Customer Reviews

Yoga for Dummies: Miniature edition

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This is a wonderful reference book for introducing people to the discipline of Yoga. As head of the reference department in a busy public library and user of many of the "...For Dummies" series subject guides, I highly recommend this title for all public library collections, and anyone looking for a practical, thorough introduction to the study of Yoga. A very good table of contents and index makes it easy to go right to the chapter you are most interested in. The Appendix is terrific-it gives all sorts of additional Yoga resources such as organizations, teacher training and academic programs, reference books, information on Yoga props, lists of periodicals, videotapes and audiotapes, and Yoga web sites to visit. The appendix adds to making this a truly encyclopedic reference source. The style in which the book is written makes it the kind of book you want to come back to over and over again.

I had the privilege of being a guest in one of author Larry Payne's Malibu Yoga classes (only the second time I ever attended a Yoga class) and after reading Yoga for Dummies I was inspired to sign up for a class locally. Being a user of Larry's book "Healthy Back: Exercises for high stress professionals," (I have a bad case of sciatica), I was pleased to see one of the chapters focus on Yoga for special situations. This has a section on Yoga for people with back problems. The other chapter I like is the one on designing your own Yoga program based on the amount of time you have each day to invest in doing the routines. The photographs, illustrations and posture directions are all very clear and of high quality. Both authors did a tremendous job of presenting their knowledge and years of experience with Yoga to the reader.

I have never used any of the ___For Dummies series and felt silly buying this one, but lost all regret once I cracked it open. The most approachable and useful book on yoga yet. I drag it with me on all my travels and am secure it merits the additional weight in the carry on. Most definitely worth the investment in money and time, an instructional book that actually instructs!

I've done yoga off and on my whole life. It does keep you flexible. But I don't want to read about yoga philosophy or metaphysics. I just want to do yoga to keep flexible and fit. And I don't want to get hurt doing it. This book really helps.

Yoga for Dummies lists all kinds of yoga postures, has helpful information on protecting your back (really important.) It also has a lot of clear photos and even a section in the back with many yoga resources such as websites, magazines, teachers, videos and more.

This is by far my favorite yoga book!

This book was extremely well-written so that even a novice yoga practitioner could understand the descriptions. Special attention was given to protecting a sensitive back, valuable information for our population in which most everyone suffers back problems at some time. The illustrations were very clear and appropriate to the text. This is truly a book that would be able to inform even a "dummy" yet it is still appealing to a more experienced yoga participant. Overall very intelligently written and entertaining.

I thought the book was wonderful for anyone wanting to learn more about yoga; either the beginner or the accomplished can benefit from this book. The health benefits of putting yoga into your daily life are many; and the book explains them in simple terms. The book is easy to read and understand, the illustrations and pictures are wonderful. I also like the humor put into the chapters every so often. A great book for a great price.

Buying a yoga book is a very tricky and haphazard endeavour with an astonishingly number of yoga titles out there. I should know I injured myself by trying to follow a sivananda yoga book. So choosing the wrong book can be quite damaging.

Luckily for me, I was not put off yoga by that experience and instead of giving up I bought this book. I know you may have been told its best to go to class but I see nothing wrong with following a book if its clearly written and gradually increases in difficulty. This is what this book does.

It gives you a varied number of postures. Although I had to read through chapter 15 to get to yoga routine. But this is a minor disagreement and is more a sign of the cautious approach to yoga.
It helps to vanquish all the myths and preconceptions people have of yoga such as twisting your body into the shape of a pretzel or yoga only being for wimps.

Perhaps the "for dummies..." label gets gives people cause to be cautious. But as someone who has studied yoga for a number of years their knowledge and so are the credentials of the authors.

This book is not the be all and end all for yoga with everything you need to know. And any book that does have such a monolithic claim should be avoided.

Rather it's the first step on the long journey towards the mastery of yoga (too deep?!) And the bibliography at the end of the book can help you deepen your knowledge.

It would make a great gift for someone who wants to try yoga and needs a little nudge to go and do it.

I have bought many "for dummies" books in subjects which I know very little about, and which I want to learn more (i.e. I am a "dummy" in that subject).

"Yoga for Dummies" is one of the best of the series. If you are just curious about yoga, this book is full of background information to serve as an introduction to the subject. If you are
interested in trying yoga out on your own, this book contains very good illustrations and detailed routines to get you started.

An extra point: It seems that 90% of the yoga books on the market are geared for women readers. This is very much a
unisex book that will be useful to both men and women who want to get started in yoga.

This "dummies" format demystifies the mystical and accentuates the practical. In short, for this unlikely topic, it succeeds brilliantly. (What's next, Buddhism for Blondes? But seriously...)

In one panoramic survey the authors deliver sleek, functional tools with upbeat and motivating energy, so you can "just do it" & learn Yoga. This is an encyclopedic yet highly entertaining version of the millenial science of Yoga. It sheds new and ultra-direct light on the old life-enhancing discipline.

Taking the often pretentious territory of Yoga and rendering it with simplicity and a sense of humor, the authors convey the essentials in easy text and pictures, without sacrificing authenticity. This book speaks directly to "dummies" (positivist translation: people who prefer books to spare the boredom and superfluous nonsense). In kindergarten we learned "Books are our friends". This book invokes the spirit of a charming while challenging, philosophical but sensible, personal trainer.

This book is a great place to start a yoga exercise regimen. By no means is the book comprehensive, but you will get an excellent primer in the concepts of physical fitness behind yoga and make a reasoned judgment as to whether or not it is for you. If you choose to pursue yoga further, the book will give you enough theory, both physical and philosophical, to avoid feeling uncomfortable when you walk into your first class. If not, the book gives a sufficient variety of exercises, as well as two full routines and ideas on how to create your own- plenty to keep you in shape and occupied without any further instruction.

I think it's safe to say that an actual live demonstration of yoga, along with instructions tailored to you personally will always be preferable to an 'instruction manual', but as far as books go, I've yet to see a better guide.

Be sure when you order this book you are getting the version you wish to purchase. The full size paperback is a gem. The minature edition is a waste of money. Be aware that the postage on the minature edition costs more than buying a second volume of the book on line used!