Hatha Yoga Illustrated: For Greater Strength, Flexibility, and Focus

by Martin Kirk, Brooke Boon, Daniel DiTuro

Experience the physical benefits and body awareness from hatha yoga--the most popular form of yoga today. "Hatha Yoga Illustrated" presents nearly 650 full-color photos to visually demonstrate 77 standard poses from hatha yoga that apply to all major hatha styles including Iyengar, Astanga, Anusara, and Bikram.

Individual poses are presented from start to finish, showing you how to achieve proper alignment and breathing to ensure challenging yet safe execution. The result is an increase in the effectiveness, both physically and mentally, you'll experience with each pose. Several pose variations based on your personal preference, ability, and fitness level are also included.

Eleven sample yoga routines show how to assemble the poses into workouts that meet your specific time, difficulty, and intensity parameters. Colorful and comprehensive, "Hatha Yoga Illustrated" is organized for your ultimate convenience and use. Use it to guide your muscles, as well as your mind, and increase strength and stamina, reduce stress and anxiety, reduce blood pressure, and increase flexibility.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Reference, Fitness, Self Help, Spirituality

233 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ageing is funny. I just turned 35, which is not old, and if anything, I am very happy to be getting older. I’m so much happier, healthier and smarter now than I was through my twenties. But my body is clearly not as young as it once was! I fall asleep at 10pm on Friday nights, I can’t have more than 3 drinks on a night out, and thanks to a recent chronic anemia diagnosis, I have to watch what I eat with manic attention. I have also noticed that, as years pass, the things I used to roll my eyes at my dad for are making their way back into my life: veggie burgers, spirulina and yoga! The punk rock apple did not fall that far from the hippie tree, after all! Groan.

I’ve mentioned before that my dad has been a yoga teacher for many years: when I was a kid, I used to do some yoga with him, but family drama and puberty happened, and I stopped. After a recent little health scare (everything is fine), I decided to have some humble “fine, fine, dad was right about that” pie, and slowly got back into it by working it into my workout routine. I used dad’s old copy of “Richard Hittleman’s Yoga: 28 Day Exercise Plan” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and that went rather well; it was enjoyable, and helped me built a daily yoga habit, so I decided to keep going.

“Hatha Yoga Illustrated” is almost a bible for a few serious practitioners I know (including my famous ex-roommate, the lovely Yoga Bunny), and I found it to be the most comprehensive and accessible book on the subject I have ever flipped through. It’s non-denominational, so well suited for anyone (though there is some adorably quaint New Age philosophy sprinkled gently along the way). The first few chapters contain a brief but informative history of the practice and how it evolved into the uber-trendy exercise practice in the West and description of the various philosophical schools you’re likely to encounter. There’s also useful information about breathing techniques, meditation and mudras.

The bulk of the book, however, is about asanas. Divided by types of position, the book details each step of the asana, or position, illustrated with photographs, accompanied by clear instructions, and a list of important information (including mental and physical benefits, points of focus and contraindications) so that you can do all this safely at home and understand exactly what you are doing. The final section includes a few traditional routines to use the asanas in sequence for relaxation or flexibility. While I would have enjoyed a few more flow options, it’s not really hard to flip through the various asanas, find the ones that address your specific goals (stretching specific regions of the body, relieving fatigue, improving digestion, whatever) and create a customized routine of your own based on the information provided. The index, listing the asanas by English and Sanskrit names, is brilliantly laid out and helpful.

As with every yoga book, I always scratch my head as to why it doesn’t come in a spiral binding: I like to keep the open book on the floor next to my mat so I can use the images as reference, but I have a thing against cracking paperback spines… I’m sure I’m not the only one! But aside from this, I loved this book, and I suspect it will become a go-to resource as I continue to practise yoga at home. Even my husband has been using it! I’d recommend it for anyone interested in learning new asanas, understanding their impact on body and mind, and to anyone looking for a good reference book on Hatha Yoga.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource for a beginner yoga instructor! I am currently taking my yoga teacher training and have been using this for reference often. It has a great description on each pose including Sanskrit name, English name, how to get into the pose, cues, and variations. There was also a few flows included at the back including gentle flows, sun salutations, moon salutations, and a few more. There was also a neat photographic reference at the back of the book to find poses quickly if you were unfamiliar with the name. The only thing I will say is some of the names aren't as common as others (ex. calling 'wheel' pose inverted bow)

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great step-by-step pics of how to pose, including variations. I really like that it mentions counterposes to most of the poses. Those help to neutralize the body after performing a particular pose.

A very nice pictorial directory in the back of the book showing every pose in the book and where to find it.

Includes charts of the salutation sequences and also charts of a few other programs with a short description of each.

One addition I would have preferred would be an index. I would like to be able to look things up by muscle group, etc with an index.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm doing a short review on this because it was a part of my collection of library books where I wanted to some research on yoga and it was one of the many I pulled from the shelves. This is a very basic guide to yoga, giving an introduction to the history of yoga practice, basic techniques for breathing, as well as various illustrations of different poses such as downward dog, tree, fish, warrior poses, eagle, among others. The part of the book that I really got the most out of, apart from other sources, is the list of routines included in the last chapter, where they have a suggested sequence of poses that are best suited for flexibility, warm up routines, and gentle poses that are safe for all practicioners of yoga at any level. I would certainly recommend this book for a beginner starting yoga, though more advanced students can use this as a brief refresher.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book for my college yoga class. It was easily laid out for first time yoga students. Very informative.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is a fabulous and useful asana guide.

[Brandi ;) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great photos and explanations of yoga poses. Gives modifications too.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

great for benefits of poses...if you want to create a class, vinyasa, or series for addressing a specific mind/body/spirit focus, this book really outlines which poses will benefit you.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice reference book - good photos, and I like the pose modifications, etc. Well laid out as a quick/easy reference.

[Angela Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only thing better than this book is taking a class with Martin!

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is staying with me as I purge my books in the summer of 2025.

I like that it features lots of full-color photos in a good size, and each pose has its Western name and its Sanskrit name. Plus, counterposes are listed, even drishtis(!), contraindications, as well as physical and mental benefits.

This is one of those yoga books that is not written by a high-profile yogi, yet it's so much better than some of those celebrity yoga teachers. From what I found online, "Martin is an accomplished biomechanic therapeutic specialist who holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering. Martin brings his engineering skill set and his vast knowledge of biomechanics to the field of injury therapeutics with unmatched skill and precision."

I teach "gym yoga" as yoga studio snobs call it. I teach at a YMCA, and my goal is to my classes inviting and accessible, so that my students feel better when they leave than when they arrived. This book helps me to achieve that.

[Addie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book didn't make it onto my list yet because the only pages meant to be read in order are the first 26 pages. The rest of the book is a resource of yoga poses. So while I have been using the book for a few months already, it is finally on my list. The authors did a wonderful job of explaining how to hold or move through each pose, accompanied by photos showing exactly what the explanations mean. I love having the indexes at the back, listing the poses by both their English name & Sanskrit name. And the guide alongside each pose is invaluable, explaining counterpose, drishti, benefits for both mental & physical health, and any contraindications you might need to be aware of when doing the pose. This is one of the best yoga resource books I've come across.

[Shari Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Hatha Yoga” is a great yoga resource.

The book shares a bit of yoga philosophy and history, just enough to be interesting but not heavy. “Hatha Yoga” provides details to build and stock a personal yoga toolbox: yogic breathing, meditation, props, clothing recommendations, and practice routines. The book includes a discussion of various postures, from standing to reclining. Each pose is detailed with counter poses, benefits, and photographs showing the poses.

“Hatha Yoga” is an insightful book filled with helpful information.

[Kaela Parentis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for learning the asana (the postures) practice of yoga, though there are definitely better options for diving deeper into yoga theory. That said, it is my number one go-to resource for the physical practice—especially for referencing the asanas, learning how to guide myself or others into them, and checking the Sanskrit translations. I will say the first 25 pages offer a clear, easy-to-read summary of the roots and theory of yoga, which is perfect if you’re looking for a quick overview. If you want a one-stop shop for learning yoga and the asanas, this is your book.

[Saira · Rating 5 out of 5]

A basic breakdown with step by step illustrations of the major asanas along with the relevant information a teacher needs to know (like the mental and physical benefits along with the contraindications). I like that modifications are included and how the book is broken down by type of posture. This was a part of my teacher training curriculum but I’ll definitely be holding on to it for reference through the years.

[Leone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reference book for beginner or for home practices. The poses are photographs android include some variations of the poses for beginner, moderate and intense levels of difficultly. The information included with each Adana indicates which part of body is focussed on, as well as the contraindications for the asanas.

The first part gives an overview of yoga, the middle shows the asanas, and the final section offers some hatha routines..

[Maeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

A guide to common asana yoga postures with an introduction to the history of yoga.
While the photos of the postures (and their modifications) were clear; I was turned off by the preface...where one of authors dismissed the East Indian philosophy that yoga has come from.

[Cara Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This breaks down postures in a way that even a beginner (like me) can figure them out.

[Susan Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hatha Yoga

I found this to be a clearly written book, easy to follow descriptions, good pictures. Good for learning the poses.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice reference for new teachers as well as practitioners who don't want to practice in the studio

[Glenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, detailed descriptions of the asanas.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** WILLING TO SELL ***
I'm thinking about selling this book in order to save money for the other books I will be needing this (Winter 2013)semester.

Message me for information



Book I'm using for my first year CEGEP (Grade 12) Yoga class.
Good description of each Asana and its contraindications. The pictures are very clear and they give the best description of the pose out of everything.

[Peter Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple and useful book as an introduction and learning tool for practicing yoga. The explanations are simple and full and it is well photographed. There is only some minor language awkwardness but that is to be expected when there are experienced instructors explaining the practice to a novice such as myself. I own the book and refer back to it frequently to learn poses and the routines.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book for my yoga teacher training and have returned back to it a number of time over the years. It's a solid book with basic poses and modifications and progressions. Concise and clear explanations and photographs. I've also recommended this same volume to others who want a basic yoga guide.

[Tinea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good yoga book that introduced a lot of poses and variations that I haven't seen before. I liked how it was organized, too, which allowed me to easily create my own balanced routines. The routines at the end were short and unchallenging. I usually did two or three to get the feeling of a full workout.

[Kathy Nealen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't so much read this book. Mostly, I studied the photographs of the asanas. The photos include the intermediate steps to arriving at the final position and also variations; some are easier than the original pose and some are more challenging. I think this book is relatively good; however, I really benefit more from an actual instructor.

[Cecile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a Yoga Teacher ; I use Hatha Yoga Illustrated all the time as a reference book when I devise my yoga lessons. The photographs and description are excellent. I like the format of this manual and especially the information about the physical and mental benefits, as well as the contraindications for each posture.

[Keshia]

Excellent introduction to yoga concepts--recommended to me by my 14 year old cousin Nicholas. It includes the sanskrit names for the poses as well as physical and mental benefits and contraindications.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great yoga book with lots of photos, as well as suggestions for alternate poses for beginners. Also has information on what each pose is good for and technical information to make sure you are doing the poses correctly.

[Rucha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really helped me understand how to get into the poses while training to become a yoga teacher. Although limiting, in terms of all the poses that exist, this is a great book to get started in learning the various asanas.