101 essential tips yoga packs a lot of useful information between its slim covers.
The book is divided into seven sections, which guide the reader through the practice of yoga. The book covers everything from the benefits of yoga to clear instruction and images showing how to do the poses.
Yoga and you
The book is structured in the form of 101 tips, which start with 1. What is yoga? In this first section, the tips guide the reader through the essentials of yoga and its benefits with the first tips offering guidance on the benefits of yogic exercises, correct breathing and complete relaxation. This section then moves on to further benefits and covers related areas such as positive thinking and a balanced diet. Each of the tips offers a brief introduction to the subject. The information is clear and simple to understand, although not in depth.
Getting started
This second section offers tips on starting a yoga practice including equipment and health guidance. This section also gives some warm-ups exercises to complete before beginning your practice.
Poses for strength
After explaining how yoga can improve strength, this section guides the reader through the first yoga poses. The section offers some simple introductory poses; such as mountain pose and warrior pose. The poses are shown with clear directions. There are also clear pictures, which are annotated with further guidance notes. This section finishes with a sun salutation.
Poses for tone and stretch
This part begins with an explanation of how yoga improves body tone. It then demonstrates poses specifically designed to improve these areas. Building on the first poses, it includes classic stretching poses such as standing forwards bend and cat pose. Again the pictures and instructions provide clear guidance.
Poses for relaxation
Beginning with a concise explanation of how yoga promotes relaxation and harmony, this part builds on previous sections with poses for relaxation. The section contains many floor-based poses as well as poses using a chair. The section includes classic relaxation poses such as child pose.
Poses for balance
Flowing on from the previous sections to provide a complete routine, this section
includes classic balance poses such as tree pose and eagle pose. It explains how yoga improves balance and offers floor-based poses and poses using a wall for support.
The cool-down
The final section of the book, the cool-down includes methods of physical relaxation as well as mental relaxation. Included in this section are classic relaxation poses such as the corpse pose. There is also a section on meditation, hand positions and yogic breathing.
This book provides a simple introduction to yoga. With this book, the reader is given all the information necessary to begin a yoga practice at home, including warm up, poses, relaxation, meditation and cool down. The information is clear and concise and the poses are well demonstrated with clear directions and pictures. The book covers all the necessary information required to begin a yoga practice. It is intended to be a brief introduction to the practice and so does not go into great depth on any subject. This could be useful for a beginner, as they will not be overwhelmed by information.
The book is a very western take on yoga with barely any Sanskrit terms used. I think it would have been useful to explain terms such as pranayama (yogic breathing) and mudra (hand positions) as this would make it easier for readers when they moved on to more in-depth information about yoga that uses these terms.
Overall, I would recommend this book as an ideal tool for complete beginners to yoga.