Yoga

by Sarah Herrington

Overview

For a person who has never attempted yoga before, it can seem downright daunting. Not anymore! No one is watching, so now is the perfect time to begin your at-home yoga practice.

With full-color, step-by-step illustrations for the absolute beginner, The Idiot's Guide to Yoga teaches dozens of basic yoga poses. In these pages, you will see clearly see how every aspect of a pose is executed. You don't have to be the most flexible or coordinated person out there—this book eases you into poses with instructions on how to modify so it works for your ability.

Poses are grouped in small sections, with a practice sequence at the end to show how to connect the poses into a flow (that's yoga talk for routine). This book grows with you: when you've mastered the basic poses and become more flexible, you can move on to more advanced techniques and more challenging modifications. Best of all, you'll also learn how to string together poses into full flows that target particular issues such as stress and flexibility.

Features include:

   • Clear, comprehensive color step-by-step instructions for dozens of basic yoga poses. 

   • Handy "Keeping It Easy" sidebars show ways to modify the poses for the less flexible.
   • Advanced techniques show you how to go further into poses after you have mastered them.
   • Illustrated flows found in yoga classes, each targeting a particular area (stress relief, flexibility, meditation, etc.).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615644209
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	11/05/2013
Series:	Idiot's Guides
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	666,141
Product dimensions:	7.66(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.68(d)

About the Author

Sarah Herrington is a youth yoga teacher and writer living in Manhattan. She is the author of Om Schooled, a guide to teaching kids yoga, and the forthcoming Essential Yoga, a guide for adult beginners. Sarah has taught dozens of classes in New York City public and charter schools, studios, and private lessons, working with a curriculum she created. She now leads OM Schooled teacher trainings in youth yoga. Also a creative writer, Sarah was chosen by Oprah Magazine as a Poet to Watch. She loves integrating concepts of creativity into her yoga practice/teaching and finds her writing is influenced by yoga and meditation.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Getting started 3

Before You begin 5

How to Use This Book 6

Tools of the Trade 7

Breathing 11

Breathing (Pranayama) 12

Victorious Breath (Ujjayi) 13

Three Part Breath 14

Alternate Nostril Breath 15

Breath of Fire 16

Lion's Breath 17

Part 2 The poses 19

Grounding 21

Seated Wide Leg Straddle 22

Low Squat 24

Staff 26

Hero's Pose 27

Butterfly 28

Diamond 30

Seated One-Leg Forward Fold 32

Seated Two-Leg Forward Fold 34

Reclining Hero 36

Flexibility 39

Easy Seat 40

Standing Side Stretch 41

Wrist Flexion 42

Foot Flexion 43

Shoulder Roll 44

Child's Pose 46

Cat 48

Cow 49

Seated Spinal Twist 50

Lotus 52

Fire Log 54

Cow Face 56

Thread the Needle 58

Cobra 60

Downward Facing Dog 62

Upward Facing Dog 64

Low Lunge 60

Lizard 68

Rock the Baby 70

Peaceful Warrior 72

Extended Side Angle 74

Pigeon 76

Fish 78

Balance 81

Mountain 82

Balancing Tabletop 84

Tiptoe Squat 86

Tree 88

Half Moon 90

Triangle 92

Dancer's Pose 94

Eagle 96

Warrior 3 98

Standing Split 100

Strength 103

Superhero 104

Boat 106

Plank 108

Chaturanga 110

Chair 112

High Lunge 114

Warrior! 116

Warrior 118

Side Plank 120

Dolphin 122

Restorative 125

Legs Up the Wall 126

Corpse 128

Half Happy Baby 129

Happy Baby 130

Standing Forward Fold 132

Reclining Knee to Shoulder 134

Reclining Four 136

Reclining Butterfly 138

Reclining Goddess 140

Bridge 142

Reclining Eagle Twist 144

Part 3 going deeper 147

Advanced variations 149

Seated Wide Leg Straddle 150

Low Squat 151

Fire Log 152

Butterfly 153

High Lunge Twist 154

Cobra 155

Balancing Tabletop 156

Three-Legged Dog 157

Tree 158

Boat 159

Twisting Boat 160

Floor Bow (Superhero) 162

Half Moon 163

Half Boat 164

Tiptoe Squat 165

Fish 166

Revolved Triangle 167

Cow Face 168

Revolved Half Moon 169

Pigeon (Forward) 170

Pigeon (Back) 171

Extended Side Angle 172

Eagle 173

Side Plank 1 174

Side Plank 2 175

Reclining Hero 176

Dolphin 177

Advanced poses 179

Camel 180

Bow 182

Thunderbolt Twist 184

Plow 186

Shoulder Stand 188

Crow 190

Side Crow 192

Wheel 194

Headstand 196

More yoga techniques 199

The Eight Limbs of Yoga 200

Yamas 200

Niyama 200

Asana 201

Pranayama 201

Pratyahara 201

Dharana 201

Dhyana 201

Samadhi 201

Mindful Eating 202

Techniques to Try 202

Mudras 203

Abhaya Mudra 203

Anjalt Mudra 204

Chin Mudra 204

Dhyana Mudra 205

Hakini Mudra 205

Mantras 206

Kirtan 206

Mantra Japa 206

Some Mantras to Try 207

Chakras 208

Muladhara: The Root Chakra 208

Svadhisthana: The Sacral Chakra 208

Manipura: The Solar Plexus Chakra 200

Anahata: The Heart Chakra 209

Vishuddha: The Throat Chakra 209

Ajna: The Brow Chakra 200

Sahasrara; The Crown Chakra 209

Seated Meditation 210

Benefits 210

Posture 210

Hands 210

Basic Breath Awareness Meditation 211

Sequences 213

Sun Salutation A 214

Sun Salutation B 216

Fatigue 218

Back Pain 220

Anxiety 222

Tighten and Tone 224

Strengthen Your Core 226

Hear Yourself Think 228

Morning 230

Bedtime 232

Pregnancy 234

Appendixes

Glossary 238

Resources 240

Index 242