I just interviewed David Keil for "The Yoga Podcast' (launching in January- He will be the guest of the first episode).
To prepare for the podcast, I read very carefully his latest book "Functional Anatomy Of Yoga, A Guide For Practitioners and Teachers".
And I also watched all his DVDs again.
That was a LOT of anatomy in one week!
And I have to tell you it had a PROFOUND effect on me.
For starters, it slowed down my practice, way down, because at every pose I would remember tiny bits of information and go:
"Ohhh... THAT is what he means",
and then move onto, say, "revolved triangle" and go "Ahhh... There is where the thoracic spine gets to twist!" and on and on and on and on....
The first part of the book where he goes over the terminology is a bit dense for me because I have very little knowledge of all the muscles and tendons and ligaments and joints.
It helps, however, that some of the muscles have latin names... Go figure, one advantage of being a Spanish speaker.
But once you get pass this first section you find that it is important to go through those first pages because just like in yoga practice, once you get the foundation right, you start to "fly" with the material.
One thing I really liked about the book is that from the very early pages he starts to integrate the anatomy into what that means for a pose, for you and me. Today.
If you read it I can guarantee you will have to put the book down and strike a pose, just to try, test, and experiment.
I like that. It is incredibly practical and focused on yoga.
And I am about to tell you a secret, and no, I don't get a commission.
The secret is that if you get both the book AND the DVDs on Anatomy (see review link at the bottom) then you get a 3-D experience. Why?
Because it's as if David comes into your living-room and you find yourself pushing your hands into your stomach trying to find your psoas, and then you can't help it and you HAVE to try that back-bend preparation. And down the anatomy rabbit hole you go!
The book is not only thoroughly researched and slanted, yes, towards yoga practitioners/teachers, it is ALSO challenging...
For example:
He has one part (and I paraphrase) where he questions the reader point blank.
He says:
"What is it I hear you say? You say you tried to do the hand-stand for 8 years and still nothing? Really? Don't you think maybe it's be time to change your "approach"?
And I laugh.
Because he is right.
I HAVE tried for 8, well maybe 6 years, and it IS time to change approach, but I had never read this book before.
In my defense, it was not published yet. Now it is. Lucky us.
I tried hand-stand yesterday and I was amazed at how FAR a little understanding can go. James tried it too (against my advise) because my excitement over so much learning got to him too...
And on that note... I have to say James just got his first "head-stand". I think I am happier than he is about that, and believe me, he IS happy. So feel free to congratulate him on Twitter.
Back to the book, take for example this little nugget I got today (I am reading it a little bit each day because it would be hard to take it in all at once)
You know how a lot of people spray out the feet on back bends? And you know how every yoga teacher worth its weight will tell you to keep the legs parallel as much as possible?
Well David explains to me that the hip flexors don't like the feeling of the legs parallel, so they resist it.
THAT is why we "avoid" it and open the feet out.
Same with the shoulders.
When coming up into a wheel or backbend... if the elbows go outwards, they are "avoiding" doing the real work that has to happen.
Isn't that something? Just that was worth the price of the book for me. Of course he explains all the terminologies which I don't remember right now. I will have to keep returning to the book again and again.
HERE ARE THREE THINGS YOU CAN TAKE FROM THIS REVIEW
1) What the book did to me:
A) It re-introduced asana practice for me.
For example, in a basic pose, like standing, just "standing" (toes touching heels slightly apart), if I simply lift my toes, that awakens the muscles around the lower part of my leg (tibia), which in turn informs how my quadriceps and hamstrings are aligned, and my pelvis, and how I stand, how I walk, how I move, the position of the spine, how I think and how I even live...
Wow.
B) I FINALLY understand triangle pose.
Finally GET WHY it is that the alignment has to go the way it goes... I used to just repeat what I was told, now I get it. So when I am on the mat, my body takes on a whole different meaning.
The yoga mat is a playground now.
C) The book made me love my body a lot more
Because I now understand how amazing it is.
Just to notice, for example, that the hips hold two-thirds of the weight of my body, and that the tissue and ligaments that hold the leg together to the hip are so strong you could not pull it, even if 3 people were pulling, because it won't break, gives me a whole new level of respect.
2) Anatomy for Specific Asanas = GOLD
He has a section at the end of the book where he integrates all the anatomy lessons into the asanas. That is gold. For anyone who practices.
3) It inspired me to ask LOTS of questions to David
When he was on the podcast yesterday, I had about 20 questions (and they kept coming), and they still keep coming.
His approach is humble and fascinating, and I hope you hear the episode (I will post when it launches in January) so you can experience his humor, depth of knowledge, and great ability to make anatomy accessible for yogis and for everyone, really.
You can get the book here.
P.S.: It is best if you buy it from this link because this helps David get paid for the years of work he put into this (even if not much (publishing books is not a way to get rich)) but at least a bit.
David's Website
Here is my review of David's "Hands On Adjustments" DVD
Here is my review of David's "Anatomy" DVD
Davids's Facebook and Twitter
To prepare for the podcast, I read very carefully his latest book "Functional Anatomy Of Yoga, A Guide For Practitioners and Teachers".
And I also watched all his DVDs again.
That was a LOT of anatomy in one week!
 |
| My copy before I filled it with post-its |
For starters, it slowed down my practice, way down, because at every pose I would remember tiny bits of information and go:
"Ohhh... THAT is what he means",
and then move onto, say, "revolved triangle" and go "Ahhh... There is where the thoracic spine gets to twist!" and on and on and on and on....
The first part of the book where he goes over the terminology is a bit dense for me because I have very little knowledge of all the muscles and tendons and ligaments and joints.
It helps, however, that some of the muscles have latin names... Go figure, one advantage of being a Spanish speaker.
But once you get pass this first section you find that it is important to go through those first pages because just like in yoga practice, once you get the foundation right, you start to "fly" with the material.
One thing I really liked about the book is that from the very early pages he starts to integrate the anatomy into what that means for a pose, for you and me. Today.
If you read it I can guarantee you will have to put the book down and strike a pose, just to try, test, and experiment.
I like that. It is incredibly practical and focused on yoga.
And I am about to tell you a secret, and no, I don't get a commission.
The secret is that if you get both the book AND the DVDs on Anatomy (see review link at the bottom) then you get a 3-D experience. Why?
Because it's as if David comes into your living-room and you find yourself pushing your hands into your stomach trying to find your psoas, and then you can't help it and you HAVE to try that back-bend preparation. And down the anatomy rabbit hole you go!
The book is not only thoroughly researched and slanted, yes, towards yoga practitioners/teachers, it is ALSO challenging...
For example:
He has one part (and I paraphrase) where he questions the reader point blank.
He says:
"What is it I hear you say? You say you tried to do the hand-stand for 8 years and still nothing? Really? Don't you think maybe it's be time to change your "approach"?
And I laugh.
Because he is right.
I HAVE tried for 8, well maybe 6 years, and it IS time to change approach, but I had never read this book before.
In my defense, it was not published yet. Now it is. Lucky us.
I tried hand-stand yesterday and I was amazed at how FAR a little understanding can go. James tried it too (against my advise) because my excitement over so much learning got to him too...
And on that note... I have to say James just got his first "head-stand". I think I am happier than he is about that, and believe me, he IS happy. So feel free to congratulate him on Twitter.
Back to the book, take for example this little nugget I got today (I am reading it a little bit each day because it would be hard to take it in all at once)
You know how a lot of people spray out the feet on back bends? And you know how every yoga teacher worth its weight will tell you to keep the legs parallel as much as possible?
Well David explains to me that the hip flexors don't like the feeling of the legs parallel, so they resist it.
THAT is why we "avoid" it and open the feet out.
Same with the shoulders.
When coming up into a wheel or backbend... if the elbows go outwards, they are "avoiding" doing the real work that has to happen.
Isn't that something? Just that was worth the price of the book for me. Of course he explains all the terminologies which I don't remember right now. I will have to keep returning to the book again and again.
HERE ARE THREE THINGS YOU CAN TAKE FROM THIS REVIEW
1) What the book did to me:
A) It re-introduced asana practice for me.
For example, in a basic pose, like standing, just "standing" (toes touching heels slightly apart), if I simply lift my toes, that awakens the muscles around the lower part of my leg (tibia), which in turn informs how my quadriceps and hamstrings are aligned, and my pelvis, and how I stand, how I walk, how I move, the position of the spine, how I think and how I even live...
Wow.
B) I FINALLY understand triangle pose.
Finally GET WHY it is that the alignment has to go the way it goes... I used to just repeat what I was told, now I get it. So when I am on the mat, my body takes on a whole different meaning.
The yoga mat is a playground now.
C) The book made me love my body a lot more
Because I now understand how amazing it is.
Just to notice, for example, that the hips hold two-thirds of the weight of my body, and that the tissue and ligaments that hold the leg together to the hip are so strong you could not pull it, even if 3 people were pulling, because it won't break, gives me a whole new level of respect.
2) Anatomy for Specific Asanas = GOLD
He has a section at the end of the book where he integrates all the anatomy lessons into the asanas. That is gold. For anyone who practices.
3) It inspired me to ask LOTS of questions to David
When he was on the podcast yesterday, I had about 20 questions (and they kept coming), and they still keep coming.
His approach is humble and fascinating, and I hope you hear the episode (I will post when it launches in January) so you can experience his humor, depth of knowledge, and great ability to make anatomy accessible for yogis and for everyone, really.
You can get the book here.
P.S.: It is best if you buy it from this link because this helps David get paid for the years of work he put into this (even if not much (publishing books is not a way to get rich)) but at least a bit.
David's Website
Here is my review of David's "Hands On Adjustments" DVD
Here is my review of David's "Anatomy" DVD
Davids's Facebook and Twitter
Yay James!! Please let him know. I am having my sister pick up a copy at Books and Books tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGreat! I am sure both James (for the headstand yeah!) and David (for the book pick up at Books and Books in Coral Gables tomorrow) will be very happy with your comment Maria :-)
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