous contexts since then, has also been a student of yoga since the 1970s. Here he conjoins his two areas of expertise. After discussion of basic premises regarding yoga practice--focusing attention, becoming aware of breath, moving into and out of postures, responding to pain--he discusses movement and posture, breathing, and abdominopelvic exercises, and then explores in detail the various standing, backbending, forward bending, twisting, and inverted postures, as well as relaxation and meditation. In his densely packed explications and descriptions, he variously addresses yoga teachers, yoga students, and medical practitioners; and this leaping about from audience to audience lends a clutter to the presentation. Still, there's valuable information here for readers in all three groups.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Book Description
Anatomy of Hatha Yoga is the only modern authoritative source that correlates the study of hatha yoga with anatomy and physiology. Hatha yoga is comprised of stretching, strengthening and breathing exercises in upright, lying down and inverted postures. Yoga teachers and students, personal trainers, medical therapists, or anyone who is curious or troubled about how the body responds to stretching and exercise will find in this book a cornucopia -- partly new and partly old -- of readable and reliable information. It was written and edited to meet the needs of a general audience largely unschooled in the biomechanical sciences, and yet to attract and challenge the interests of the medical profession. This book features 230 black and white photographs and more than 120 diagrams and anatomical illustrations. Chapter 1 summarizes general principles of anatomy and physiology as applied to hatha yoga. Breathing is next in chapter 2 because yogic breathing expedites movement and posture. Breathing is followed by pelvic and abdominal exercises in chapter 3 because the pelvis and abdomen form the foundation of the body. Standing postures will then be covered in chapter 4 because these poses are so important for beginning students, and because they provide a preview of backbending, forward bending, and twisting postures, which are covered in detail in chapters 5, 6, and 7. The headstand and shoulderstand, including an introduction to cardiovascular function, are presented in chapters 8 and 9. Postures for relaxation and meditation are treated last in chapter 10. WINNER, 2002 Benjamin Franklin Award for Health Wellness, and Nutrition - Publishers Marketing Association.

FROM THE CRITICS

Doody Review Services

Reviewer: Martha J. Greenberg, PhD (Pace University)Description: This book describes the philosophy and postures of hatha yoga with an objective analysis correlating these postures with biomedicine. Using anatomically precise terminology, the book discusses the effects of hatha yoga on major body systems. Purpose: The book provides a comprehensive overview of anatomy and physiology of hatha yoga with special emphasis on the musculoskeletal, nervous, and cadiovascular systems. The book exceeds the author's objectives and fills a void in the literature, bridging biomedicine and complementary medicine. Audience: Every yoga teacher as well as any health professional or layperson interested in exploring the anatomical and physiologic aspects of hatha yoga should own this unique publication. Dr. Coulter brings over 25 years' teaching experience in science and hatha yoga to this book. His writing style should satisfy and appeal to a range of disciplines and individuals at varying educational and professional levels. Features: The author discusses the basic premises of hatha yoga with foundational material accepted in biomedical sciences, expressly avoiding comment on non-physical concepts such as prana and the chakras. All postures are discussed in detail and depicted in excellent quality black-and-white photographs. Steps in the postures are illustrated as well as terminal points of the positions. Assessment: The book presents hatha yoga in scientific terms while at the same time respecting its principles. Marrying academic discourse with detailed and pictorial representations of postures, it is a premier book in the field.

Booknews

Coulter, who received a PhD in anatomy in 1968, and has taught in numerous contexts since then, has also been a student of yoga since the 1970s. Here he conjoins his two areas of expertise. After discussion of basic premises regarding yoga practicefocusing attention, becoming aware of breath, moving into and out of postures, responding to painhe discusses movement and posture, breathing, and abdominopelvic exercises, and then explores in detail the various standing, backbending, forward bending, twisting, and inverted postures, as well as relaxation and meditation. In his densely packed explications and descriptions, he variously addresses yoga teachers, yoga students, and medical practitioners; and this leaping about from audience to audience lends a clutter to the presentation. Still, there's valuable information here for readers in all three groups. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

RATING

4 Stars! from Doody

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