The Anatomy of Exercise and Movement for the Study of Dance, Pilates, Sports, and Yoga

A Rarity...A Readable Reference Book

I was hesitant to order this book, as it purported to be a handbook suitable for pretty much all types of exercise. How could it be any good, when it tried to be everything? However, after a brief scan, I was relieved to find that the layout and general approach was excellently suitable for all types of exercise, as the book focuses upon specific parts of the body, and does not focus so much upon specifics of exercises. This, coupled with a wry sense of humor: “Since [the Deltoid] is so visible, it is a popular muscle in the weight room.” makes this a rarity…a very readable reference book. This reference work assumes no prior knowledge of the intricacies of bones, muscles and other soft tissues, nor even of common definitions when dealing with the musculo-skeletal system, so opens with definitions and illustrations in order that the following discussions will be understandable. I found the first two chapters to be a useful review of the medical terms used in describing the body and the movements of limbs. My next step was to flip through each of the “Myths” sections of the remaining chapters. Staugaard-Jones obviously has some pet peeves, a few of which are listed in these chapters. However, the tone is not one of exasperation, but rather of concern that her work will be useful and helpful. This tone resonates throughout the book. After that, I reviewed the ‘Shoulders’ and the ‘Hips’ sections, as they are relevant to my body. Hmmm…I believe I’ll modify some of the things I have been doing. I then started over and began to appreciate how the book would be used in classes. I must state up front, that having no medical training, I am not allowed to diagnose. However, I can certainly ask all the questions I need of a student presenting a complaint in order to fully understand the parameters of the complaint. This will include pulling out this book, turning to the relevant section, and discussing the complaint with the student, while we both look at the excellent illu...