Written By: Tania Tarafdar | Updated : April 19, 2016 10:56 AM IST
I swear by yoga and each and every yoga book I read has affected me in some way. Every book I read occupies a special place on my bookshelf, and I return to them for inspiration and reminders. I recently grabbed a copy of BKS Iyengar Yoga For Sports A Journey Towards Health And Healingwith a foreword by Andrew Leipus, ex-physiotherapist of the Indian Cricket Team and Ayaz Memon, Sports Writer. Health and healing have different interpretations for different people. For me, it is staying free from diseases and being confident and patient. Though the title of the books says otherwise, I recommend that you read this book even if you are not into sports. It will help you know and understand yoga poses and how they work on your body.
About the book
It is a book which throws light on the fact how yoga heals injuries and provides sportsmen with physical strength and endurance to withstand long hours of practice and play. The author talks about how yoga can train the body and mind to become more strong, agile and focused.
From asanas to build confidence to asanas to improve flexibility, agility, concentration, focus and speed the book detailed out yoga poses to help you cultivate the right practice for your body and mind. The art of yoga and sports section is the perfect introduction to why sportsmen require yoga to keep them active and help them function well. With details of over 100 asanas and pranayama and a precise discussion on the human anatomy the book looks at a sportsperson s well-being from a very holistic point of view.
Sportsmen perform repetitive movements that often end up with muscle pulls and sprains. The book contains yoga asanas for common complaints of a sports person like hamstring pulls, knee pain, and lower back pain. There are also special hints for sportswomen for yoga during menstruation and irregular menstrual cycle.
Each page is filled with step-by-step instruction of the asanas and beautiful photographs. There are demonstrations of sequence of yoga poses so you can flow from one pose to the other. To motivate you further, pictures of cricket star Saurav Ganguly practicing yoga do rounds in this book.
Author s message
The author s message is however much more profound than just yoga being a way to help sportsmen stay fit. Yoga is a tool that enables your body and mind to sharpen your awareness when it comes to health. Whether you are dealing with some ailment or some injury yoga will enable you to be your own health Guru. You also cannot miss out on these 10 books on yoga.
