Applied Anatomy & Physiology of Yoga

Simon Borg-Olivier, MSc BAppSc (Physiotherapy), is co-founder and owner of Yoga Synergy, one of Australia's oldest and most respected yoga schools with a style based on a deep understanding of yoga anatomy, yoga physiology and traditional hatha yoga. Simon has been teaching since 1982. He is a registered physiotherapist, a research scientist and a university lecturer. Simon has been regularly invited to teach at special workshops and conferences interstate and overseas since 1990. Simon has been teaching courses in the Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga internationally since 1995. In 2007, he was approached by Professor Marc Cohen of RMIT University (Melbourne) to create a course called 'Body, Breath and Movement' of which he is now the main lecturer and course co-ordinator , which was developed and written with Bianca Machliss. The course has been running since 2008. The course uses our 460-page book ('Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga') as its main textbook, and forms part of the new internationally recognised Master of Wellness degree. In 2010, Bianca and I developed and are now teaching a new course for this degree called 'Yoga Fundamentals'. This is the first time yoga has ever been taught as university degree subject. Simon studied and taught at Sydney University over a period of 20 years. In that time he completed a Bachelor of Science in human biology, a research based Master of Science in molecular biology and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy. Author and journalist Alix Johnson featured Simon's personal history and philosophy of yoga in her book 'Yoga: The Essence of Life: Eight Yogis Share Their Journeys' (2004). Simon has contributed chapters on yoga to several technical books and he regularly contributes articles to 'Australian Yoga Life Magazine', 'WellBeing Magazine', 'Australian Natural Health Magazine', 'Art of Healing Magazine' and several Russian Yoga Journals. Simon's postures have also been featured in many yoga books. Simon is regularly invited to speak on radio and has had numerous television appearances. He is featured in the recently released film 'Yoga and Me' (2009) produced by Robbie Baldwin. He has also been invited to be a guest lecturer/presenter at many conventions and annual conferences. Simon has also been an invited guest lecturer at many major yoga teacher-training courses throughout the world. In the last few years Simon has conducted workshops or lectured internationally in Germany, Spain, Russia, Hungary, Turkey, Ireland, Malta, Thailand, Greece, and United Arab Emirates. Simon has regularly taught yoga to dance companies (Sydney Dance Company, Darc Swan, Bangarra Dance Company) and lectured at the University of NSW and the University of Western Sydney dance departments. In addition, he has performed with several dance productions and numerous yogic dance performances. Simon regularly gives artistic demonstrations of advanced yoga vinyasa (linked sequences of postures) to music. Simon undertakes regular private yoga and health consultations and travels interstate or overseas to teach at special workshops and conferences between 20 to 30 weekends every year.

Written by physiotherapists and yoga teachers Simon Borg-Olivier and Bianca Machliss, Applied Anatomy& Physiology of Yoga isa unique text on the science of hatha yoga and yoga therapy. The effects of yoga each part of the body are explained with thorough analysis and explanation of asanas, vinyasa, bandhas, mudras and kriyas. Using basic principles of biomechanics and neurophysiology this book explains how to improve strength, flexibility and fitness while maintaining joint stability and minimizing the risk of injury. This comprehensive text includes hundreds of photographs, diagrams and tables and is a practical, useful and informative guide for teachers and students of all styles of hatha yoga. This book is the recommended text for RMIT University online course, Applied Anatomy & Physiology of Yoga within the Master of Wellness program.