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As a yoga teacher who’s studied movement science for years, I regularly receive questions about which yoga anatomy/biomechanics/movement books I recommend.
In fact, here are two requests I received just this past week!
“I really want to dive deeper into the topic of yoga anatomy and wonder which books you would recommend for that? I’ve already taken a deeper look into some of the publications out there but was feeling disappointed about their content….”
“Hello! I wanted to let you know as a fellow long time yoga teacher how much I enjoy your podcast and all the debunking of yoga myths you do. I know it was mentioned on one podcast (but I can’t seem to find it now) what anatomy and biomechanics books you and Travis like for yoga teacher trainings that are grounded in movement science. Could you share your favorites? Thanks for all the work you do.”
Because I receive requests like these so frequently, I decided it might be helpful to write up an official list of my top picks for yoga anatomy, biomechanics, and movement books.
My hope is that this list will guide curious yogis wanting to learn more about the body from evidence-based sources. I also hope to assist yoga teachers looking for book recommendations to assign in their yoga teacher trainings!
(For transparency, most of the book links in this blog post are affiliate links, which means I earn a nominal compensation if you end up making a purchase, at no additional cost to you. 😀)
A Quick Note About the Term “Yoga Anatomy Book” 🙂
Technically, anatomy is the study of the structure of the body (names, locations, etc.).
Although people often ask what my favorite “yoga anatomy book” is, it’s usually the case that what they’re really interested in is a book that will help them learn about the human body and movement in general. This is a broader topic than anatomy alone.
Anatomy does play a role in learning about the overall picture of how the body moves and functions, but it’s just a small piece of the puzzle. Other topics like biomechanics, exercise physiology, pain science, interoception science, and more are all equally important, if not more so, than anatomy alone.
So with this in mind, none of the books on my recommended reading list are purely anatomy books. (How ironic, huh?? 🙂 ) While all these titles include some degree of anatomy, they also focus on more of the all-encompassing subject matter that my audience seems to truly be interested in.
If anatomy as an isolated topic truly is what you’re looking for in your search for a good “yoga anatomy book” :), I’d recommend a solid human anatomy textbook. Then you can apply that knowledge broadly – to all yoga poses as well as any movement outside a yoga practice, for that matter.
Now without further ado, here’s my recommended booklist!
“Yoga Anatomy” Book Recommended Reading List
Yoga Biomechanics: Stretching Redefined
by Jules Mitchell
This is a unique and much-needed resource in the yoga book landscape!
Jules uses her masterful understanding of research and applies it to what we do on the yoga mat in accessible, relevant ways.
Along the way, she also plants the seeds for readers to improve their own research literacy – all while learning about load, tissue adaption, safety in yoga, and what stretching (through the lens of biomechanics) really means!
The Physiology of Yoga
by Andrew McGonigle & Matthew Huy
This book provides a comprehensive introduction to all the major systems of the body, explaining both the “how” and “what” of human physiology (how the human body functions, mainly on a cellular level).
The authors go beyond basic education by breaking down what current research suggests about how a yoga practice might affect each system. I’m not aware of any other yoga book that offers such a thorough overview of physiology. Andrew and Matt have done a wonderful job with this endeavor!
The Art of Yoga Sequencing
by Sage Rountree
The yoga world has had a distinct lack of an inclusive, accessible, and evidence-based book on sequencing… until now!
Sage’s book just published in March 2024, and I’m so glad the yoga world finally has a resource like this!
This book isn’t a direct education on anatomy, physiology, etc., but it was written within a paradigm of a modern understanding of the body and movement (e.g., no fearmongering or nocebos 👏), which I so appreciate.
I especially love the intuitive instructions for scaling yoga poses up and down in terms of challenge, and the innovative template for class planning. I think you’ll love this resource for intelligent yoga sequencing, too!
A Guide to Better Movement
by Todd Hargrove
This amazing book was a pivotal resource for me when I first learned about pain science. It completely shifted my whole paradigm for teaching yoga.
Todd is an incredibly wise educator whose teachings can be applied to any and all movement modalities (including, for our purposes, yoga!).
This book should be included in all yoga teacher training programs to provide yoga teachers with a modern, introductory understanding of the science behind the brain’s role in movement, perception, and pain!
Strength Training for Yoga
by Jenni Rawlings & Travis Pollen, PhD
YES, this is my book 😛 that I co-authored, but I love it as an educational resource for yogis wanting to learn more about movement and loading the body!
In this book, Travis and I explain the actionable HOW behind creating strength adaptations in your movement practice.
And we also include a biomechanical breakdown of 18 of yoga’s most foundational asanas, including how to load, support, and oppose those movement patterns in a strength training context.
*Just FYI, this book is an e-book you’ll receive immediately upon ordering; it’s not a physical, printed book like the others on this list.
What books did I miss? Can you think of any others you believe should be on this list?
Feel free to comment below or email me with your suggestions! I can update this list any time (and I plan to as new evidence-based “yoga anatomy” books are released in the future!).
Thanks so much for reading, and here’s to smart yoga books that help expand our yoga geeky brains!
