Science of Yoga

Have you ever wondered if your engaging the right muscles in your yoga poses? Well, the answer may well be in this book. Ann Swanson breaks down the anatomy of the human body in relationship to yoga poses so that you can get the most out of each one. Thirty different poses and graphically illustrated and the anatomy and physiology carefully explained in easy to understand language. The illustrations are perhaps the best part of this book. Big two page drawings of the skeletal and muscular structures while in a pose, such as downward facing dog. The muscles are colored differently depending on whether they are engaged or relaxed in a particular pose. There is an introductory section at the front which explains the colors and basic concepts of anatomy and physiology. The pages also give you the poses from different angle so you have the opportunity to see alignments for arms and legs and where in your body you should be feeling stretch. I found this book to be easy-to-understand, gorgeously illustrated, and packed with helpful information that will broaden your understanding of what your body is actually doing when you are “doing yoga”. An excellent resource!

If you are serious about Yoga you should get your hands on this book. Of the few anatomy of yoga books I've gotten my hands on this is the best. It tells you what muscles are stretched and engaged in each pose. It also gives background information letting you know things like what the pose's intention is, when to breath and dangers associated with specific health conditions. The book isn't perfect, it didn't quite live up to the "science" portion of the title. There were numerous diagrams of the bodily systems (e.g. muscular,nervous) and little tips scattered around but I expected more. On the other hand, I am not sure what else sciencey this could have delivered. All in all an excellent Yoga book that belongs in a serious practitioner's collection.

I would like to thank the publisher, Doring Kingsley, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, this book contains beautiful graphics and the page layouts are very well done, which makes this book very attractive and makes a great gift that any person that is into yoga would love to receive.

"The science of Yoga", focuses on the anatomy and physiology of the human body as it relates to different yoga poses. The author, Ann Swanson, uses detailed graphics to illustrate the muscles involved, stretched or engaged or relaxed, breathing instruction and alignment cues. In addition, the reader learns about the purpose or benefit of each pose and modifications or variations of the poses and cautions to be aware of.

The book is very well organized. It starts out with a short introduction into anatomy of the human body. Great for those of us that are not so familiar with the subject or need a refresh or a reference text. The introduction is very well written and easy to understand and the graphics are not only very beautiful but also very effective as well. The book examines thirty yoga poses which are categorized into Seated Asanas, Standing Asanas, Inversion Asanas, and Floor Asanas.

As a beginner, yoga practitioner, I really appreciate this book as it helps you to understand the poses better and help you gain better alignment and helps you to be more aware as you explore your body while practicing yoga.

I highly recommend this book as it makes a great addition to everyone's yoga bookshelf.

This book is absolutely gorgeous! I love the concept and lay out of the book. The book first dives into anatomy which is ultimately what needs to be understood before you can understand to practice of yoga and how it works on the body. It then moves on to the Asanas, how to correctly achieve each one and what parts of the body are benefiting. There is also a question and answer section which is followed by cautions. I found the question and answer section very helpful. All in all this book is absolutely amazing and a joy to look through and read. Definitely recommend.

Any one who has every been confused about the yoga poses needs this book. It explains in detail where you should feel the stretch, what muscles should be engaged and where the pressure should be on the floor. Proper alignment and explanation of what the benefits are for each pose is given.

An amazing reference for beginners or experienced yogis and a must for every home library.

For the last year I have been learning Yoga and Pilates because other forms of Fitness where out of the question. The second I saw this was available to read I though why not take a chance.
I wasn't disappointed this was what I needed to better understand the body and science behind Yoga. The Illustration or visuals help enhance the reading as well as guides the readers to understand their muscles and what is happening as they move though the motions.

This is a perfect for book for those who want to better understand and enjoy yoga in a different way.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a Copy of Ann Swanson science of Yoga

Beautifully illustrated, very detailed, easy to follow. These are the qualities I look for when using a book like this. The Science of Yoga by Ann Swanson leads us to all the poses, benefits, and breathing techniques to perform the yoga correctly. I enjoyed this book immensely and will use it while doing my yoga daily.

I have been practicing yoga for almost 6 years. I love how it has become a part of my daily routine. Science of Yoga by Ann Swanson is one of those books that I think is such a wonderful resource. The book breaks down the human anatomy. It is filled with detailed pictures showing how yoga impacts the different systems of the body. It is amazing how the different poses along with the proper breath can affect the body. Yoga can help lower blood pressure, improve brain function and help manage stress.

The pictures are so amazing and detailed. It shows how important it is to be in each yoga position correctly to get the most out of each pose and avoid injury.


The author is also a mind-body science educator. Her background is a Masters in Yoga Therapy. So she is obviously well versed in the knowledge of the human anatomy and of yoga.

The only downfall of the book is that I don’t suggest reading this book on a reading app or device. The best way to read this book is if you have a physical copy. It was hard to load the book onto my reading devices and zoom in to see all the detail. However, I felt all the information is so critical to helping one’s yoga practice. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you, NetGalley and DK Publishing for a copy of the book!

As someone who has practiced yoga for 15 years, I liked the anatomical point of view. It was interesting to read about the physiological benefits of yoga.