The Physiology of Yoga
About this product
While many people practice yoga simply because it helps them feel good, the physiological basis for yoga’s effects on the body and mind is often unknown or misunderstood. Understanding these physiological concepts can help to deepen your yoga practice.
The Physiology of Yoga separates speculation from fact by examining how the body responds and adapts to yoga within many systems of the body: musculoskeletal, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, endocrine, reproductive, and digestive. Straightforward explanations guide you in sorting through conflicting information about what yoga really can help you achieve and in evaluating whether certain yoga methods provide benefits to any or all of those systems.
You can experiment with concepts through Try It Yourself sidebars, which focus on mindful movement, meditation, and breathing. The 14 Myth or Fact sidebars explore popular claims about yoga, such as whether a shoulder stand can stimulate the thyroid or if twists can detoxify the liver. You’ll get the most current research to determine the validity of various claims so you can avoid practices that could be harmful or counterproductive and can decide for yourself what works for your practice.
Finally, experience firsthand how yoga affects your physiology by exploring specific yoga poses and four sequences. Each sequence explains which of the physiological principles from the earlier chapters may be most prevalent in that sequence.
With The Physiology of Yoga, you or your students can navigate all the conflicting views and opinions about the impact of yoga and learn to practice yoga while fully enjoying the benefits of mindful movement. Read more
Editor's Take
Reviews and endorsements for The Physiology of Yoga are strongly positive overall. Amazon-style product pages show the book as highly regarded, with praise for being evidence-based, accessible, and useful for yoga teachers and serious students. Human Kinetics and the official book page highlight endorsements that call it a thorough resource that fills a long-standing gap in yoga physiology and anatomy reading lists.
On review sites and blogs, readers describe it as clear, well-organized, and helpful for separating myth from research. A book review on Bernie Gourley’s site gives it a top rating, and Human Kinetics’ blog features a member review describing it as extensive yet readable. Goodreads shows some reader activity, but the volume of public reviews appears modest compared with mainstream bestsellers.
Reddit discussion is limited, but one yoga-teachers thread recommends it as an evidence-based option for yoga anatomy and physiology. Overall, real-world feedback suggests the book is best suited for yoga teachers, trainees, and readers who want a science-based explanation of how yoga affects the body.
- Amazon/product-page sentiment: highly favorable, especially for teaching and reference use.
- Blogs/review sites: praise its clarity, myth-busting, and practical value.
- Reddit: recommended as an evidence-based yoga anatomy/physiology resource.
Price History
Specifications
| Topic | Yoga |
Product Details
| Publisher | Human Kinetics |
| Publication date | June 13, 2022 |
| Edition | First Edition |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 264 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1492599832 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1492599838 |
| Item Weight | 1.45 pounds |
| Dimensions | 6.9 x 0.6 x 10.2 inches |
| Best Sellers Rank | #141,518 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #164 in Stretching Exercise & Fitness #208 in Exercise Injuries & Rehabilitation #264 in Anatomy (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (87) |
