The book Mega Yoga - The First Yoga Program for Curvy Women by Megan Garcia is a follow up to her successful gentle DVD for plus size women called Yoga Just My Size.
Garcia, a successful plus size model and certified Manhattan based yoga teacher, provides an inspiring yoga program designed for larger women whose needs have not been met by the offerings of mainstream yoga instructors. It’s the original yoga program by a plus size yoga instructor for plus size yoga students. She began practicing yoga in college, became certified to teach yoga by the Kripalu Center in Massachusetts and now offers ongoing classes in New York City.
In the introduction of Mega Yoga Megan defines the purpose of her program – To use breath, movement, and meditation to generate strength and sensitivity in the plus size body. She explores the benefits of practicing hatha yoga that include increased strength, balance, grace, self-acceptance, self-confidence, awareness, and sensitivity. And then goes on to provide information about yoga’s guidelines for ethical living, general alignment principles, the use of props in various poses, and suggestions for how to get started with a home based practice.
Throughout the introduction and book, Megan stresses the importance of getting to know your body, paying attention to how it feels, and developing compassion for it.
Mega Yoga is a comprehensive introduction to yoga especially designed for plus size beginners that is bursting with clear color photographs and brief yet detailed instructions. Most pages include helpful notes, tips, cautions, and pose modification suggestions.
Mega Yoga’s seven chapters include:
Introduction
Warm-ups
Standing Poses
Wall Poses and Inversions
Cleansing Poses
Quiet Poses
Programs
Before moving into poses, Megan describes three common yoga breathing techniques: dirgha, ujjayi, and alternate nostril. She also explains the concept of yogic breathing (pranyama), and illustrates the anatomy and physiology of breathing, important concepts for the new yoga student that can get bypassed in some yoga programs.
The last chapter, Programs, includes yoga pose sequences for three complete programs of varying lengths – 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 90 minutes.
I really like both the design and content of Mega Yoga. It is clear, concise, inspiring, and user-friendly. From a practical standpoint, most yoga practice guides would be better with spiral binding. This is something your local photocopy store could probably do for you if you find it difficult to use as it is.
If you are a plus size woman who has had difficulty in traditional yoga classes or is just beginning a yoga practice, Mega Yoga would be a great guide and/or supplement to the Yoga Just My Size DVD.
Pick-up your own copy of MegaYoga
todayPurchase Yoga: Just My Size
With Megan Garcia
