The American Yoga Association Beginner's Manual Fully Revised and Updated

"There's a reason that Alice Christensen's book has remained in print while a dozen new yoga books come out every year, and perish the next. She's the real deal. Her knowledge of and connection with yoga is so evident that she makes the other books feel superficial and faddish. Iyengar has his place too, of course, but Alice just feels right. "
~ Written on 2008-04-08

"No need for 1000 words. If you are a beginner, or are starting after a long layoff, this is your book. Sensible, and a great focus on what yoga is all about."
~ Written on 2007-05-07

"I purchased this updated version after wearing out my 1987 edition that I had been using for 10+ years. The first thing that struck me is that it's not spiral-bound like it's predecessor, so unless you have the book open somewhere in the middle, you must have something to prop it open. The new book is a smaller format with smaller photos, which also makes it less appealing that the 87 version.

As far as the book, itself, it's a great way to learn yoga. There are 3 courses that are 10 weeks each. Each week, the routines change in small steps, so you build on what you previously learned After using the book for many years, I appreciate the thoughtfulness that went into the selection of exercises. They work well together, and the progression each week is just the right amount of difficulty. As far as the weekly subdivisions, I wouldn't pay too much attention to them. For some weekly routines, I spent months before going to the next week. If you see yoga as a lifelong endeavor, then there is really no reason to rush.

The routines are simple and straightforward. Go to page 25 and start the warm-up exercises. There's about 13 of them and they take about 5-10 minutes. Then go to page 43 and start with the exercises for course 1, week 1 (there are 9 of them). Next to each exercise is a page number. Turn to the page number and follow the directions for that exercise. When you are done, go back to page 43 and do the same for the next exercise. That's it. I've yet to see another yoga book make it this simple."
~ Written on 2006-08-28

"I started with this book years ago for my yoga practice. It still helps me to further my practice. An informative all purpose yoga book with clear detail instructions. A must for every yoga library."
~ Written on 2006-07-11

"This book achieves what it sets out to do...introducing the beginner to yoga. It will slowly ease you into the practice of yoga. However, as many have noted, the author also offers new age advice which many will find "weird" at best. Her new age/self-help philosophies might offend the common sensibilities and/or religious beliefs of some. I ignore this stuff and stick to the lessons and that has worked very well for me. If you think this stuff might bother you, tear out the preface & the chapter about philosophies for life, then ignore the tidbits dispersed throughout the rest of the text & lessons plans (fairly easy to do). I've detailed out below the basic format of the book as well as areas where you'll be confronted with her worldview, as I know this may be a concern to some (Christians, in particular) who are considering yoga for exercise.

The lessons are divided into three courses. Within those courses you will find the weekly curriculum. Course One offers 10 weeks worth of curriculum with a maintenance routine, a fatigue-reducing routine and a menstrual cycle routine. At the end of the 10 weeks, you then move on to Course Two. Course Two has 10 more routines. As with Course One, you practice one each week for 10 weeks. Course Two also has a short routine for busy days and another maintenance routine. Course Three is divided like so:

Weeks 1 & 2: Emotional Stability Routine, Version I
Weeks 3 & 4: Emotional Stability Routine, Version II
Weeks 5 & 6: Full Emotional Stability Routine
Week 7: Full Emotional Stability Routine, focusing on specific spots (she recommends "talking to your body". I simply focus on "trouble spots" and try to be reflective.
Week 8: Experiment doing routines at different speeds
Week 9: Vary your alternate routine to include many asans you haven't practiced in awhile. Experiment with creating routines for yourself.
Week 10: She recommends the body talk exercise again. Whatever. I try to focus in on more difficult routines or areas of my body which need more work. She also offers a routine for practicing holding positions, which is not to be repeated two days in a row.

Course Three is where I felt she tried to push her philosophies a little more than some might be comfortable with. This involves talking to your body, which I found to be harmless, but absolutely absurd. If you do not subscribe to new age philosophies, you'll also want to avoid the "Philosophies for Life" chapter at the end of the book entirely as it filled with new age/adapted eastern philosophy. She may deny that yoga is a religion, but this section is the philosophy of a worldview that many would consider religious, if not at the very least in conflict with their own religious beliefs. It is definitely not for everyone - things like karma and reincarnation are addressed as truth. The author's beliefs are not amenable to those found in other religions (Christianity, Islam) and may be offensive to Christians, Muslims and others. I am a Christian (Catholic) and have no trouble ignoring her new age ramblings and self-help philosophies. Her beliefs will probably sound like self help/new age mumbo jumbo to those who consider themselves atheist or agnostic. White lights, ethical guidlines (which seem very much like a religious creed of sorts), etc.

However, it is easy enough to ignore it and adapt it to your own purposes while increasing your difficulty level and introducing yourself to some new challenges. After course three you should be able to create your own routines and will be ready to move on to bigger and better things. This book is a good start to yoga for exercise. I could have done without all of the new age philosophizing and personal ramblings of the author, which I tried to ignore as much as possible. She also refers to evolution, which may be annoying to some as it can be a touchy subject. Again, easily ignored (for me). Yet I wish none of it were there and she had simply stuck to yoga. I realize that yoga is more than exercise to her. The book is still a good starting place if you consider yoga as exercise alone and do not want to take up a new worldview.

There is also a yoga during pregnancy chapter with routines, yoga & sports with routines, yoga & stress management (a bit too much of her philosophies there, as you can imagine). Furthermore, the Yoga Techniques Classified by Type section at the end of the book is very helpful for creating your own routines.

Hope this review helps. Good luck!"
~ Written on 2006-06-17