Category Archives: exercise

BOOK: “Gheranda Samhita” Trans by. Srisa Chandra Vasu

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Gheranda SamhitaGheranda Samhita by Srisa Chandra Vasu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Available online – Terebess.hu

The Gheranda Samhita is said to be one of three surviving foundational texts of Hatha Yoga (along with Hatha Yoga Pradipika [HYP] and Shiva Samhita.) This is the first known edition of the Gheranda Samhita to include an English language translation. (It does retain the Sanskrit, as well.) This edition does not include commentary or elaboration (with the exception of the occasional footnote;) it’s just the shloka of the original and a translation, thereof.

The translation is clear and readable. The book does sometimes assume a basic vocabulary of terms that exist only in yoga and – therefore – do not have English language counterparts, but these can usually be easily looked up if the reader is not familiar with them. (And there is probably no good way around this because if one didn’t use the Sanskrit term one would have to give a longwinded explanation of the concept that would be painful reading for those who do have a basic yoga-related Sanskrit vocabulary (i.e. which is more likely the case for a reader of canonical texts.)

The book is arranged into seven lessons that cover Shatkarma (cleansing practices,) Asana (postures,) Mudra (“seals,”) Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal,) Pranayama (breathwork,) Dhyana (meditation,) and Samadhi (unified consciousness.) As with Hatha Yoga Pradipika [HYP] one sees cleansing practices (Shatkarma) elevated to essential elements of a practice, whereas Yama, Niyama (together the ethics of yoga) and Dharana are not afforded the status of “limbs” of practice. While there are similarities between HYP and Gheranda Samhita content there are differences as well. For example, the latter felt like it raised the importance of breathwork (pranayama) in part because it speaks of how crucial such practices are and also because it moves pranayama closer to samadhi in the progression of practice.

I’d highly recommend yoga teachers and students interested in the evolution and progression of Yoga read this text.

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BOOK: “Hatha Yoga Pradipika” by Swatmarama [Commentary by Muktibodhanada Saraswati]

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Hatha Yoga PradipikaHatha Yoga Pradipika by Swatmarama
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher – Yoga Publications Trusk

Hatha Yoga Pradipika [HYP] is one of the foundational documents of Hatha Yoga and is said to date to the 15th century. This edition, from the Bihar School’s Yoga Publications Trust, is the most popular one (at least among those offering English language translation and commentary; Note: the original text is also included in Sanskrit.) The book offers clear and detailed commentary on each shloka. (Sometimes one commentary per shloka, but other times a few are addressed at one go, as seemed logical to the editor.)

The book’s 389 shloka are divided into four parts: asana & lifestyle (e.g. diet;) pranayama & shatkarma (cleansing practices;) mudra & bandha; and meditation & samadhi. People are sometimes surprised to find that asana (postures) are barely mentioned in Patanjali’s Sutras (and none specifically,) given how central postural yoga is to our present-day conception and practice of yoga. In HYP, we see an expanded focus upon asana, but still only to a modest level. While the text mentions that Shiva taught 84 asana, HYP discusses less than 20 (mostly grounded postures — i.e. seated and supine or prone reclined.) The second part discusses breathwork (i.e. pranayama) that will be familiar to many present-day yoga practitioners and cleansing practices (i.e. shatkarma) practiced by relatively few. Readers may find it interesting that the greatest number of shlokas are devoted to mudra and bandha, techniques often only taught in the pranayama or asana in which they are employed. The final section is on Samadhi, which is not a surprise given that it is the goal of yoga and its discussion features in all the classical yoga texts.

This edition has several ancillary features of note. First, there is an extensive introduction to set the stage for a modern-day reader. Second, there are many line drawn graphics to clarify the text. Third, there are appendices including listings of the shloka — both a Sanskrit and an English list (making it easier to find what one is looking for without wading through interspersed commentary) and a glossary of useful Sanskrit terms (Romanized.)

Not only was this book interesting for its tidbits of information about yogic technique and philosophy, it also offered insight into the evolution of yoga over time. The latter is a topic which I’ve been researching of late, and this is a crucial text for understanding the subject.

I’d highly recommend this book for students and teachers of yoga, particularly those interested in the philosophy and evolution of technique, and for understanding how Hatha Yoga is distinguished from the broader body of Yoga.

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PROMPT: 5,000 Steps

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Daily writing prompt
Hit 5,000 steps today and drop your achievement here — we’re cheering you on!
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No thanks. For a standard 7 in. rise step, that’s on the order of 300 floors. During the pandemic when I couldn’t go to the park or elsewhere for exercise, I used to do the five-story stairwell of the building I was living in five times. So, up 25 floors (even with the break of the walk downs in between) was quite a fine cardio workout. Granted, I did 2 steps at a time, but I wouldn’t need to 12X the total vertical height.

BOOK: “The Essentials of Obstacle Race Training” by David Magida & Melissa Rodriguez

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The Essentials of Obstacle Race TrainingThe Essentials of Obstacle Race Training by David Magida
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Publisher site – Human Kinetics

This book is written as a soup-to-nuts guide to running a successful obstacle course race from nutrition to gear to what to expect by way of obstacles, as well as how to build workouts that will adequately prepare one. It’s a task which the book performs admirably. While the core of the book is the exercises and regimens into which one fits said exercises, there are some other elements that are useful, such as description of the class of obstacles one is likely to see along with discussion of variations thereof, the different categories of race, explanation of what to keep in mind at various stages leading up to the race, and a chapter on how to prepare the mind as well as the body, and more.

The book has photos and tables to supplement the descriptions.

I found this book to be useful and sufficiently specialized to the objective at hand. For example, it gave considerable attention to the question of grip strength, a topic that wouldn’t merit mention in many sport preparation guides. If you’re interested in running an obstacle course race and want to know what to be prepared for, and how to prepare for it, I’d recommend this book.

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BOOKS: “The Bodyweight Blueprint” by Brad Kolowich Jr.

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The Bodyweight Blueprint: Over 70 Workouts to Achieve Your Training GoalsThe Bodyweight Blueprint: Over 70 Workouts to Achieve Your Training Goals by Brad Kolowich Jr.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Publisher Site – Human Kinetics

This book offers a collection of exercises (and workouts built on said exercises) that require no equipment (excepting the inescapable calisthenic necessity of a bar, bars, or a safe facsimile thereof upon which one can lift one’s bodyweight.) The book does a fine job, though in a saturated market of similar books.

I’ll, therefore, talk about just a couple of ideas in this book that stood out to me as unique among the calisthenics books I’ve read. First, in the first section of the book, which lays a conceptual background for the exercises and workouts presented in subsequent sections, Kolowich explores the importance of Time Under Tension (TUT) and how it is achieved. I found this explanation valuable. Second, this book presents a much greater number of “self-resisted” exercises than I’ve seen in other books. I will need to give them a try before I comment on whether I think that is a good thing, but it was novel.

If this is your first book on calisthenics or bodyweight workouts, it’s as good as any. If you’ve read others, I can’t claim that you’re likely to find any profound revelations.

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PROMPT: Fitness Routine

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How can you build a regular fitness routine?
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More fitness, less routine. Develop a habit for movement, a love of it, and nature will take its course. Don’t leap into punishing routines, start easy, listen your body, and you’ll get to that point incrementally — but it won’t feel like punishment.

BOOK: “Mallapurana” ed. by Bhogilai Jayachandbhai Sandesara & Ramanlal Nagarji Mehta

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Mallapurana: A Rare Sanskrit Text on Indian Wrestling especially as practised by the Jyesthimallas (Gaekwad's Oriental Series No. 144)Mallapurana: A Rare Sanskrit Text on Indian Wrestling especially as practised by the Jyesthimallas by Bhogilal Jayachandbhai; Mehta Sandesara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available online – Internet Archive

The Mallapurana is a several hundred-year-old Sanskrit manual on wrestling as practiced in India, specifically by the Jyesthimalla caste. In 1964 two scholars from the University of Baroda released an edition that included a summary and detailed elaboration for an English-language readership, written to be understood by a reader without a background in the Indian wrestling tradition. (The text does include the original Sanskrit text for those who can read it, but I can’t comment on it.)

The manual is not just a discussion of wrestling techniques. In fact, a good portion of the manual covers issues like diet, training, the rites and logistical details of wrestling matches, characteristics of wrestlers, and strategies of matches. The authors include discussions of training methods and other details. The material is presented for a scholarly audience. While the readability is not challenging, it is arranged in a way that may feel tedious for the general readership. There are occasional descriptions that may leave a general reader befuddled.

I found reading this manual to be informative. It turned me on to many ideas with which I was unfamiliar. I’d highly recommend it for those interested in wrestling, martial sports, or the evolution of fitness practices.

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PROMPT: Most Fun

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What’s the most fun way to exercise?
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Playfully. Followed by enthusiastically, and – finally – naked.

BOOK: “The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace” Trans. / Ed. / Introduction by N.E. Sjoman

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The Yoga Tradition Of The Mysore PalaceThe Yoga Tradition Of The Mysore Palace by N.E. Sjoman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Online

This book consists of a translation of The Śrītattvanidhi, a description of 122 Hatha Yoga postures (asana) that has been attributed to Krishnaraja Wodeyar III (Maharaja of Mysore – b.1794 – d. 1868,) as well as notes and commentary on the postures by the Sanskrit scholar, N.E. Sjoman, notes that serve to map said postures to their present-day counterparts. Sjoman also writes an extensive introduction that explores the evolution of the body of yogasana as we now know them, with discussion of varied sources, his research rooted in archival study in Mysore. A copy of the original The Śrītattvanidhi, (of varied readability) is included in the text.

Because India is top-heavy in terms of population and influence, outside of India yoga practitioners might be forgiven for failing to understand how important Mysore and the patronage of the Wodeyar royalty to T.T. Krishnamacharya was in the development of asana-centric yoga as we know it today. Krishnamacharya taught Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga Vinyasa,) B.K.S. Iyengar (prop yoga,) and Indira Devi (Yogini to the stars,) among other prominent 20th century teachers. It is from these teachers onward that yoga practice would be recognizable to the average practitioner of today.

This book links the postures of The Śrītattvanidhi to the names / versions known today (typically linked by the names from B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga.) Sjoman also maps these asana to other prominent sources like Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita, Krishnamacharya’s Yogamakaranda, Pattabhi Jois’s Yoga Mala, and Yogeshwaranand Parmahansa’s First Steps to Higher Yoga, linking them primarily through a series of indices.

If you’re interested in the evolution of yoga postures over time, I’d highly recommend this book as a quick way to get a basic grasp of the subject.

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PROMPT: Last Thing

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Daily writing prompt
What is the last thing you learned?
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To think of lifting weights as a means of injury prevention, rather than just a means to build strength or power. I picked up this perspective reading Santino DeFranco’s “Fight Ready” (https://wp.me/p1jv7k-fiK.) I haven’t been a fan of weights for many years now and have long preferred yoga, calisthenics, and other (more minimalist) practices, but I can see the scalability advantage of weights as a means to build a robust body.

Although, I hope this prompt uses “last” in the sense of “most recent,” because I very much hope that I am far from — and couldn’t possibly predict — the last (as in “final”) thing I will have learned.