Exercise-value Books

I have been doing Hittleman's yoga style since the 60's. I'm crippled up with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Lyme Disease, but I find that whenever I'm well enough to start up again, the 28-day program is do-able. Remarkably, it always helps me feel better--and it's the only exercise that I can do. It's very gentle and very soothing as well. It's important to keep to his 28-day schedule. I do have to be very careful never to strain--and Hittleman does repeatedly caution you not to strain!

I have to caution people starting the program today, though. Back when Hittleman wrote the book, most people were slender. Those who were overweight were just overweight--not obese. I'm not sure how he would have written his book differently today, when so many are obese--even young people--but I do want to warn people about this. Many yoga positions are not at all safe for the obese: there's just too much weight on delicate joints. Maybe he would tell these people to take a year instead of 28 days--and not do any kinds of inverted postures at all until the weight is way, way down.

Secondly, "back in the day," elderly people were not doing yoga. Today they tend to be active much later in life. I shudder to think of a 70-yr old woman with osteoporosis and 50 extra pounds, for example, doing inverted postures. A doctor's advice would be wise.

I've had this book through two marriages, three children, seven states, and way too many relocations. I've given it as gifts and cherished it as a gift to myself. I'm buying it again as I lost my original. This is the only Yoga book I know of that actually coaches and coaxes you through easy-to-follow directions. I have DVDs on Yoga, but this is where I always return for quickly gaining form and flexibility. BTW: I'm 58.

I first used a copy of this book way back when Richard Hittleman had a PBS program on yoga. I've returned to this book on and off ever since.

The yoga practice he teaches here is:

1) easy to do for anyone, regardless of fitness level or age.
2) presented in simple, daily, DO-able sequences.
3) nicely illustrated with photographs that show exactly how to do the postures.
4) supplemented with daily "yogic wisdom" that teaches what yoga practice can do for you.
5) finished with practice routines that you can use, well, forever.

In short, this is one of the best beginner yoga books out there. One that you'll use for a lifetime.

I became acquainted with Richard Hittleman through his PBS program, "Yoga for Health." As a young adult, I used to watch this show on a regular basis. Imagine how pleased I was to find a book based on the same type of exercises which were on this particular program.
This is the third time I have purchased this book. The first copy fell apart after many years of use. The second was a gift to a friend and this last one is for my husband and myself.
As you can see I am very partial to this book. I like the fact that there is the 28 day plan which you can do at your own pace and a schedule you can follow after you have completed this plan, which incorporates all the exercises you have previously learned. I have seen other yoga books, but this is my favorite because it stresses the importance of yoga being "concerned with the health and beauty of the organism as a unified whole," rather than just self-improvement for the body.

I bought this book years ago and I loved it then! I wanted to buy one for a friend who wanted to renew her excerise habits. I highly recommend this book. It takes you step by step for 28 days. It's a good way to begin.

I purchased this item for my 12 year old daughter for Christmas. She received other flashy and expensive gifts but this was one of her top favorite gifts!! It is a great outlet source for writing thoughts and feelings while reading others as well.

It is great to have a place to write down all that you are feeling, and it gives you little clues so that you can write down things that you are not even necessarily thinking of at that moment in time.

This book did absolutly nothing for me. Just a boring thing to write in, which I haven't.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Journal, was one of the most moving books I have read. It's directed towards adolescents, and deals with issues every adolescent girl faces. It's a blend of stories, quotes, poems, and spaces to write your thoughts. This book has many different sections such as: family, love and kindness, learning lessons, and though stuff. My favorite section, however, is "loving yourself". This book gave me a chance to deal with issues and see that I'm not the only girl whom faces such issues. Chicken Soup is a book that I am able to pick up at any time if I need some inspiration on a situation, or some reassurance. Other issues helpful to me were on drinking, self-esteem, eating disorders, and how to deal with my past. The best part about this book is that a lot of it is compiled with texts written by teenage authors. There are spaces for friends to write about you, and spaces for you to express how you feel about certain things. Chicken Soup allowed me to realize I was not the only girl who had experienced some of the feelings that I did. After reading this book I knew I wasn't alone! I do highly reccomend this book to any teenage girl. Adolescence is a hard time to get through, and many girls need inspiration. You do not have to read the book cover to cover; you can pick it up any time and read whatever section you desire.

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: Journal, was one of the most moving books I have read. It is directed towards adolescents, and deals with issues every adolescent girl faces. It's a blend of stories, quotes, poems, and spaces to write your thoughts. This book has many different sections such as: family, learning lessons, love and kindness, and tough stuff. My favorite section, however, is "loving yourself". This book gave me a chance to deal with issues and see that I am not the only girl whom faces such issues. Chicken Soup is a book that I am able to pick up and at any time if I need some inspiration, help, or reassurance. Other issues helpful to me were on drinking, self-esteem, eating disorders, and how to deal with my past. Another good part about this book is that a lot of it is compiled with texts written by teenage authors. There are spaces for friends to write about you, and spaces for you to express how you feel on certain issues. Chicken Soup allowed me to realize I was not the only girl who had experienced some of the feelings I did. After reading this book I knew I wasn't alone! I do highly recommend this book to any teenage girl. Adolescence is a hard time to get through, and many girls need inspiration. You do not have to read the book cover to cover; you can pick it up any time and read whatever section you desire.

I AM 53 AND HAVE SUFFERED FOR YEARS WITH A BAD BACK. I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING INCLUDING THERAPY. NOTHING WORKS AS WELL AS CALLANS BACK EXERCISES! I BOUGHT THIS BOOK USED RECENTLY. I WISH I WOULD HAVE FOUND IT YEARS AGO! IT WOULD HAVE SAVED ME YEARS OF PAIN! WHAT A SHAME ITS OUT OF PRINT.

The first few pages of this book are devoted to emergency relief of lower back spasm. If you've ever had to get out of bed by rolling out onto the floor, getting onto your knees, then slowly & painfully rising to your feet by supporting yourself by leaning on the nightstand...you know what I'm talking about. Her emergency exercises work.

The long-term stretching & toning program is a lot like some yoga exercises...but with some very important--and seemingly subtle--differences that will protect your back from some of the dangerous stresses that certain yoga positions put you into.

It's a shame this book is out of print. Haunt your local used book stores until you find it!

This book should not be out of print! I have been a low-back-pain sufferer most of my adult life and have tried everything from weightlifting to yoga with little or no positive result (in some cases, very negative results). But this book, with its common-sense approach to both back therapy and overall exercise (making it clear that, yes, back problems are no barrier to staying in shape) got me from 80% of the time in back pain to 95% of the time pain-free, strong, and able to hike, bike, and do all the other things that would in the past have gotten me into painful trouble. Also, but just incidentally, it toned and slimmed my entire body, a selling point for Callanetics for women, but believe me, this man doesn't mind losing his "love handles" on the way to a better back, either! Callan Pinckney is some kind of miracle worker, maybe because she used herself and her own back as the laboratory for the program she created. Simply amazing!

I found the book and 2 sets of audio tapes of Callanetics for Your Back years ago. I purchased 5 sets and only have one set left. Is that version still available? Callan Pinckney's easy lying down back exercises are the most valuable and helpful found anywhere. Help me find more copies, please! I'm searching for friends.

I frequently referred to this book in our company library. Now that I'm retired I bought my own copy. I looked at several books on the topic and found nothing and good at explaining how our bodies work. I've saved myself a lot of medical fees over the years.

I have had this book for over 20 years. It is a great reference covering just about every part of the body. Any muscle or joint aches and pains, this book tells you what causes it and how to fix it.

Great analysis of cause and practical approach to cure. Especially good with joint issues. Thanks Dr. Garrick, your efforts have limited my pain and time in recovery! You should be everyone's first responder to sports injury...another edition??

This is the best book on athletic injuries I've used. It's old, but the sound advice hasn't been improved upon. I had a chronic hamstring injury when I got the book (back in '86) and for the first time in years I was able to rehab it completely and compete pain free. I've since referred to it for advice on knees and shoulders. Most recently I had an early stress fracture only a few weeks before an important competition. Following Garrick's guidlines, I was able to recover completely before the event. Garrick understands an athlete's need to stay active and take positive action to recover from an injury and tells you exactly how to do this. He also realizes that an injury that is "cured" by rest and cessation of the activity most often returns when the activity is resumed unless active rehab has been performed.
Highly recommended. The only reason I gave it four stars rather than five is it's brevity. I wish he would write a much longer and more detailed reference.

This is an excellent book for the yoga beginner. You can go at your own pace, and Vimla clearly demonstrates each move. It is very positive, very simply presented. I totally agree with the other reviewer, that a spiral bound book would be great, I place a weight on mine when I use it. I also agree with what the other reviewer said about a video being better to follow along if you are near-sighted...maybe Vimla will do a video for us! The main point I'd like to share is that the book got me started on Yoga, and feeling better about myself. Sometimes videos seem too long and hard, because they move along quickly, and this book as I said above, helped me practise at my own pace.

I borrowed this GEM from my local library & found it to be VERY helpful for me...a beginner.

Vimla does an excellent job demonstrating each phase of the exercise with full-color photos. There are 5 different sections of exercises: Rise & Shine, Energizer, Ultimate Stretch, Classical, & De-Stress. (53 exercises in all) Do them all, or one section at a time. Go at your own pace & do whatever section you choose depending on your day.

The only setback I see to this book (or any Yoga book) is that I have to stop & re-read the instructions while trying to complete the exercise. (Being nearsighted makes it a challenge (or impossible) to stay in the posture & read) I'm sure that will reduce as I learn the movements. This is where having a video is a definate plus.

Shouldn't it be a rule that Yoga instruction books be spiral bound so you don't have a put paper weights on them??!!! (I hope this book will go back in print very soon...& maybe in a SPIRAL bound edition?)

Reviewed by Regan Windsor for Reader Views (5/07)

There are few people who are unaffected by stress; for all the rest of us "30 Days to Taming Your Stress" is an essential guidebook! Divided into 30 chapters, or days, each chapter provides behavioral changes aimed at reducing stress. Some suggestions impact both mind and body stress, including getting enough sleep, nourishing your body, and getting physical. Some, however, are less obvious, such as laughing, stopping `stress-speak,' and changing small behaviors that may be self-sabotaging (which includes those big purses that result in the stress of not being able to find something when you need it!).

The first chapter covers "Identifying Your Stressors." "The pressures do not necessarily have to be negative to have a negative impact on our bodies, nor must they be things that are obvious." By paying attention and listing your stressors you are in a better position to make changes to alleviate or cope with the stress they are causing, or if they are something you have control over, find a way to change the situation or your behavior.

The second chapter discusses "Securing Your Foundation." "The base is our spiritual foundation, which consists primarily of prayer and the Word of God. The legs represent the financial, relational, mental, and physical aspects of our lives. Each leg must be strongly connected to our spiritual base in order for it to stand and be strong."

The remaining chapters provide simple and effective ways to introduce small changes in order to make a big difference in managing stress. Some examples include living by your guiding principles (values), scheduling your day wisely, learning how to delegate, enjoying the present, and learning to say no.

Each chapter ends with a sentence prayer incorporating the teachings of the chapter through reflection and meditation, asking the Lord to help provide guidance in our daily struggle to reduce stress through self understanding and growth.

"30 Days to Taming Your Stress" provides short, but highly-effective, chapters. This book's daily commitment is small in comparison to the return of an increased sense of peace and a reduced level of stress. This is one book you will want to keep on your bedside table as you will return to its gentle reminders again and again as you feel the need to "tame your stress."

This book is a must for any break dance enthusiast or beginne

After reviewing the copy of The Essential Guide to Stretching, I was very pleased to convey my opinion of this book as an educational and motivational tool geared toward youth athletes. The pictorials were very good in demonstration.

There's no hype in this book. Just the facts -- facts about everything. This just isn't about prostate cancer, but about all prostate problems. What I find useful is the easy to read, question and answer format. Actually, they ask questions I've never thought about -- but should. Great book. I recommend it to every man.

There’s something enjoyable about this book. I don’t mean just in content, or diagrams, or even in purpose – but in its readability. It’s fun to just sit down and real, all simple and cut down to the basics. Buchman makes sure to inject some folklore and her personal experiences, but beyond that it’s the classic guide for beginners.

She does heed caution with many remedies and suggests frequent doctor visits, double checking everything, and using herbs primarily for slight conditions, yet she seems like a determined and experienced herbalist. Much of her knowledge was obviously derived from her grandmother, a woman it's clear she was close to and learned much from. Even I felt special seeing some of the older woman's recipes after the love and admiration Buchman showed her.

The book is broken into four sections:

Section One: My Favorite Herbs:

Here she lists her favorite herbs, including Comfrey Root. This controversial herb is also a favorite of mine and many other herbalists; I'm delighted to see she shares my enthusiasm. She does warn about the use of comfrey internally because of studies, but then has remedies where they're used that way. Many of the herbs listed are easy to obtain and common, such as Cayenne, Cinnamon, and Cloves. She includes foods as a great way of healing, listing Honey as an aide. Lemon is a marvelous food, and she celebrates it within these pages with glee. It's easy to read the list, and all the herbs truly are good. I greatly enjoyed her experience with them.

On the negative side of things, she does this from a very basic point of view. It's extremely rare to find even one phytochemical listed on these herbs, she doesn't cite any studies, and not much detail. She doesn't list the actions of the herbs in a clear list like many herbals do; in short, it's extremely basic and is recommended more for a bare beginner. However, that's just for learning...for reading even a more advanced herbalist will delight in absorbing her words.

Second Section - A herbal Selector

Here she lists the obligatory diseases and disorders with their herbal therapies. It's not long and detailed but it gets to the point and is informative. She relates personal experience both she and her family had with these herbs, again refraining from phytochemicals, why most of the things work, etc. This section has many remedies and formulae blended in with the text, making it an ever bigger treat. Very, very little is discussed on conditions themselves, such as causes, symptoms, etc.

Section Three - How to make herbal medicine

A genuine treat! Very few herbals concentrate enough on explaining creating your own concoctions in detail. While not every single thing is brought up, and her section on things such as tinctures are surprisingly brief, she does offer much time and paper space showing how to create your own products. She keeps it simple and makes everything appear quite easy - which of course it is. The instructions are almost always accompanied by sample recipes, which helps a lot. This is the shining star of the book.

The final section is a reference on where to find more resources and information.

Overall, a book aimed toward the basic beginner, but one enjoyable for all. If you know much about herbs and their usage, you probably won't be enlightened too heavily by this, yet you will learn about personal experience she's had, discover a new thing or two, and share in a delightful, enthusiastic read. It's a great book to have lining the shelf, with some genuinely nifty formulas such as the original Vinegar of the four thieves, some neat candy, mouthwashes, and more. Also, you can't beat an herbalist that uses comfrey and honey so genuinely. But if you’re very new and need convincing (such as facts, reasons, etc), this isn’t the place to start.

Recommended!

This was one of the first herb books I purchased some 20 years ago; and by far one of the most used. The book gives excellent information on herbal care, easy to read and well documented. Sections on tincture and salve making are very well written, again easy to understand, and drawing explicit with instructions easy to understand. I have used this book in teaching herbal health classes; and excellent choice.

If you don't know anything about herbs, and or using them in everyday situations, you have to buy this book. I have not purchased the revised edition but I do have the original, and its wonderful. If you are a begginer its a great book to have just for the recipes and formulas. The recipes are very simple, and have common ingredients you can find around the house in your spice and herb cabinet and or can get at a local grocery store or in your back yard. If you are a begginer buy this book, its fun, its informative and you can make things without searching high and low for the ingredients. If you are an intermediate to advance herb user its still worth purchasing, for the same reasons that the begginer would use it for. Its just a great general for in home herb book.