How to Find Niche Yoga Books

It turns out yoga is for everyone. From kid and family yoga to special needs and even asthma yoga, yoga books abound to suit one's every need. Are you female? Over 50? Don't worry; there's a yoga book for you as well. Even little tiny babies get their own yoga resource.

Instructions

How to Find Niche Yoga Books

1

Check the Internet for "Yoga Beats Asthma" by Stella Weller. This handy guide outlines breathing exercises as well as asanas that work well for individuals with asthma. "Yoga Beats Asthma" is recommended by Marie Faughman, M.D., in the Division of Respiratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto.

2

Read "Yoga for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: a Step-by-Step guide for Parents and Caregivers" by Dion E. Betts and Stacey W. Betts. These and all books listed include photos, drawings or diagrams to aid in the accuracy of positions. Special education professionals strongly recommend yoga for children with special needs, and some (more often at alternative facilities, where it is more accepted than in public schools) incorporate yoga into their daily programs for these children.

3

Peek at "Itsy Bitsy Yoga: Poses to help your Baby Sleep Longer, Digest Better, and Grow Stronger" by Helen Garabedian. Here, almost as an offshoot to infant massage, Garabedian recommends positions and techniques for parents to help calm babies. Many kids' yoga books and videos featuring kid-friendly, fun poses (a lot of the animal and tree names work well for children) can be found in libraries, bookstores or on the Internet as well. Fitness professionals strongly advise yoga as a form of recreation for America's increasingly sedentary, obese childhood population.

4

Turn to "Yoga for Teens" by Thia Luby. This book asserts that yoga can help older kids improve their health, fitness, confidence and appearance, while having fun. The flexibility of young adults makes their bodies ideal for yoga stretches and postures, and any building of self-esteem along the way is invaluable for teenagers. In terms of the yoga practice vs. traditional sports, with yoga you are only competing with yourself, trying to focus on your own breathing and stretches, and working to improve your own flexibility. Some physical education teachers have incorporated yoga into P.E. classes and tout its benefits for students.

5

Read "Yoga for Women in Midlife and Beyond". This home companion by Pat Shapiro, recommended by reviewers, addresses middle-aged and senior women's needs, highlighting areas of tension for women that are often distinct from the typically stressed areas of men's bodies.

6

Stretch your personal possibilities, even if yoga seems impossible, with "Yoga for Wimps: Poses for the Flexibly Impaired" by Miriam Austin. Reviewers and bookstore clerks highlight the comic slant of the writing that may work even for yoga skeptics. While you're at it, check out "Yoga for Dummies" in the yellow Dummies series. Enjoy the moves -- and don't forget to breathe.