Easy Does It Yoga

26. The American Yoga Association's Easy Does It Yoga: The safe and gentle way to health and well-being by Alice Christensen (4/5)

The book is aimed at older adults, but this seems like a good yoga starting point for anyone.

The very mellow yoga exercises are described in detail and supplemented with photos. 2 or 3 instructions didn't seem to quite line up with the photos, but the rest were clear. Christensen also describes the physiological (and sometimes mental/emotional) benefits for each exercise which I found informative.

Chapters on nutrition, meditation, and yoga philosophy are also included.

A 6 week program is presented but you have to flip back and forth to the exercise descriptions listed on various pages. I've tried weeks 1 and 2 and the flipping around is not a big deal. The routines do take longer than 10-20 minutes though.

I spent 70 minutes doing the week 2 routine today, but it was my first time doing it and that includes ~13 minutes of meditation which isn't included in the 10-20 minute estimates. Granted I was rereading the details of each exercise and taking it slowly as the book suggests. Once you're familiar with the exercises, it should take less time.

What's nifty is that a lot of the exercises presented are suitable for doing while watching tv or doing other things. That's not quite the focused approach of yoga, but many are prime for incorporating into stray moments throughout the day.

Well worth a look. Don't be dissuaded from trying it because the models in the photos are mostly over 60. It makes me think of Havi's Old Turkish Lady Yoga, and that's a good thing.