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Yogabody: Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Asana
A yoga teacher and physical therapist studies the structure and movement of the human body, revealing how a knowledge of both can improve your yoga practice
In Yogabody , author Judith Hanson Lasater emphasizes how an understanding of the human body is essential for understanding the dynamic movement of asana. Drawing on almost forty years of experience as a yoga teacher and physical therapist, she focuses here on macroanatomy and kinesiology in relationship to asana.
Organized into five parts—the locomotor system, the vertebral column, the lower extremity, the trunk, and the upper extremity— Yogabody takes you on a fantastic journey through the bones, joints, connective tissue, nerves, and muscles, revealing how these structures interact to create and express movement.
Judith conveys her expert knowledge in clear, concise language that makes it easy to understand, to remember, and to integrate. For seasoned teachers, novice teachers, and those in training to teach, Yogabody will help you guide your students to move with more enjoyment and less difficulty. For yoga students, Yogabody will help you practice more confidently on your own. Packed with color anatomical drawings, black-and-white diagrammatic asana illustrations, and helpful charts, you will learn what your body is made of, how it is designed to move, and how to bring the knowledge of both to awaken to asana.
In Yogabody , author Judith Hanson Lasater emphasizes how an understanding of the human body is essential for understanding the dynamic movement of asana. Drawing on almost forty years of experience as a yoga teacher and physical therapist, she focuses here on macroanatomy and kinesiology in relationship to asana.
Organized into five parts—the locomotor system, the vertebral column, the lower extremity, the trunk, and the upper extremity— Yogabody takes you on a fantastic journey through the bones, joints, connective tissue, nerves, and muscles, revealing how these structures interact to create and express movement.
Judith conveys her expert knowledge in clear, concise language that makes it easy to understand, to remember, and to integrate. For seasoned teachers, novice teachers, and those in training to teach, Yogabody will help you guide your students to move with more enjoyment and less difficulty. For yoga students, Yogabody will help you practice more confidently on your own. Packed with color anatomical drawings, black-and-white diagrammatic asana illustrations, and helpful charts, you will learn what your body is made of, how it is designed to move, and how to bring the knowledge of both to awaken to asana.
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2009
75 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 29, 2009
I have read most of the major yoga anatomy books and they are all great however somehow they seem to miss the mark in some way. This one no doubt will disappoint some people too. Too bad as I feel it is by far the most useful for anyone who plans on teaching yoga to read. Judith explains things like no one else can. The study of anatomy and kinesiology is something that is a continuous lifelong project and one cannot live on one anatomy book alone! However if anatomy ain't your bag yet you need to bone up on it anyway then this is the one book you should have.
July 13, 2024
Book of the Day – Yogabody
Today’s Book of the Day is YOGABODY: ANATOMY, KINESIOLOGY, AND ASANA written by Judith Hanson Lasater in 2009 and published by Rodmell Press.
Judith Hanson Lasater is a world-renowned American yoga teacher and writer. She writes about yoga, its practice and philosophy, food and nutrition, fitness, and wellness. She also contributed to found the YOGA JOURNAL MAGAZINE.
I have chosen this book because I often mention it to beginners and advanced practitioners while I guide them in their Yoga journey.
If you seek to elevate your understanding and practice beyond mere physical postures, Judith Hanson Lasater‘s YOGABODY represents an excellent reference to start your exploration of the human body.
Lasater draws upon her extensive experience to bridge the gap between the external form of asana (postures) and the internal application of the holistic practice.
The book’s core message lies in the fundamental belief that a thorough understanding of human anatomy and kinesiology is the key to unlocking the deepest and more complete potential of this millenary practice. Lasater makes it clear that without this deeper knowledge, asana practice will only provide a few, superficial benefits that could potentially lead to misalignment, injury, or a plateau in progress.
YOGABODY takes the reader on a fascinating anatomical journey, meticulously showing the readers the major systems of the body. Organized into five distinct sections – the locomotor system, the vertebral column, the lower extremities, the trunk, and the upper extremities – the author goes deep into the functional details of our bones, joints, muscles, connective tissues, and nerves.
This exploration focuses on how these structures interact to create and express movement in Yoga postures. For instance, when discussing Adho Mukha Svanasana, one of the most commonly practised asanas, Lasater breaks down the interplay between the hamstrings, calves, and glutes in creating length and stability in the legs. She then explains the engagement of the core muscles, the role of the shoulder girdle, and how proper alignment can maximize the benefits of the pose while minimizing the risk of injury.
Lasater‘s approach is extremely practical. She doesn’t bombard the reader with scientific jargon that could keep back some readers. Instead, she translates complex anatomical concepts into clear, understandable language, often employing insightful analogies and vivid imagery. This makes this book accessible to a broad audience, from yoga teachers seeking to enhance their teaching skills to students eager to refine their personal practice, yet, in my opinion, it also diminishes somewhat the absolute authority of the book itself as a scientific reference.
The brilliance of YOGABODY lies in the author’s ability to integrate her anatomical knowledge with the practice of asana. Lasater meticulously explains popular yoga postures, explaining the specific muscles engaged, the joints that move, and the potential benefits and risks associated with each pose. This effective, newfound understanding empowers practitioners of all levels of experience to approach asana with increased awareness and this allows them to refine their alignment, maximize the therapeutic effects of the postures, and minimize the risk of injury.
Furthermore, Lasater doesn’t shy away from addressing individual variations in body types and limitations. She acknowledges that the one-size-fits-all approach to yoga is not just unrealistic but also dangerous for the practitioners.
For these reasons, Yogabody is more than just an anatomy textbook for Yoga. It represents a comprehensive guide that fosters a deeper connection between the mind and body.
This approach empowers both yoga teachers and students. Teachers will gain valuable insights to guide their students more effectively, tailoring instructions to individual needs and creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. Students, armed with anatomical knowledge, will be able to approach their practice with greater awareness, allowing them to refine their movements with precision and experience asanas on a whole new level.
One potential drawback to consider is that YOGABODY focuses primarily on a Western anatomical perspective. While this approach provides a strong foundation, some Yoga practitioners may be also interested in exploring Eastern philosophical concepts related to the body’s subtle energy systems (e.g., chakras, nadis). These concepts are not explicitly addressed in the book. Another topic that could have been explored with deeper detail is the philosophical aspect of Yoga, its holistic approach to growth for body, mind, and spirit, that do not come out as it could have been.
By demystifying the intricate workings of the body, Lasater empowers practitioners to cultivate a sense of embodied awareness, allowing them to move with greater intention, precision, and ultimately, a profound sense of joy in their yoga practice.
Today’s Book of the Day is YOGABODY: ANATOMY, KINESIOLOGY, AND ASANA written by Judith Hanson Lasater in 2009 and published by Rodmell Press.
Judith Hanson Lasater is a world-renowned American yoga teacher and writer. She writes about yoga, its practice and philosophy, food and nutrition, fitness, and wellness. She also contributed to found the YOGA JOURNAL MAGAZINE.
I have chosen this book because I often mention it to beginners and advanced practitioners while I guide them in their Yoga journey.
If you seek to elevate your understanding and practice beyond mere physical postures, Judith Hanson Lasater‘s YOGABODY represents an excellent reference to start your exploration of the human body.
Lasater draws upon her extensive experience to bridge the gap between the external form of asana (postures) and the internal application of the holistic practice.
The book’s core message lies in the fundamental belief that a thorough understanding of human anatomy and kinesiology is the key to unlocking the deepest and more complete potential of this millenary practice. Lasater makes it clear that without this deeper knowledge, asana practice will only provide a few, superficial benefits that could potentially lead to misalignment, injury, or a plateau in progress.
YOGABODY takes the reader on a fascinating anatomical journey, meticulously showing the readers the major systems of the body. Organized into five distinct sections – the locomotor system, the vertebral column, the lower extremities, the trunk, and the upper extremities – the author goes deep into the functional details of our bones, joints, muscles, connective tissues, and nerves.
This exploration focuses on how these structures interact to create and express movement in Yoga postures. For instance, when discussing Adho Mukha Svanasana, one of the most commonly practised asanas, Lasater breaks down the interplay between the hamstrings, calves, and glutes in creating length and stability in the legs. She then explains the engagement of the core muscles, the role of the shoulder girdle, and how proper alignment can maximize the benefits of the pose while minimizing the risk of injury.
Lasater‘s approach is extremely practical. She doesn’t bombard the reader with scientific jargon that could keep back some readers. Instead, she translates complex anatomical concepts into clear, understandable language, often employing insightful analogies and vivid imagery. This makes this book accessible to a broad audience, from yoga teachers seeking to enhance their teaching skills to students eager to refine their personal practice, yet, in my opinion, it also diminishes somewhat the absolute authority of the book itself as a scientific reference.
The brilliance of YOGABODY lies in the author’s ability to integrate her anatomical knowledge with the practice of asana. Lasater meticulously explains popular yoga postures, explaining the specific muscles engaged, the joints that move, and the potential benefits and risks associated with each pose. This effective, newfound understanding empowers practitioners of all levels of experience to approach asana with increased awareness and this allows them to refine their alignment, maximize the therapeutic effects of the postures, and minimize the risk of injury.
Furthermore, Lasater doesn’t shy away from addressing individual variations in body types and limitations. She acknowledges that the one-size-fits-all approach to yoga is not just unrealistic but also dangerous for the practitioners.
For these reasons, Yogabody is more than just an anatomy textbook for Yoga. It represents a comprehensive guide that fosters a deeper connection between the mind and body.
This approach empowers both yoga teachers and students. Teachers will gain valuable insights to guide their students more effectively, tailoring instructions to individual needs and creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. Students, armed with anatomical knowledge, will be able to approach their practice with greater awareness, allowing them to refine their movements with precision and experience asanas on a whole new level.
One potential drawback to consider is that YOGABODY focuses primarily on a Western anatomical perspective. While this approach provides a strong foundation, some Yoga practitioners may be also interested in exploring Eastern philosophical concepts related to the body’s subtle energy systems (e.g., chakras, nadis). These concepts are not explicitly addressed in the book. Another topic that could have been explored with deeper detail is the philosophical aspect of Yoga, its holistic approach to growth for body, mind, and spirit, that do not come out as it could have been.
By demystifying the intricate workings of the body, Lasater empowers practitioners to cultivate a sense of embodied awareness, allowing them to move with greater intention, precision, and ultimately, a profound sense of joy in their yoga practice.
August 11, 2020
For what it is, it's quite good. Listening to yoga teacher trainees complain ENDLESSLY about anatomy and why they need to know this stuff (uh, safety?) and complain about how hard all the books are, this book is a tremendous resource. I'm not going to say you can't outgrow it, but it will take a while. Each chapter deals with a different anatomical structure, giving the anatomy information, and then kinesiology--talking about how these bones and muscles work in action (something a lot of anatomy books don't cover)--and then a few experiential exercises for you and some to pass on to the students.
A few of these I'm just gonna straight NOPE because many of them require you touching students, and with all the trauma and drama (and COVID) I'm...not gonna touch anyone's sacrum, okay? Nuff said.
That said, if you do the experiential exercises, (like for the nutation and counternutation of the sacrum) you'll get a better understanding of how to utilize these actions safely.
A few of these I'm just gonna straight NOPE because many of them require you touching students, and with all the trauma and drama (and COVID) I'm...not gonna touch anyone's sacrum, okay? Nuff said.
That said, if you do the experiential exercises, (like for the nutation and counternutation of the sacrum) you'll get a better understanding of how to utilize these actions safely.
October 4, 2021
The best book I ever skimmed. It's clearly a valuable text - an experienced yoga practitioner and physical therapist's insight on alignment in yoga postures. The amount of anatomy included is beyond anything you'd expect - perhaps more than you'd hope, as in my case. I found myself skimming for yoga-specific pointers, of which there are many. I found the pelvis and lower spine information to be most helpful, and she had ideas I hadn't heard before - moving the pelvis with the spine in twists, internally rotating thighs in a few more poses than I generally do. I feel like most of her asana-specific information was for a handful of poses: plow, wheel, half lord-of-fishes, leaving out a ton of common poses. I'm not sure if all of her pointers were valid; I'd want confirmation.
July 15, 2020
Read this while taking an instructor class at corepower and transitioning from a lot of biking to daily yoga. 8 years later I've remained injury free while practicing every day and occasionally twice a day. Not a science major. Read this book while trying to follow her guidance on the various asanas. If you're starting a yoga practice, please read this book. I've seen too many people hurt themselves over the last 8 years. Not saying this is the be all/end all, but I believe a good place to start.
March 13, 2025
Lot of great information but a bit of an info-dump. Not at lot of uses of examples or anecdotes to help the information stick in, and it’s very dry and textbook like. Seemed a little advanced as well, and required a lot of previous biological knowledge to get the most out of the book. Still found it helpful and will refer back to it!
October 21, 2019
It has a clear definition and explanation on human body structure as well as the attention tips if you are teaching a student yoga. It is a very good reference book that worth to be reread or explore again whenever you need to refresh your mind about basic terminologies for anatomy.
March 23, 2017
Great detail in this book, lots of which is relevant to yoga teachers but plenty that is not. (Which is fine, it helped me do some light studying for my board exams) Also the author has some controversial opinions and incorrect anatomical/biomechanics information that conflicts with my personal doctorate education. Still on the fence as to whether or not I would use this as a text for teacher training.
March 12, 2020
This was a great book but really dense.
Want to read
April 9, 2020Rec from The New Yoga
May 4, 2021
Great book for learning anatomy and yoga poses. Has examples for particular poses after each section. Might buy a copy for myself.
August 22, 2022
Like allot this book is very complet.
And i buy my kinésio from https://mipmed.com/kinesio-tapes-5cm-...
And i buy my kinésio from https://mipmed.com/kinesio-tapes-5cm-...
July 21, 2024
Fantastic anatomy book with some great practical exercises to learn from. Already using things learned in this book in my classes
July 26, 2024
Excellent but dense. This is not a real “read” but rather more reference. It does presume a bit of basic anatomy knowledge.
October 22, 2025
Detailed account of different muscle groups and collections of bones, nerves, joints, ligaments, etc.
March 5, 2012
pp. 37 (posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) inside vertebral foramen and running from C2 to the sacrum; no intervertebral disc between skull & C1 or C1 and C2), 44 (splenius cervicis [C1-C3]), 45 (spinalis & semispinalis capitis), 46 (semispinalis cervicis & semispinalis thoracis), 51 (atlanto-occipital joint aka skull-C1 joint; atlas=C1), 52 (C1 has no spinous process); 53 (drawings; ligament nuchae is strongest & largest ligament in cervical region); 54 (only 7 cervical vertebrae but 8 cervical nerves (together called the cervical plexus, it innervates spinal, neck & upper trunk muscles as well as the muscles of the face, throat, jaw, and diaphragm); C1 nerve exits the spinal column between the skull & C1 and is called the suboccipital nerve; second cervical nerve exits between C1 and C2, and so forth); 55 (drawings; the muscles of the infrahyoid area are the infrhyoid, omo-hyoid, thyro-hyoid and sterno-thyroid; scalene muscles); 56 (drawing; anterior muscles of the cervical spine); 58 (forward head posture can interfere with breathing, digestion & elimination; one woman had tachycardia because her head position interfered with the vagal nerve and its control of the heart rate)
September 19, 2014
Somehow I find that most books on the anatomy of yoga that I have read so far were not very useful. The anatomy sections were often too dry, even with illustrations, while the relationships drawn to yoga postures were not quite adequate and often rather superficial.
While the author has a lot of serious credentials, unfortunately I find that this is one of those books that fall into that category above.
The only one that I have come across to be really good so far is David Coulter's Anatomy of Hatha Yoga and even that one is very very heavy going because it is almost entirely text based with very few illustrations. But as I read on, I found it to be very good. It may seem especially daunting, but the parallel he drew to yoga asanas are detailed with a very good understanding of anatomy, kinesiology and yoga - including breathing and pranayama. I have not completed reading that one, because that is the kind of book you keep as reference and use it whenever you need to deepen your knowledge on a particular posture and its relation to anatomy and kinesiology. Which makes sense because such knowledge and understanding require time, and have to correlate with the gradual deepening of one's own yoga practise. So it cannot be finished in one reading.
While the author has a lot of serious credentials, unfortunately I find that this is one of those books that fall into that category above.
The only one that I have come across to be really good so far is David Coulter's Anatomy of Hatha Yoga and even that one is very very heavy going because it is almost entirely text based with very few illustrations. But as I read on, I found it to be very good. It may seem especially daunting, but the parallel he drew to yoga asanas are detailed with a very good understanding of anatomy, kinesiology and yoga - including breathing and pranayama. I have not completed reading that one, because that is the kind of book you keep as reference and use it whenever you need to deepen your knowledge on a particular posture and its relation to anatomy and kinesiology. Which makes sense because such knowledge and understanding require time, and have to correlate with the gradual deepening of one's own yoga practise. So it cannot be finished in one reading.
October 4, 2010
This book is amazing and one I pick up every now and then when I'm wondering about a pose or, for instance, what to do about hyperextending. That said, I tried to read it before taking Anatomy and Physiology and was completely lost. If you don't have a basic understanding of how joints work, what fascia is, and how muscles are innervated, I recommend doing some independent studying so you don't become lost in the sea of anatomy and physiology vocabulary. I picked it up after finishing that class, and the content finally made sense. It is organized by area of the body, which is perfect for yoga students. I've recently been having knee issues, so it helped to learn more about how certain poses affect the knees, which ones to avoid, and which ones will help stabilize my damn patella.
July 16, 2010
Lasater's knowledge as a physical therapist and years of experience teaching yoga combine beautifully here, creating a must-have educational tool for yoga teachers and serious practitioners. Being quite technical, some knowledge of yoga and a decent background in anatomy and physiology will make this easier reading. Lasater presents new approaches and minor tweaks to some poses that I had yet to see, basing them in the science of kinesiology rather than anecdotal tradition. Beginners and those unfamiliar with anatomical terms should start with Lasater's '30 Essential Yoga Poses: For Beginning Students and Their Teachers.'
May 4, 2010
I used a b-day Amazon gift certificate to buy this book, and am now using the book to study for my myology final for massage school. I've read a few reviews saying that some of the info, origin and insertion in particular, is "wrong" in this book, but given how much the info varies in my school-approved text books, I plan to just use my notes in conjunction with this book to remember what the school wants me to know.
August 25, 2016
Read this once during the early stages of yoga teacher training. I'll definitely need to read it again now that I have a better understanding of anatomy. I found it to be a really slow read, and the Sanscrit names of the asanas are used throughout the book. I often had to look up the Sanscrit names to really understand what poses she was referring to. I found that distracting. Thankfully I wrote the English names so reading this a second time should go more quickly.
January 14, 2019
This book is a must have for yoga teachers. I borrowed this book from the library but will need to save some money to buy it. I has some very good tips for alignment and goes deeply into the anatomy. It offers tips for teachers to help check for certain alignment issues. One of the best yoga books I have ever read, without a doubt!
November 28, 2016
This book is great for any YTT student, or anyone wishing to take their anatomy to the next level. One of my teachers was obsessed w anatomy (she constantly used the words "serratus," "cervical spine," "thoracic spine") and studied w Iyengar…so much of htis is a review, but a good one.
Read
November 29, 2010oke i wonat download
Currently reading
February 14, 2011Great resource for the "Experiential Anatomy for Yoga Teachers" class I am teaching
April 24, 2011
Great book. Excellent discussions of all things anatomical, including practical kinesiology to apply to your daily practice and teaching.
April 12, 2015
I already owned many books on anatomy and was wondering if this book was worth buying. I didn't regret my decision to buy.
January 13, 2017
More detailed and specific than many yoga anatomy books. Good application of content to asana thoughout.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews