Structural Yoga Therapy Charts (Misc. Supplies)

~ Mukunda Stiles (Author)
Key Phrases: gluteus medius, rectus femoris, gluteus maximus, Focal Motion

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Eight pages of laminated kinesiology, joint-freeing, and musculature charts from the book reproduced for clients and teachers.

Product Details

• Misc. Supplies: 12 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books; Chrt edition (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578632196
• ISBN-13: 978-1578632190
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,066,266 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

137 of 138 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great charts for warm-ups and yoga., March 5, 2001

By	M.T. Russell, editor, InnerSelf.com (USA) - See all my reviews

Having recently taken up yoga again, after an absence of 20 years, I was happy to have these laminated wall charts to help me in my practice. However, these charts can be useful not just for yoga students, but also as a guide to warm-up exercises for any other fitness program.
There are three sets of charts. The first set "Joint-Freeing Series" consists of two pages of a total of 21 exercises that could be used as a warm-up routine to yoga, weight-lifting, running, etc. They basically focus on moving the joints of the feet, ankles, knees, hips, spine, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and neck. They are very easy and simple to follow. I have found them a great way to "wake up the body" at the beginning of a new day, as well as to re-energize in the middle of a long day. These joint-freeing exercises really have nothing to do with yoga, thus can be used by anyone, even those without any basic yoga experience.
The second set of charts consists of 4 pages of yoga poses (asanas). As with any yoga postures, taking classes is always a good way to start so you can make sure you are applying the principles correctly. The charts are a great tool to continue your practice at home, or if you have yoga experience, they're a great tool to refresh your memory. After taking yoga again for a few months, I use the charts at home to help me follow a routine of postures.
The drawings are simple line drawings making it easy to see the outline of the yoga posture. There are a total of 24 basic yoga postures shown. When I brought these to my yoga teacher, he commented that they were good basic poses. As a matter of fact, they were many of the poses that I learnt in the two months of classes I have attended.
The third set of charts consists of two pages showing the muscular system - anterior and posterior view. This is a good tool, as in the yoga posture charts, the author specifies which muscle the posture is working, so it is helpful to be able to look at the muscular system and see exactly which muscle you should be feeling stretch in the posture.
Another benefit of the muscular chart, is that you can use it "in reverse". By identifying a muscle that you know needs work, as in the case of an injury, you can then refer to the yoga postures charts to find the proper posture to work that muscle.
Yoga and stretching (as in the joint-freeing exercises) is a great way to attain flexibility of body and of mind. It helps you regain a certain peace of mind, since the exercises are slow, peaceful, and serene... If you're looking for a simple way to incorporate fitness in your life, I recommend these charts as a good place to start.
These therapy charts are a companion to the book Structural Yoga Therapy: Adapting to the Individual. The book was published as a teaching and training manual for serious practitioner of yoga, medicine, and body work, however the Yoga Therapy Charts can be used by anyone.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide for your own basic home practice, January 1, 2004

By	dnk "dnkboston" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I brought these charts from Mukunda Stiles after I took a workshop with him a few years ago. They have been an invaluable resource for me.

Although I like to use videos to practice with at home, many times I like to spend more time on postures than some videos allow. Also, even though I am a yoga teacher, sometimes it's hard to plan the "perfect" practice for myself. Though I do "yoga on the fly" sometimes, it's easy for me to slip into my favorites (e.g., hip openers) and skip over the challenges (e.g., inversions).

Whenever I do the practice outlined in the charts, I always feel like I am getting a complete, compact yoga workout. I think of this as a basic, get-it-all-in practice. This has also been helpful to me as I work through some of my imbalances, particularly through my hips.

While this is not an easy practice, this is not the practice to choose if you want to kick your own butt or burn fat. However, it's great for alignment and overall well-being.

7 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Structural Yoga Therapy, September 27, 2002

By	Pris Constantino (Cape Coral, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent book for yoga. Mukunda explains the specifics of yoga techniques that can assist you in improving your posture, areas of tightness and stress and abnormalities caused by heredity or life experiences. He does a beautiful job of explaining exactly what muscles are being affected and how they benefit. Also, check out the Structural Yoga site for great disease-specific info. As an experienced yoga teacher and "old" RN, I highly recommend this book and his site.