Real Men Do Yoga or The Science of Sexy

Real Men Do Yoga: 21 Star Athletes Reveal Their Secrets for Strength, Flexibility and Peak Performance

Author: John Capouya

With its revolutionary approach to yoga and innovative, male-oriented instruction, Real Men Do Yoga will be the definitive guide for both novice and veteran men who are discovering the innumerable physical and mental benefits of yoga.

Satisfying the male fascination with sports and admiration for athletes are interviews with more than twenty pros, all of whom are enthusiastic yoga practitioners: football's Eddie George, Shannon Sharpe and Amani Toomer; baseball pitchers Barry Zito (2002 Cy Young Award winner) and Al Leiter, star hockey goalie Sean Burke and NBA superstar Kevin Garnett as well as pro golfers and tennis players.

Photos of sports stars doing yoga, such as football greats Dan Marino and Chris Carter, drive home a powerful message. Each chapter offers a combination of stretches and strength-builders that target and benefit specific areas:

• Conquering back pain (which afflicts an estimated 10 million men)
• Improving sports performance including yoga for golf, running, basketball, tennis and more
• Increasing flexibility in the upper body, spine and lower body
• Building muscle strength
• Improving sexual performance

In a sea of yoga books aimed at women, Real Men Do Yoga is an easily accessible, "non-New Agey" guidebook that takes something mysterious to American men and offers a reassuringly effective and practical guide that they'll actually use.

Yoga Journal

This may be the world's most in-your-face yoga guide ... You won't find anything about the yamas of niyamas here, but you just might interest that Gatorade-slammin' fella of yours in accompanying you to class after he peruses this X-Games - esque volume.

GQ Magazine

A book for those seeking a more macho road to enlightenment.

Publishers Weekly

This is an excellent introduction to yoga for men, although sportswriter Capouya is a little too concerned about reminding his male readers that yoga "isn't a chick thing." By keeping his book's focus on "yoga's fantastic physical and mental benefits, without getting into the more cosmic stuff," Capouya shows what yoga enthusiasts have known for years-that yoga is a "complex, sophisticated exercise system" that can be used to increase flexibility, build muscle energy and functional strength and help prevent sports injuries. The clever thing about this book is that it takes traditional and well-known yoga moves such as the Cobra, the Cat Stretch and the Eagle along with other basic yoga breathing techniques, and shows how they can fit into other body-building programs such as weight-lifting for better overall result. But the book's subtitle is a bit misleading. The book does feature short and direct page-long testimonials by "yoga jocks" like pitcher Al Leiter, as well as comments by other pros such as golfer David Duval and star running back Eddie George ("Yoga definitely builds strength. I've noticed it mostly in my upper body"), whose well-chiseled frame is featured on the cover in a yoga position. But the book's strength is its easy-to-handle introductory program of yoga techniques that can be applied to existing workouts for any other sport. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Using as examples male sport celebrities who condition and train with yoga, including Eddie George, Barry Zito, and Kevin Garnett, Capouya (deputy editor, SmartMoney magazine) attempts to dispel common misconceptions about men and yoga by outlining the practice's "fantastic physical and mental benefits, without getting into the more cosmic stuff." After briefly covering the basics, Capouya then presents exercise progressions (yoga poses and positions) for flexibility, muscle strength, core body strength, back pain, specific sports, relaxation, and sex. Each exercise comes with step-by-step instructions, illustrations, and an explanation why that particular exercise or group of exercises is beneficial. The author presents these exercises in a logical progression that not only makes sense to readers but also involves them in performing the exercises before having to finish the book. While aimed at reluctant males, this well-organized and engagingly written book would certainly be instructional for anyone. Recommended for public libraries, consumer health libraries, and universities with physical education majors.-Howard Fuller, Stanford Health Lib., Palo Alto, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Table of Contents:

	Acknowledgments	ix
	Introduction: Real Men Do Yoga	xiii
1.	Getting Started	1
2.	The Joy of Flex & Why Yoga Flexes Best	5
3.	Flexing the Upper Body & the Spine	15
4.	Flexing the Lower Body	29
5.	Yoga Power: Building Functional Strength & Muscle Energy	45
6.	Balance & Body Control	63
7.	Cardio & Learning to Breathe [Again]	75
8.	Working the Core: Abs & Beyond	87
9.	Injuries: Prevention & Recovery	97
10.	No More Back Pain!	111
11.	Yoga for Golf Plus: Sport-by-Sport Workouts	121
	Golf	122
	Running	127
	Biking	128
	Tennis, Racquetball and Squash	128
	Swimming	129
	Basketball	129
	Baseball and Softball	129
	Hockey and Skating	130
	Skiing and Snowboarding	130
12.	Staying Focused: Work Sharper, Play Better	135
13.	Deep Relaxation: Stress Busting & the Best Sleep of Your Life	141
14.	Meditation: Going Deeper Within	149
15.	The Payoff: Peak Performance in The Zone	161
16.	Sex: The Yoga Bonus [For Both of You]	169
17.	Making It Work: Yoga in Your Life	175
18.	Get with the Program! Yoga Workouts for Rookies & Veterans	179
	About the Author	193
	About the Contributors	195

Interesting book: Natural Gourmet or Saving Dinner for the Holidays

The Science of Sexy: Dress to Fit Your Unique Figure with the Style System that Works for Every Shape and Size

Author: Bradley Bayou

A celebrity fashion designer gives every woman the red-carpet treatment in this foolproof guide to choosing clothes that make you look fabulous-with tailor-made tips for forty-eight body types.

The average American woman is 5"4' tall, weighs 160 pounds, wears a size 14, and bears no resemblance to the typical runway model. Yet the runway model sets the standard for "ideal" wardrobes. Top L.A. designer Bradley Bayou has dressed women of all shapes and sizes and knows that every woman has her own natural combination of silhouette shape, height, and weight. Style is not about fitting into the size you think is sexy, it is about picking clothes that fit your body correctly and that create balance. Perfect balance is perfect style.

In The Science of Sexy, Bayou helps readers identify their silhouette shape (triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle, or hourglass) and combines that information with a height/weight chart to determine which of forty-eight "fitting rooms" to go to in the book. Each fitting room has Bradley's specific advice for that woman on the clothes and accessories to wear and avoid, and how to create balance using color, scale, proportions, and fabric.

With a fabulous design and instructive and fun four-color illustrations throughout, The Science of Sexy takes the fear out of shopping and gives all women the gift of confidence that they deserve.