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The definitive book of yoga therapy, this groundbreaking work comes to you from the medical editor of the country’s premier yoga magazine, who is both a practicing yogi and a Western-trained physician.

Beginning with an overview of the history and science of yoga, Dr. McCall describes the many different techniques in the yoga tool kit; explains what yoga does and who can benefit from it (virtually everyone!); and provides lavishly illustrated and minutely detailed instructions on starting a yoga practice geared to your fitness level and your health status. Yoga as Medicine offers a wealth of practical information, including how to:

•Utilize yogic tools, including postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, for both prevention and healing of illness

•Master the art of becoming more in tune with your body

•Communicate more effectively with your doctor

•Adopt therapeutic yoga practices as either an alternative or a complement to surgery and to expensive, sometimes dangerous medications

•Practice safely

Book: Yoga as Medicine by Timothy Mccall
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)

What is yoga?

Yoga, a Sanskrit word often translated as union or discipline, is an ancient practice from India. The sage Patanjali compiled the Yoga Sutras, one of its key texts, many centuries ago (scholars date it somewhere between about 200 BC and AD 400). The aim of yoga is to stretch the muscles, exercise the body and improve concentration. It can also help you relax, if you have trouble doing that.

No wonder this ancient practice has become popular among entertainers and athletes. Depending on who practices it, yoga can be simply a set of exercises or a whole way of life.

Discipline and breathing

Some who study yoga, called yogis, try to use it to reach a higher level of consciousness. They respect certain abstentions (things not to do), such as not lying, stealing, being greedy or harming other people. They also practice certain observances (things to do), such as being clean, content, self-controlled, studious and devoted.

Physical control is also important in yoga. Yogis train themselves to take full, deep breaths. They regard breathing as a life force, counting a lifespan not in years but in the number of breaths taken.

Yoga poses

Unlike exercises that focus only on strength, yoga also helps the body become flexible. Some yoga exercises (called asanas) look rather odd, and you may think you need to be a human pretzel to do them. Not so. You just have to relax.

In yoga, you do gentle stretches, never forcing yourself. The “no pain, no gain” rule does not apply. You do only the best you can at the moment, and at some later moment you will do more.

All yoga poses involve balance. And since you can’t balance if you’re thinking about last night’s TV show, yoga also demands concentration. Learn to concentrate in yoga, and you will be better able to concentrate in baseball, tennis or even school.

Yoga exercises borrow from nature. Many yoga poses can be traced to the shapes of animals, such as the cobra, cat, dog, tortoise, crab and eagle.

In the cobra pose, for example, you ask yourself, what would it feel like to be a cobra? You lie on your stomach with your forehead on the floor. As you inhale, you slowly lift your head and chest, supporting yourself with your hands. You hold that pose, then come down slowly, trying to move as a snake would move.

All yoga exercises develop skill and calmness. The effect of each move on a muscle or joint is carefully worked out.

You can choose exercises to ease typical aches, such as the stiffness from back-packing or the leg strain from jogging. Yoga can also help prepare you for skiing, and it may help you manage stress and feelings of fear or low mood, although it is no replacement for treatment if those feelings are strong.

Any good book on yoga will describe different asanas and explain how each works. You may already have done some yoga exercises without knowing it. Ever done a handstand, or the wheel? Many exercise programs borrow from yoga.

What is Yoga

The old version of this post said there were more than a hundred yoga videos on the market, “from nude yoga to postnatal yoga,” and then reviewed two of them. Today there are far more, on DVD, streaming apps and video sites, and the old reviews are worth reading mainly for what they teach about choosing one. Below I keep the useful points from those reviews and remove the health claims the research does not support.

Why are there so many kinds of yoga videos?

Yoga is practiced in many styles, from slow, restorative sessions to fast-moving power yoga, so videos range from relaxing stretches to workouts that leave you sweating. The label on the box rarely tells you how hard a video really is. Reading the description, checking the length and watching a preview are better guides than the title alone.

What did the old post say about a “healing yoga” video?

It described a 35-minute video for common health conditions, presented by two instructors who take turns demonstrating. It was split into three parts: breathing and stretching, strength poses such as downward-facing dog, and relaxation. The reviewer liked the calm voices, the clear explanations, the modifications that make poses easier, and the fact that none of the poses was very difficult. I have not been able to confirm the instructors’ names or that this video is still sold, so I have left them out.

The old description also said that the video “promises” to improve circulation, to help with diabetes symptoms and cholesterol, and to boost metabolism. A video cannot promise that. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, research suggests that yoga may help with stress, neck pain, headaches and some other problems, but it is not a replacement for medical care. If you have diabetes or high cholesterol, ask your health care provider before you start, and see our post on yoga and type 2 diabetes for what the research shows.

What about a power yoga video “for beginners”?

The second video reviewed was a 20-minute power yoga session led by Rodney Yee, set against mountains in Maui, built around a series of sun salutations. The reviewer’s warning is still good advice: do not assume that “for beginners” means easy. The workout was short but demanding, with poses that need upper-body strength, and the reviewer complained that the teacher never showed an easier version of each pose or explained how to build up to them. That is the biggest weakness a yoga video can have, because there is no teacher in the room to adjust you. I could not confirm which Rodney Yee title was meant, so use this as a lesson rather than as a recommendation.

How do you pick a safe video?

The NCCIH says yoga is generally safe for healthy people when it is done properly under the guidance of a qualified instructor, and that learning on your own without supervision has been linked to a higher risk of injury. The most common injuries are sprains and strains, and older adults need to be especially careful. A video is not a live teacher, so look for these things before you press play:

Does the instructor offer easier and harder versions of each pose? Are the instructions clear about where your knees, back and neck should be? Is the level honestly labeled, and can you do the first five minutes comfortably? Does the teacher have recognized training? Also stop if something hurts, and skip any pose you are not ready for. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or are over 65, talk with your provider first.

Where can you read more?

Our guide to yoga videos and how to pick one that loosens tight muscles and our tips on choosing a beginner yoga video go into more detail, and learning yoga online covers websites and teachers as well.

View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)

Finding a well-made yoga video that is truly suited to beginners can be a challenge. Most exercise videos are aimed at people who already know what they are doing. They may include a few easier moves, but the instruction assumes that you already know your way around. The few that are labeled “for beginners” can be repetitive and slow, and they sometimes give you no way to progress, as if beginners were going to stay beginners forever.

What should a good beginner video teach?

Clear instruction. A beginner needs more than a demonstration. A good teacher explains how to place your feet, where your weight should be and what the pose should feel like. When a teacher describes how the muscles of the feet should turn toward the big toe, you can feel it as well as see it. Calm, steady speech is a plus, since yoga depends on concentration.

A manageable number of poses. A class that introduces too many new poses at once is hard to follow. Look for one that repeats a small number of basic poses and builds up slowly.

Familiar basics. Many beginner classes include the cat pose on hands and knees, downward-facing dog, which looks like an upside-down V, and the corpse pose, which is lying on your back, completely relaxed. Our guide to basic yoga postures and their variations explains these and other essential poses.

Modifications and props. A beginner video should offer options for people who are stiff or new to yoga. For example, a folded blanket can go under the knees or the hips to make seated poses more comfortable, and a folded towel can help with some other poses. A teacher who tells you about these in advance is thinking about you.

A good ending. Most classes end with stretching and relaxation. Many use soft music, which may help you drift off. Choose a class with a final rest if you want to unwind.

Which video is an example?

One title that often comes up for beginners is Yoga Zone: Flexibility and Tone, taught by Alan Finger. It runs for about 50 minutes, and it is known for detailed instruction on alignment and for a relaxed teaching style. We cannot say that it is the right fit for everyone, and a DVD from some years ago may be hard to find, so treat it as an example of the style to look for, not a recommendation. Whatever you choose, preview a sample if you can, to hear the teacher’s voice and see how the class is paced.

Where can you try a class first?

Free classes are a low-risk way to find out what style you like. The video at the end of this post is a beginners’ class titled “Yoga for Beginners Part 1” from YogaEasy, which you can try before buying anything.

How can you stay safe?

Yoga is generally safe for healthy people when it is done properly, but sprains and strains can happen. The NCCIH advises learning with a qualified instructor if you can, and moving slowly and carefully. Never force a pose, and stop if you feel pain. If you are pregnant, are over 65 or have a health condition, check with your doctor first. A video is not a substitute for a live teacher, but it is a good starting point, and many people go on to take a class after a few weeks at home.

If you would like to learn what yoga is all about, read our posts on what yoga is and how to choose a yoga video, or try the 12-step sun salutation.

Yoga for Women: How to Gain a Shapely Waist Through Yoga

Waist size is an indicator of overall fitness for many people. Most health experts agree that a smaller waist is healthier than a large one. The reason is that extra fat around the waist is linked to higher health risks such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

In evolutionary and biological terms, a small waist signifies youth and vitality. But endless sets of crunches alone will not give you the waist of your dreams, because you cannot burn fat from just one spot of the body. You will need to combine specific waist-oriented exercises with ones from other disciplines, together with a healthy diet.

Specifically, you will need to work the inner girdle of muscles, commonly known as the core muscles, with slow, controlled abdominal exercises that reach deep into these muscle groups.

While yoga is usually associated with flexibility, some exercises from yoga-based workouts, like those in our Yoga for Women series, also work the deep core muscles around the waist.