Applied Anatomy & Physiology of Yoga

Written by physiotherapists and yoga teachers Simon Borg-Olivier and Bianca Machliss, Applied Anatomy& Physiology of Yoga isa unique text on the science of hatha yoga and yoga therapy.

The effects of yoga each part of the body are explained with thorough analysis and explanation of asanas, vinyasa, bandhas, mudras and kriyas. Using basic principles of biomechanics and neurophysiology this book explains how to improve strength, flexibility and fitness while maintaining joint stability and minimizing the risk of injury.

This comprehensive text includes hundreds of photographs, diagrams and tables and is a practical, useful and informative guide for teachers and students of all styles of hatha yoga. This book is the recommended text for RMIT University online course, Applied Anatomy & Physiology of Yoga within the Master of Wellness program.

Written by physiotherapists and yoga teachers, this book is a unique text on the science of hatha yoga and yoga therapy, explaining the effects of yoga on each part of the body. This comprehensive text includes hundreds of photographs, diagrams and tables, making it a useful and informative guide for teaches and students of all styles of yoga.
Simon Borg-Olivier, MSc BAppSc (Physiotherapy), is co-founder and owner of Yoga Synergy, one of Australia's oldest and most respected yoga schools with a style based on a deep understanding of yoga anatomy, yoga physiology and traditional hatha yoga. Simon has been teaching since 1982. He is a registered physiotherapist, a research scientist and a university lecturer. Simon has been regularly invited to teach at special workshops and conferences interstate and overseas since 1990. Simon has been teaching courses in the Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga internationally since 1995. In 2007, he was approached by Professor Marc Cohen of RMIT University (Melbourne) to create a course called 'Body, Breath and Movement' of which he is now the main lecturer and course co-ordinator, which was developed and written with Bianca Machliss. The course has been running since 2008. The course uses our 460-page book ('Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga') as its main textbook, and forms part of the new internationally recognised Master of Wellness degree. In 2010, Bianca and I developed and are now teaching a new course for this degree called 'Yoga Fundamentals'. This is the first time yoga has ever been taught as university degree subject. Simon studied and taught at Sydney University over a period of 20 years. In that time he completed a Bachelor of Science in human biology, a research based Master of Science in molecular biology and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy. Author and journalist Alix Johnson featured Simon's personal history and philosophy of yoga in her book 'Yoga: The Essence of Life: Eight Yogis Share Their Journeys' (2004). Simon has contributed chapters on yoga to several technical books and he regularly contributes articles to 'Australian Yoga Life Magazine', 'WellBeing Magazine', 'Australian Natural Health Magazine', 'Art of Healing Magazine' and several Russian Yoga Journals. Simon's postures have also been featured in many yoga books. Simon is regularly invited to speak on radio and has had numerous television appearances. He is featured in the recently released film 'Yoga and Me' (2009) produced by Robbie Baldwin. He has also been invited to be a guest lecturer/presenter at many conventions and annual conferences. Simon has also been an invited guest lecturer at many major yoga teacher-training courses throughout the world. In the last few years Simon has conducted workshops or lectured internationally in Germany, Spain, Russia, Hungary, Turkey, Ireland, Malta, Thailand, Greece, and United Arab Emirates. Simon has regularly taught yoga to dance companies (Sydney Dance Company, Darc Swan, Bangarra Dance Company) and lectured at the University of NSW and the University of Western Sydney dance departments. In addition, he has performed with several dance productions and numerous yogic dance performances. Simon regularly gives artistic demonstrations of advanced yoga vinyasa (linked sequences of postures) to music. Simon undertakes regular private yoga and health consultations and travels interstate or overseas to teach at special workshops and conferences between 20 to 30 weekends every year.
Bianca Machliss, BSc BAppSc (Physiotherapy) is the co-founder and owner of Yoga Synergy, one of Australia's oldest and most respected yoga schools with a style based on a deep understanding of yoga anatomy, yoga physiology and traditional hatha yoga. Bianca has been teaching since 1990 and has over 27 years experience teaching yoga, managing a studio and creating a community. Bianca and Simon's shared passion for yoga has led to the creation of Yoga Synergy daily yoga classes, workshops, teacher training courses and international events. She and Simon together developed the Yoga Synergy method of yoga, after returning to university to study physiotherapy - on a mission to learn more about the body to become better and safer yoga teachers. As a result of this study they developed their Applied Anatomy & Physiology course and wrote the text that accompanies this course as well as the unique Yoga Synergy Method of practicing hatha yoga. For 7 years they taught the Applied Anatomy course in teacher trainings all over Australia, and then for the last 20 years Simon has taught it throughout Australia and Internationally. The online course has also been developed to enable people from ali over the world to access this essential information. Bianca has developed the Yoga Synergy Teacher Training program and trained teachers since 1999 who have since gone out teaching all over the world.
Drawing on their physiotherapy training and in-depth knowledge of western anatomy and physiology, along with their profound understanding of yoga asanas and experience as yoga teachers, authors Simon Borg-Olivier and Bianca Machliss have produced a text that provides an in-depth exploration of the functional anatomy and physiology of yoga. This text presents a wealth of knowledge for yoga practitioners and teachers as well as anyone interested in understanding the impact of yoga on the physical body and is now a prescribed text for the course on 'Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga' within the online Master of Wellness Program at RMIT University. Professor Marc Cohen, Professor of Complementary Medicine, RMIT University 'Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga' is highly recommended to yoga teachers, physical therapists, occupational therapists and yoga practitioners. As a physical therapist and a long time Iyengar yoga practitioner myself, I searched for a book that would help me analyse yoga postures anatomically, biomechanically and therapeutically. When I was introduced to an earlier version of this book I was amazed at its accuracy and application to therapy; but the improvements made in this current edition make it an even more effective reference book. As a physical therapist I own many other anatomy and physiology books, which I use when researching a topic. When cross-referencing information in 'Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga' I found the accuracy and comprehensiveness to be excellent compared with other yoga anatomy books currently on the market, which include many inaccuracies. The book is also a great reference source for physical therapists and others that have an interest in yoga. Dalia Zwick PT PhD Physical Therapy Supervisor, The Women's Center, Premier HealthCare, New York, NY The depth of information and knowledge in 'Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga' is breath taking. This book explores the effects of yoga on each part of the body through the use of asanas, bandhas, mudras and kriyas while minimising the risk of injury. This book explores the ability of hatha yoga to develop both strength and exibility and at the same time to use yoga as a therapy for healing musculoskeletal injuries. If detail and knowledge is your thing, you will not be able to go past this text. Rarely has the use of bandhas integrated with the asanas been so well explained and with such detail and clarity. Highly recommended. International Yoga Teachers Association Journal: International Light, October - December 2005 'Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga' is an invaluable resource for both teachers and students wanting to take more responsibility for their own practice. In reading the text, it seems obvious that the authors are expert yoga practitioners and teachers, not just proficient in anatomy and physiology. Most injuries in yoga did not occur because a posture or movement was inappropriate for a student, but rather because a teacher did not understand the body well enough to teach the exercise safely. This book provides yoga teachers and students with clear explanations and instructions which they can use in their own teaching and practice. The information comes in a clear well-illustrated and engaging way that does not overcomplicate and succeeds in making anatomy and physiology relevant to the actual practice of yoga. Liz Bennett BAppSc(Physiotherapy) (University of South Australia), Yoga Teacher and Physiotherapist