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Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong: Qigong of Unconditional Love Review

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(More customer reviews)The book is written by the originator of this particular style of qigong, Master Li Jun Feng, and is the authoritative guide for any practitioner of Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong. It contains some background material, but is basically a 'how-to' book.
Every posture, or exercise, is described technically and is illustrated by photos of Master Li performing it. Additionally the postures has a set of contemplations that the practitioner can use to enhance the effect of the exercises. Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong is constructed as series of postures that each can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours to perform depending on the speed and number of repetitions of each exercise the practitioner wishes to do. There are four standing and three sitting series of postures as well as two different types of meditations that are all covered by this book.
Like any book of this kind it best serves the purpose of being a helpful additional tool and cannot fully replace the hands-on guidance of a good teacher. But as such it is excellent, with hundreds of good photos and easy-to-follow descriptions of each exercise. Any motivated qigong practitioner should be able to learn the forms from the book. Even more so if done in combination with the available videos.
The author is well known in China, as he used to be the head coach of the Beijing Wushu (martial art / kung fu) Team as well as the National Wushu Team for many years, He also starred in some Chinese martial arts movies before giving it all up to dedicate his time to develop and teach this beautiful and inspiring form of qigong.
I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of the Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong style of qigong when it comes to fulfilling the promises of Chinese energy cultivation. The exercises are easy to learn (but can be hard to master) and feel good to do. Unlike some other schools of qigong there are no stringent demands of what time of the day you should train, the cardinal directions and such. But it is no less 'serious' for that. Practicing Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong is effective for your health and well-being, and might do some very nice things for your mind and spirit as well.

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Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong: Qigong of Unconditional Love, A Return to Oneness Starting the practice of Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong is the first step of a journey to our origin. Our origin, our true homeland, is the state in which we experience the feeling of complete well-being. Returning there means discovering the true self - achieving insight into a wholeness that has never been lost, just forgotten. Always be at home, no matter where we are - always find wholeness no matter what the life circumstances may be - attaining this means merging with everything and knowing that there is only oneness.

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Morning Yoga Workouts (Morning Workout Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)This will be a very useful book for me and for many others. The first two chapters provide a very succinct overview of the fundamentals and a detailed guide to good habits. My yoga library is fairly extensive and these two chapters provide more foundational guidance on more aspects in fewer pages than any book I can recall. Of course my short-term memory is not what it used to be! But even if there are other yoga books with this much guidance in such a short read, providing it in a book primarily aimed at the fitness market is fabulous, and you will find it to be clear and useful.
That the breath is fundamental to my experience of yoga is without question. That a morning practice (adapted to my time and ability) is not to be missed is also without question. These are now part of my enjoyment of life.
I should disclose that I have studied with Zack for nearly five years, so I am pre-disposed to write a positive review. I have also studied with Leslie Kaminoff, Mark Whitwell, Kausthub Desikachar, and T.K.V. Desikachar; and have read all their books and many others. And am currently enrolled in Gary and Mirka Kraftsow's teacher training program. I have read lots of yoga books.
Showing asana practice routines of three intensities and three time lengths is very useful. It addresses the principal obstacles to getting a home practice started - ability and time. Of course these two obstacles are issues of perception, but who knows that until we start to break the obstacles down. I bet this book will help more than a few people break them down! Thank goodness that in fact we all have all the time and ability we need, and that there are books like this and people like Zack, that are helping others to experience this truism. Life is good!

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A yoga routine to fit every morning schedule! You know that exercising in the morning is the best way to maintain a regular exercise schedule, manage weight, and energize your day. Morning Yoga Workouts makes it easy to find a way no matter how you sleep, what your energy level is, and how much time you have to spare.

Nine workouts include light, moderate, and intense sessions that last for 15 to 20 minutes, 30 to 40 minutes, and 50 to 60 minutes at home or in a studio. Poses include an in-depth exploration of the sun salutations and the full range of yoga asana and breathing techniques, which appeal to all levels of yoga experience, for building strength and flexibility, improving postural alignment, and stabilizing the inner core.

Warm-up routines are included so you can use your yoga practice to prepare for other activities, and visualization and meditation mantras improve the mind-body connection. Nutrition advice helps you balance eating and hydration with energy upon waking, and tips to improve your environment make workouts even more effective and enjoyable. With Morning Yoga Workouts, you will never tire of your morning routine again.

Morning Yoga Workouts is part of the Morning Workout series, books designed to help you get in tune with both mind and body, stay motivated, and improve your morning exercise experience.

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Yoga for Kids to Teens: Themes, Relaxation Techniques, Games, and an Introduction to SOLA Stikk Yoga Review

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(More customer reviews)This book was the same as the original create a yoga practice for kids with the addition of a chapter on using a stick as a prop. The yoga practice is geared towards younger children, not true teens.

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Are you looking for a way to have fun with young people while giving them a life-long tool for self-expression, physical and mental health, relaxation techniques, and improved focus? Yoga for Kids to Teens is another fun and easy-to-use handbook for you, as a parent, teacher, or young person, to enjoy. The authors of Create a Yoga Practice for Kids (Sunstone Press, 2006) introduce Nicole Hamory's SOLA Stikk Yoga, a lively approach to yoga for all ages. Find creative games, interactive themes, mind-melting relaxation, five-minute classroom yoga breaks and more.

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Full-Body Flexibility Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been looking for a good stretching/yoga book, and came across Full-Body Flexibility and was reading the reviews. I have actually seen Jay speak in person, and so I was compelled to buy it. I was not surprised by the positive reviews, but was very surprised by the negative one because I thought Jay had a lot of interesting things to say about stretching and flexibility in the lecture he presented. I am a personal trainer, and enjoy Jay's approach and philosphies because he keeps things simple and straight-forward. I bought the book, and was very satisfied and impressed, and am baffled by the negative review. The pictures are clear, the instructions are simple, and the entire concept of active or "unassisted" stretching is VERY unique and not found in most books. In addition, Jay's book has great stretching routines at the end that I have found very useful and so have my clients. I have used the routines many times since I bought the book. I have seen Jay speak in person. He is not just a marketer. He is a renowned Trainers with an extensive background in exercise and health education. In fact, he has provided me with useful training information over the years that is often better than the PhDs in the same field. Jay has been a trend-setter in the health club fitness industry for years, and continually clarifies, simplifies and organizes what is often complex information into easy to understand and use exercise protocol that I use every day in my exercise routines with my clients and students. I am not sure what that particular reviewer was looking for in a stretch book, and maybe he never read the the opening section of the book (where much of the interesting information is presented), but I think it is a great book. Easy to read. Clear organized pictures. A variety of stretches. Routines I can use. Not a clinical text book, but not an artsy-fartsy picture book either. Well done...

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Jiangan: The Chinese Health Wand Review

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(More customer reviews)Jiangan substantiates that old adage about not judging books by their covers. Seriously, who's excited by the image of a bespectacled, white guy with a goofy countenance garbed in traditional Chinese silks, holding a bamboo stick in an awkward-looking position? Well, if you're interested in the health- and fitness-enhancing benefits of one of China's least-known albeit most effective exercise methods, you probably should be. Although it can work well as a stand-alone system, the Chinese health wand exercises described in this book are compatible with, and make a great warm-up for, most other martial arts, soft and hard styles alike.

Even though jiangan was "discovered" by an American, Bruce L. Johnson, in 1945, and ultimately published in a book in 1977, it never became popular in the West. Nevertheless, the movements can help practitioners integrate body and breathing while stretching and strengthening their muscles and simultaneously improving posture, balance, and flexibility. The exercises are low impact, take remarkably little space, and require only a single implement, a simple bamboo rod, cut to the proper length based on the arm-length of the individual.

With regular practice, say twenty to thirty minutes a day, the health and fitness benefits should manifest in short order. As the author relates, ". . . one month after I began practicing jiangan, the muscles in my middle and lower back were firmer and my knees felt much stronger. Several weeks later I was so much trimmer and leaner that friends asked if had been training in a gym . . . it can be argued that similar body-shaping results can be obtained from industrious workouts in other more robust types of exercise; the fact remains that it was jiangan, the gentle internal art, that worked."

Founder of White Crane Bamboo Group, Michael Davies began studying tai chi chuan in the 1970s and is currently senior instructor with the Tai Chi Union in Great Britain. His martial proficiency lends authority to his writing, while his tai chi and qigong teaching experience adds lucidity. He is clearly accustomed to explaining these concepts to his students. Using a personable, reader-friendly style backed up by clear figures and illustrations, he communicates the materials effectively enough that one can begin practicing jiangan merely by reading the book. That's quite an accomplishment!

The contents are well organized, covering history of the Chinese health wand, the gan (bamboo pole), philosophy of jiangan, and methodology of the exercises, as well as seventeen practice routines. There is a solid question-and-answer section, a guide to practicing, and several variations, as well as advanced exercises. This information should prove useful for students and teachers of the Chinese martial arts as well as most anyone interested in healthful, low-impact exercises.
Lawrence Kane, author of Surviving Armed Assualts, Martial Arts Instruction, and Blinded by the Night; co-author of The Way to Black Belt, The Way of Kata, The Little Black Book of Violence, and How to Win a Fight
Note: Originally reviewed for ForeWord Magazine, July 2011

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Long before Tai Chi and Qigong became household names in the West, an American sailor visiting Shanghai discovered a gentle Chinese exercise called Jiangan - The Chinese Health Wand. This exercise system is simple yet potent and involves the manipulation of a lightweight pole traditionally made of bamboo. Jiangan co-ordinates slow diaphragmatic breathing with graduated stretching and strengthening exercises to promote circulation and stimulate the cardiovascular system. This book offers a concise practical guide to Jiangan exercises, providing detailed instructions and illustrations while also exploring the Chinese philosophy behind the art. Although a gentle and meditative form of exercise, this book shows that Jiangan has the muscle-toning and weight-loss potential of more robust gym workouts and is an ideal daily exercise routine or warm-up for a range of sports and martial arts classes. This book will be a valuable resource for teachers and students of Tai Chi and Qigong, as well as anyone looking for a simple and effective way to improve health and fitness using Eastern health arts.

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Relaxercise: The Easy New Way to Health and Fitness Review

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(More customer reviews)I've read Amazon reviews for years, but never bothered to write one. I have to write a review of this book to tell people how wonderful it is. I own many Feldenkrais books, and this one takes first prize for ease of use and effectiveness. It really works! The instructions are so simple and well-illustrated - and the exercise so short and easy to do - you'll never want to stop doing them. Look, the proof is in the pudding, and I've used this book religiously for over 6 months! It has helped straighten my scoliosis and I feel, move and look like a brand new person. Please, if you don't like it, send it back, but spend the money if you're at all interested in learning about the brilliant Feldenkrais method. It'll be the best $15 you ever spend. It was for me.

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Step-By-Step Tai Chi Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll be brief. This is a great introductory book for us Westerners. This is 99% physical, and 1% metaphysical. It contains nothing about Chi/Qi or Qi Gong, and the motions are not from any of the major styles. Rather, the book presents a sort of "beginer's" form called Small Circle form. The book is a methodical and organized introduction to Tai Chi movements. The things you will learn in this book through its fantastic illustrations and explinations will give you the foundation you will need to tackle a class/style. The best part of this book is the way it focuses on posture, breathing, and warming up. Its self paced, but is designed to be done slowly and practiced daily, but thats up to your goals. Worth every dime. Start here before you get too crazy on spending.

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TONE YOUR BODY, RELAX YOUR MIND Whatever your level of fitness, Step-by-Step Tai Chi offers a simple but effective program of exercise and stress reduction, based on the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi. In addition to learning the fundamentals of Tai Chi through his carefully designed four-level program, Master Lam Kam Chuen will introduce you to Small Circle Form Tai Chi, an original method he has developed -- based on classical Tai Chi styles -- requiring a minimum of time and space. Step-by-Step Tai Chi features: * Detailed and easy-to-follow instruction for the basic movements of Tai Chi, plus Small Circle Form, complete with color illustrations that will guide you through every movement * Specially selected exercises to help you build up strength, flexibility, and stamina in the muscles and joints of your upper and lower body * Simple routines that you can perform in half an hour or less, with no previous experience, special clothing, or equipment required * An ideal foundation if you wish to study advanced forms of Tai Chi Whether you are looking for a way to reduce stress or a new way to exercise, Step-by-Step Tai Chi will keep you fit -- inside and out.

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The Sivananda Companion to Yoga: A Complete Guide to the Physical Postures, Breathing Exercises, Diet, Relaxation, and Meditation Techniques of Yoga Review

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(More customer reviews)To my mind Sivananda is the perfect type of yoga-- just the right mix of spirituality, workout, stretching and relaxation all in one. I always feel fantastic afterwards! So when I moved and couldn't find a class in my area, I really missed it. Tried Ashtanga--too many pushups! Iyengar...so much time on alignment and never broke a sweat! Gym yoga class...how do they even call this yoga? So I got this book, and it basically took me right back to the classes I used to take at the Sivananda center on 24th St., minus the chanting and a few of the variations. I use it all the time. The poses are explained well, especially if you have practiced them in a class before, with lots of diagrams and pictures and they include plenty of variations. The quick reference chart is great to remind you what order things go in or if you just want a quick half-hour session. Also good advice on diet and meditation and yoga in general. Definitely worth it for me...it's one exercise book I actually use!

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THE ESSENTIAL COMPANION FOR BEGINNING AND EXPERIENCED YOGIS ALIKE A highly regarded organization for yoga studies and practices, the Sivananda Yoga Center created the first edition of The Sivananda Companion to Yoga in 1983. Since its publication, it has sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide and has become a standard text for both yoga students and teachers. Now with fresh, colorful pages throughout, The Sivananda Companion to Yoga remains the classic guide to yoga. With easy-to-follow instructions, inspirational teaching, and detailed illustrations, this authoritative guide covers every aspect of the yoga lifestyle, including relaxation, exercise, dietary guidelines, breathing, and meditation. Whether you're using it in conjunction with a class or on your own, The Sivananda Companion to Yoga can help you * Develop a fit and beautiful body * Boost your energy and vitality at any stage of life * Reduce stress and experience greater peace of mind * Eat nutritiously and responsibly * Increase your powers of concentration and discipline Yoga is a journey toward physical and spiritual wellness. With this beautiful, bestselling guide in hand, you will experience the health, energy, and vibrancy that yoga can bring into your life.

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Hatha Yoga Illustrated Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been practicing yoga for several years now and have read tons of books on the subject. This is an excellent book on the basics. It covers 70 poses not including variations. Countrary to my assumptions, not all of the posture's described are 'beginner's poses', there are a few more difficult poses that are common to certain schools of yoga. The descriptions on how to do the poses are pratical - not so much detail that you're doing a 100 point check list. Simplier modifications are often given, useful if one is not as flexible or strong as required to do the final form (or injured, or tired, etc.). One addition I greatly appreciate is that counterposes are given for each posture, this gives a beginner some idea of what to do next. In fact, for each pose, the following details are listed: counterpose, drishti (what you should look at), physical benefits, mental benefits, and countraindications (injuries or health problems that may prevent you from practicing a posture or require a simpler variation).
The routines in the back of the book are short, but extremely helpful for how to build a routine. There are routines for a gentle practice, flexibility, some examples of vinyasa segments, and both sun and moon salutations.
I really am enjoying this book.

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Yoga Anatomy Review

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(More customer reviews)Yoga Anatomy is a book that gives the reader a look inside the human body as it is put in various yoga positions.
Chapter 1 covers the dynamics of breathing and actually covers some breathing physiology as well. Chapter 2 talks about the spine and gives some pretty detailed spinal information. Chapter 3 is short and covers the asanas.
The rest of the book, Chapters 4 through 9, make up the "meat" of the book and contains most of the anatomy information most readers probably bought the book for- what muscles are used in what poses. The way the book gives you the information is quite handy- it has a section on standing poses, sitting poses, kneeling poses, on-your-stomach poses, on-your-back poses, and arm supported poses. Sooo, all you have to do is pick a position/pose, and there you'll find pictures of what muscles are involved (and let me say, they show you some great angles of the poses to make sure the reader can see ALL the muscles that are involved). In addition to learing what muscles are involved, the book also tells you what joint actions are involved, as well as what body parts are working AND which ones are lengthening- neat!
A great reference book, its simply perfect for the yoga enthusiast that has become acquainted over time with muscles they never knew they had- but will now after reading this book! Also recommend The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution if plantar fasciitis pain keeps you from doing your yoga.

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See inside every yoga pose! With clear, expert instruction and full-color, detailed anatomical drawings, Yoga Anatomy depicts the most common asanas to provide a deeper understanding of the structures and principles underlying each movement and of yoga itself. From breathing to standing poses, see how each muscle is used, how slight alterations of a pose can enhance or reduce effectiveness, and how the spine, breathing, and body position are all fundamentally linked. Whether you are just beginning your journey or have been practicing yoga for years, Yoga Anatomy will be an invaluable resource-one that allows you to see each movement in an entirely new light. Author Leslie Kaminoff is a recognized expert and teacher in anatomy, breathing, and bodywork. He is the founder of The Breathing Project, New York City's premiere yoga studio dedicated to the teaching of individualized, breath-centered yoga practice and therapy.

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