All yoga lovers have their favourite books. Ones that have inspired and influenced their yoga journeys. But, which are the best yoga books?
Ask any yoga instructor and they’ll tell you about a book that changed their practice. (They’ll tell you about more than one if you let them!) If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while, you may have a couple yourself.
Newbie or yogi, our definitive list of the best yoga books is here to inspire, educate and inform. We’ve published some of the world’s leading yoga books, but which will you read next?
Best yoga books: 7–1
7. Power Yoga
Leah Cullis
Power yoga is an athletic, dynamic and modern style of yoga. It first emerged back in the 1990s, with Baron Baptiste, Beryl Bender Birch and Bryan Kest all using the term.
Power Yoga‘s author Leah Cullis worked with power yoga pioneer Baron Baptiste. Today, she teaches how to build meaningful yoga practice based on personal experience. So your practice works for your body, your lifestyle and your individual goals.
“Leah is a brilliant teacher and leader. And she masterfully distils the teachings into practical and actionable steps”
Baron Baptiste
New York Times Bestselling Author
Power Yoga is the most up-to-date text on the subject. It begins with chapters detailing the power of yoga, power principles and how to focus. It then moves on to chapters dedicated to yoga postures and poses. The authors also include and explain modifications to alter difficulty.
Each chapter includes simple yoga sequences ranging from five to 60 minutes. The book also contains specific sequences for running, cycling, team sports and more. Power Yoga empowers you to develop focus, balance and purpose beyond the yoga mat.
Power yoga is so popular we published two books on it this year. For more on power yoga, check out Teaching Power Yoga for Sports.
6. Yoga for Athletes
Ryanne Cunningham
Some people consider yoga to be ‘too spiritual’ or not a ‘real’ physical activity. Even some professional athletes can be hesitant to give it a try. How can so many still be oblivious to the benefits of yoga?
Some of the world’s most successful and best athletes practise yoga. LeBron James, Maria Sharapova, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to name but a few.
Yoga for Athletes is for elite and everyday athletes looking for that added edge. In chapter one, ‘Why do Yoga?’ you’ll find out why athletes (of all abilities) should take up the practice.
Author and instructor Ryanne Cunningham has worked with some top names in sports. Keeping tough NFL players fit and top endurance athletes running stronger and longer. Her book features step-by-step instruction, expert advice and variations for popular sports, including:
- American Football
- Football
- Running
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Tennis
- Golf
- Basketball
- and more!
Yoga for Athletes is designed for any athlete, whatever your ability. From weekend enthusiasts to professional.
Hundreds of photos illuminate poses. In-depth breathing techniques improve performance. So why not reduce your risk of injury and maximise your training?
5. Hatha Yoga Asanas
Daniel DiTuro and Ingrid Young
Hatha yoga is a general category that includes most styles. Most asanas (postures) associated with hatha yoga were developed less than 100 years ago. But these evolved to include hundreds of variations. This was so that hatha yoga could be adapted to fit modern life.
For beginners, learning the names of asanas can be challenging. Luckily, Hatha Yoga Asanas offers you a quick guide to over 150 classic hatha yoga asanas. This makes it the go-to resource for anyone practising or teaching yoga.
Most books on the subject only feature 20-30 of these asanas. However, this text gives you five times the amount. Allowing you to explore new poses and expand and enhance your practice.
One of the book’s key features is that it gives poses a difficulty rating (one being the easiest and ten being the hardest). Great for beginners, learning poses for the first time.
Each exercise is depicted with photos from coauthor and yoga photographer Daniel DiTuro. As well as movement cues, English and Sanskrit names.
4. Instructing Hatha Yoga
Diane Ambrosini
The world of yoga has exploded in recent years. Millions of people worldwide are experiencing the benefits and mindful awareness of yoga. More yoga classes inevitably mean more qualified teachers are needed. Which is where Instructing Hatha Yoga, 2nd Edition comes in.
The first edition of this title was the brainchild of the late Kathy Lee Kappmeier, a dedicated yoga instructor and teacher trainer. After years of personal study, Kathy had the vision to create a comprehensive yet practical reference guide for hatha yoga teachers in training. And, we think the authors did a great job!
Well received by a variety of audiences (including instructors, experienced teachers and yoga students alike) the book includes chapters on the basics of teaching modern yoga and creating class environments. The majority of this comprehensive text is made of black and white yoga poses, 68 to be exact. Each one is accompanied by images and step-by-step teaching instructions. These allow you, as teachers, to give students safe and effective hands-on adjustments for each posture.
Perfect for those training to become yoga instructors, the text comes with a web resource which includes over 70 video clips. These video clips demonstrate pose modifications. However, they also show you how to assist and adjust students in classes. Additionally, there are also sample classes for popular strands of yoga such as children and pre-natal.
Instructing Hatha Yoga is the complete and essential guide to becoming a confident yoga class instructor. Discover the yoga philosophy, poses and practices that strengthen bodies and awaken the spirit.
3. A Journey into Yin Yoga
Travis Eliot
A Journey into Yin Yoga became an instant when released in June 2018. It even made it to number three on our best sports science books of 2018.
Beautiful photos and expert instruction for over 50 poses make it a go-to guide. But don’t take our word for it. The text is full of inspiring quotes stories and interviews. Celebrities, doctors and authors all agree on the many benefits of Yin yoga.
Join world-renowned yoga instructor Travis Eliot as he guides you through the practice of
“Travis is helping to lead the way in showing that yin is in and that there is so much more value to our everyday lives when we just slow down”
Michael Wong, Author of Sit Down, Be Quiet
A Journey into Yin Yoga begins by teaching you about the origins and practice of Yin yoga. Following this, the guide includes details of over 50 poses. It offers benefits and reasons for practising each. As well as, alignment points and modifications so they can be adjusted to fit your needs and body type.
There are ten ready-to-use sequences including ones for:
- Beginners
- Healthier hips, knees and shoulder
- Spine flexibility
- Pregnancy
- Sleeping better
- Athletes
- Relaxation
A Journey into Yin Yoga, as featured in Yoga Magazine, is perfect for beginners and a great introduction to this fast-growing style of yoga.
2. Hatha Yoga Illustrated
Martin Kirk, Brooke Boon and Daniel DiTuro
Originally published in 2004, Hatha Yoga Illustrated has remained a popular text for the past 15 years. It’s the second hatha yoga title on our list and also a second for Daniel DiTuro.
This highly visual guide offers an introduction to hatha yoga for anyone and everyone. Its main focus is on the physical postures (asanas). However, it also includes details on how to get into the poses, find proper alignment and obtain the greatest benefit from your practice.
Easy to understand instructions and a substantial collection of images make this a perfect book for beginners. All poses are presented from start to finish, showing you how to achieve proper alignment and breathing throughout. There are also introductions into yogic breathing (pranayama), the
Although it’s a great book for beginners, instructors will benefit from 11 sample yoga routines. These show how to assemble the poses into workouts based on difficulty, intensity and duration.
1. Yoga Anatomy
Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews
Who earns the top spot in our best yoga books? No surprises here: it’s Yoga Anatomy. Translated into 19 different languages to date, it’s a global bestseller. Often referred to as the book on yoga anatomy.
The text had great praise from readers and educators on release in 2007. And its reputation has steadily grown since. This has led to Yoga Anatomy becoming required reading on most yoga teacher training courses.
The popularity of this book is, in part, down to its stunning anatomical illustrations. These help you to understand the structures and principles underlying each pose. This isn’t an exhaustive study of human anatomy. It’s only the most valuable information for students and teachers.
See how breathing exercises, body positioning and muscle activation are all interlinked. The in-depth knowledge provided by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews shows the whole picture. It’s easily one of our best yoga books for beginners.
The first half of the text covers different elements of yoga, including the breath, the spine, skeletal system and muscular system. Asanas are covered extensively in the second half. From breathing to standing poses, these chapters show you how specific muscles respond to the movements of the joints.
The best yoga books
- Yoga Anatomy
- Hatha Yoga Illustrated
- A Journey into Yin Yoga
- Instructing Hatha Yoga
- Hatha Yoga Asanas
- Yoga for Athletes
- Power Yoga
Whatever flavour of yoga you’re in to (Yin, Hatha, Power….), I hope this guide helps you on your way to finding the perfect books to take your practice to the next level.
Related reading
- Tips on developing a fitness yoga routine for beginners
- Yoga can help with weight gain prevention
- Yin yoga poses for the shoulders
What are your favourite yoga books?
Do you own any of the books featured in this list? Why not let us know which ones and why you love them? Fill in the comments below!
Other Yoga Books
You might also consider:
- Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar
- Yoga by BKS Iyengar
- Yoga Mind and Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
Header photo by Elina Fairytale from Pexels