Customer Reviews

30 Essential Yoga Poses: For Beginning Students and Their Teachers

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a wonderful yoga book for those just beginning to practice yoga, intermediate practitioners who would like to enhance their practice, or those looking to make the transition from yoga student to yoga teacher. For each of the poses described, author Judith Lasater suggests variations, offers tips on alignment, and provides information for how teachers can work with their students on the pose. As an advanced beginner, I even found reading the sections intended for teachers to be useful, as it gave me ideas about how to make changes in my own practice. At the end of the book, the author describes various ways to incorporate the postures into a daily practice, from a short practice to practices for each day of the week to practices to meet specific needs (eg, for energy, for relaxation). Judith is an excellent instructor, and I only wish that she had illustrated the poses herself (I found the model used throughout the book to be a bit severe-looking). Still, this book is a must-have for starting or adding to a yoga library.

Although there is no shortage of books written on yoga by talented people, this book is unique in its reader-friendly display of information and illustration. The author strived to organize the book in a style that calming and soothing to both the eyes and the mind. Each pose spans five or so pages, starting with a full-page photograph, description of the pose, its sequencing, benefits, cautions, variations, teachers' notes, and 3 to 4 photographs that show how the pose is performed. The fine choice of soft colors for the text and photos eases the task of reading the book and understanding its message.

The thirty poses constitute the foundation of yoga stretching and strengthening. They fall into standing poses (such as mountain, tree, triangles, warriors, side and forward bends, and lunges), lying down poses (such as cobra, bow, elevated legs, lying twist, and relaxation poses), seated poses (such as seated twist, hero-heroine, seated angle, child, and meditation poses), head and shoulder stands, up-plank, and bridges. These are also included in seven days plan at the end of the book. For regional anatomical therapy, the author had added a detailed section on "Theme Practice" that categorizes various poses for the lower back, hips and hamstrings, upper back, balance, strength, energy, fatigue, and relaxation.

Like many talented yoga practitioners, the author chose her photographs thoroughly to demonstrate the emphasized angles and posture of the body. This has greatly conveyed invaluable visual information that could hardly have been expressed by words in such memorizable manner.

For the price of $22.95 you are getting great lessons on getting and staying fit, learning the art of planning practical and safe yoga training, and enjoying a well written and designed book.

Mohamed F. El-Hewie,
Author of
"Essentials of Weightlifting and Strength Training".

I have been practicing yoga for close to five years and teaching for less than one. This book is the best instructional yoga guide I have ever seen. The asana directions and descriptions are clear and concise, the variations are good and the anatomical focus notes for teachers are also excellent for students. If I were going to recommend one yoga reference book, this would be it.

I am in love with this book! I have discovered yoga about one year ago and I instantly fell in love with the whole concept. Since then, I have discovered some really great yoga books, but I have to say that the Rodmell series of yoga books is one of the best I have ever seen.

30 Essential Yoga Poses is another entry into the genre that is absolutely perfect for us yoga students who have some good basic yoga fundamentals, but are still trying to "better" the poses. This book is loaded with descriptions of the 30 essential poses, along with lots and lots of color pictures detailing how to do the poses correctly. What I also enjoyed (and greatly appreciated) was the fact that for most of the poses, the author also included variations on the pose. This is especially important for anybody who may have stiff body parts and need to get a little more limber before doing the pose "completely"

There was also a detailed look at the importance of yoga props and how they fit into the overall picture.

This book is a complete "course" within itself - I have rarely seen a yoga book that explained so well the poses and the correct posture for each.

This is perfect, perfect. I loved it!!!

Excellent resource for asanas. Well organized and easy to read, yet not overly simplistic. Great information for each posture, for alignments, cautions, primary focus, benefits, and variations. Includes sequences for different types of practice.

This is an incredible book. Plenty of modifications given. great for teachers in training and serious practitioners. It would serve well as ancillary reading for any Teacher Training in any discipline. Judith writes in a concise style explaining benefits of the pose and proper alignment. She completely nails the responsibility of teaching in a safe environment. This book was not even on my TT's reading list but I would not have made it through my TT without it.

One of the best yoga books to assist the beginning instructor on how to adjust and assist the student. Wording is descriptive and to the point. Wish there were more poses than 30. Maybe the author will come out with a second book with 30 more poses...

For the most part, I think this book offers some great, clear advice. I tend to feel that Judith is a bit overly cautious. Most women I know have told me they feel much better after doing an asana practice around their period while Judith would have you skipping many of the most basic postures!

Aside from that, I think this book makes a great addition for those seeking to look a bit more deeply into the practice of yogasana, both as students and as teachers.

This is truly a great yoga reference book to learn what teachers should look at when teaching a pose. It also tells what are things students usually do (but should not)during a pose. The author also relates the physical side to the mental side of a pose, and this can definitely add dimension to our teaching. I think, however, more descriptions are needed when using different props.

I recently completed a 200 hr. certification to teach yoga and I find this book invaluable. I use it for sequencing, attention to technical detail and inspiration. Judith just knows how to make each asana make sense. I only wish there were more than 30 essential poses:)