The Athlete's Guide to Yoga: An Integrated Approach to Strength, Flexibility, & Focus

As a coach and long time distance runner, I had approached incorporating yoga into my workouts with skepticism. This book changed all that. Ms. Rountree puts yoga into a new light and this book is very runner friendly. I now use the workouts for myself, my cross country and track teams. Great book.

I am a clumsy, non-flexible person with IT Band issues...Doing the poses explained very well in this book (both verbally and pictorally) has made a noticeable difference in my flexibility. I also have less IT Band issues. Great book.

While yoga is an extensive topic and can be difficult to understand, Sage keeps it simple to understand and easy to follow. I love the way she breaks it down to incorporate into various training programs as an adjunct to the primary training.

Not only is this a perfect book for athletes, it is also perfect for non-athletes. It is an excellent introduction for those new to yoga, and would be a great new resource for yoga instructors. As a cyclist and a yoga teacher in training, I found this writing to be the most elegant and direct explanation of the broad principles of yoga of any book I've read. It introduces the concepts of yoga and then provides examples of how they are to be applied in the real world. Resources are provided for those who want further study. Sage Rountree's introduction to yoga in the first part of the book is worth the price itself. For anyone curious about yoga, this explains everything needed to approach it safely and with confidence. For athletes, she specifically discusses how the different types of yoga can be appropriately incorporated into their training program. The middle of the book is dedicated to the poses, breathing and meditation. Each pose is illustrated and fully described as to how to safely get into the pose, along with modifications. Relaxation and breathing are well covered with an emphasis on how important they are to an athlete's recovery time. The last part of the book discusses how to use yoga within the cycles of a training plan and finishes with several sequences for specific needs, such as stretching, warming up and restorative poses. Many of these sequences are great for any busy person wanting to "sneak" in some yoga during their hectic day. This author seems to be one of the few who understands that many who are interested in yoga are also very busy. This is just a wonderful book. I hope it gets the attention of a very broad audience because it has so much to offer. It has now become the first book I would recommend to anyone asking about yoga.

As a busy professional, dedicated age group triathlete, and regular yoga class student, I've experienced both the physical and mental benefits of yoga in my racing and my life. However, I've really struggled to practice yoga at home - without a teacher telling when, where, and how. Sage Rountree's book is what I've been looking for: a practical, user-friendly guide that speaks my "athlete language" and includes step-by-step yoga rountines that complement specific portions of my training. The pictures are beautiful - and depict realistic pose modifications that make yoga much more enjoyable when I'm feeling especially tight. I also have a deeper (and more functional!) understanding of yoga's history and philosophy thanks to Sage's clear description of yoga's 8 limbs - and how they translate to the athlete's world. A helpful book for those very new to yoga AND those hoping to practice outside the gym or studio.