Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Students, Teachers, and Practitioners

Chapter 1 summarizes general principles of anatomy and physiology as applied to hatha yoga. Breathing is next in chapter 2 because yogic breathing expedites movement and posture. Breathing is followed by pelvic and abdominal exercises in chapter 3 because the pelvis and abdomen form the foundation of the body. Standing postures will then be covered in chapter 4 because these poses are so important for beginning students, and because they provide a preview of backbending, forward bending, and twisting postures, which are covered in detail in chapters 5, 6, and 7. The headstand and shoulderstand, including an introduction to cardiovascular function, are presented in chapters 8 and 9. Postures for relaxation and meditation are treated last in chapter 10.

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The information he presents on Breathing, the importance of the Abdominopelvic muscles (or the "core muscles", as they're popularly known today) and his chapter on Forward Bends where he discusses nutation were my favorite portions. Coulter isn't doctrinaire in most cases, as is appropriate for someone discussing the anatomical aspect of yoga. He presents variations for the popular poses (forward bends, cobra, triangle, etc.) and discusses what the ramifications of the modifications are. While some are called "advanced" and some are called "beginner", it doesn't come off as a value judgment.

Because Coulter was so thorough throughout the entire book and backed up almost every statement with a logical explanation, it was noticeable when he did not. For instance, he, like almost every other author of a yoga text, recommends that women not practice inversions if they are menstruating. Why? I really hoped that someone with his background would be able to supply an explanation other than because that's the way it's been done. Also, while he spends quite a bit of time talking about the importance of the right tetrahedron for meditation postures and the various postures that can be used, I felt he glossed over the reasons why meditation has to be done sitting versus lying down. Minor quibbles, but only more obvious because the rest of the book is so meticulous.

If you are planning on teaching yoga, if you already have a yoga practice or if you're not quite convinced that yoga can do anything for your body, pick up this book.


enrich your understanding and practice of yoga   January 24, 2002
escaravelha (Tacoma, WA USA)
151 out of 153 found this review helpful

Coulter's comprehensive book provides a new bridge between the empirical traditions of yoga science, and Western physiology and anatomy. He uses his deep knowledge of both sides of the divide to provide detailed accounts of what is happening during yoga asanas and pranayama breathing. While I had expected this to be useful in providing answers for questions that I, my colleagues and students have had, trying to fit yoga into a Western scientific context, I have been delighted to find that there is a feedback loop, with the Western analysis making it easier to maintain the detailed instructions I had previously learned from teachers and other books.
This is an impressively detailed and exhaustive book, including coverage of movement and posture, breathing, many categories of asana, and relaxation and meditation. In each case, the physiological information is linked to practice, and often different levels of the posture are discussed. The writing style is clear and informal. There are anatomical diagrams, charts of breathing patterns, and photographs of the poses, but this is a long way from the current trend towards thumbnail pictures of every stage of a pose.
In such a thorough and dense volume (over 600 pages in all) the major challenge is easy access to specific information when you need it. There are two indexes, by anatomical term and by specific practices, but I would have welcomed more context within the indexes (for example, to direct me to the most appropriate of 12 mentions of the synovial joint). I think my carping on this topic will diminish my familiarity with the content grows, as I use the book more over the months and years -- which I certainly intend to do. Highly recommended.


Indispensable for yoga teachers and serious students   April 11, 2002
Fearless Reviews (Berkeley, CA United States)
79 out of 81 found this review helpful

As hatha yoga approaches the "Granola Standard" of public acceptance -- it's not just for aging hippies and health nuts anymore --there's a growing need for foundational work in the anatomic and physiological effects of the discipline. It may still be a while before our leading medical schools issue texts examining yoga in detail, so former anatomy professor and dedicated yogi H. David Coulter, Ph.D. has done them a favor (and they, along with every HMO, hospital, and preventive-care clinic in the country should order copies now). In this exhaustive guide to the ups, downs, twists and turns of most fundamental asanas (and a few advanced ones), Coulter tells you a lot more than your recently certified yoga teacher may know about exactly what's going on with your body during the yogic experience. (Yoga teachers, you should order now too!) And the author has the seasoning to issue knowledgeable warnings about the fact that, poorly practiced, yoga can certainly be bad for you: "Cultivate a frolicsome enthusiasm in the morning to counter stiffness, and cautiousness in the evening to avoid hurting yourself. And at any time, if you start feeling uncommonly strong, flexible, and frisky, be careful. That's when it?s easy to go too far."

In these days when most books are more cheaply made than ever, it's nice to see a volume like this that's built to last; the glossy text paper gives the book the physical heft and authority to match the value of the content. The pricetag is what you're used to seeing on the latest computer books, but when you consider that this tome will be timely for years instead of months, it's a real bargain. -- P.MILLER for the FEARLESS REVIEWS


An incredible yoga reference for all yoga practioners   March 17, 2006
Patrick D. Goonan (Pleasanton, CA)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

This is an excellent comprehensive text on anatomy for yoga practioners. It includes detailed informaiton on functional anatomy and how this relates to peforming various asanas.

The book also presents information in an integrated fashion honoring both the traditional empirical knowledge of yoga and modern scientific research. This is refreshing and true to the spirit of yoga as it continues to evolve in a modern context.

This book contains a lot of information and is well worth the cost. It is much more than an introduction and provides good information on pranayama and the physiological aspects of the asanas.

I also like the book the Anatomy of Movement for its clear diagrams, simple straightforward presentation and concise explanations. The Anatomy of Movement, however, is much more general in its focus. The detail on bones and muscles in the Anatomy of Movement is fantastic, but it doesn't have the depth that this book has with respect to yoga or the same breadth with respect to functional anatomy.

One thing I did not like about this book was that the position of the model in the poses sometimes contradicted good technique as explained in the text. The text is so good, I found that this is an oversight I could forgive. Hopefully, it will be corrected in subsequent editions.




A unique and useful book   March 6, 2003
James H. Luscombe (Monterey, CA)
35 out of 35 found this review helpful

This is a most unusual book. The author, a professor of anatomy and long-time yoga practitioner, explores, in great detail (when necessary), the human anatomy as it relates to the practice of hatha yoga. For someone such as myself who previously knew *Nothing* about human anatomy, this was a fascinating journey. If nothing else the book will teach you about anatomy, a topic you may previously have had no interest, but in the process it will deepen your knowledge of yoga. Its really well done how the author brings such a seemingly dry, technical subject to life. The author nicely groups the discussion around particular topics as they relate to yoga. For example, there are chapters on the nervous system, on breathing, and on what is happening with your hips and sacrum. Perhaps there are similar books on the market, but I suspect not. I'm reminded of Bill Graham's comment about the Grateful Dead: "They're the best in the world at what they do; they're the only ones in the world who do what they do." I suspect similar comments would apply here. Physically, the book is well produced. Considering the glossy paper used, the price of the book is quite reasonable. The are fantastic anatomic drawings that greatly add to one's understanding. Read this book, and enrich your practice of yoga.