Anatomy of Movement

by Blandine Calais-Germain

Anatomy of Movement presents a dynamic, integrated approach to the study of the physical structures of the musculoskeletal system and their functional relationship to the movements of the human body. In clear and concise text illustrated with more than a thousand graphic drawings, the author guides the reader on a lively tour of the muscles, bones, ligaments and joints of the arms, legs and trunk. The focus throughout the book is on anatomy not for its own sake, but in its functional relationship to the actual movements of the body in dance, exercise, and other physical disciplines. In this newly-revised edition, a majority of the thousand-plus illustrations are new or have been modified by the author from the original edition. The text has also been updated, and the sequencing of the presentation of the musculoskeletal anatomy has been revised in part.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Reference, Science, Fitness, Art, Bodies

316 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems good to use with clients and for demonstrative purposes, but there are better (dynamic) anatomy texts.
It feels a little simplistic which may actually cause more confusion, especially since similar areas of the body are covered in different areas.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Currently I am reading this book for a yoga teacher training course, so this review will be in the format of notes to myself for the TT.

Foreword:
I like that the Foreword of this book was written by a Director of a French School of Orthopedics and Massage - he understands both anatomy and how to take care of the body, with practical guides and information (as opposed to more theoretical books)

Chapter 1:
Chapter 2:
Chapter 3:
Chapter 4:
Chapter 5:

Chapter 6: the hip & knee
-easy to understand drawings/b&w pictures
-Latin names for muscles
-multiple muscle to pelvis attachments
-The information about all of the muscles attached to the pelvis made me wonder about childbirth and hip replacements, especially when an older person has a double hip replacement - it seems like it would be quite complicated to reattach all of the muscles during a hip replacement surgery; it also seems inevitable for muscles to rip during childbirth.
-ROM = Range of Motion
-popliteal fossa = back of the knee
-fascia lata/tensor fasciae latae = side of hip to side of knee (lateral)
-flexion = (hip) angle between anterior surfaces of thigh and trunk decrease
-extension = (hip) angle between posterior surfaces of thigh and trunk decrease
-adduction = (hip) thigh moves towards or past median plane
-abduction = (hip) thigh moves away from median plane, & angle between lateral surfaces of thigh & trunk decrease
-Good ROM of lateral rotation needed for lotus position (toes move away from median plane)
-ASIS = anterior superior iliac spine --> where is this location on the bone? page 198
-flexion of pelvis (salsa dancing/hamster lordosis); extension of pelvis (yoga)
-greater trochanter & lesser trochanter = muscles attachment roughened projections on femur
-The head of the femur is best fitted into the socket when femur is at a 90 degree angle relative to the trunk (kneeling) page 204
-Variations of the hip = you could possibly tell how the bones of the femur and hip socket are structured based on the position a yoga student places their hips/legs...although this could be difficult to determine. page 205
-Knees can be seriously injured if the menisci do not have enough time to move (soccer) page 217
-Psoas major = T12-L5, arches of fascia that connect bone to vertebral bodies, not intervertebral disks. page 234
-Important for yoga students to warm up their hamstrings before engaging in deeper poses.

[Jen Marin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reading this book again because it is just such a wonderful perspective on anatomy from a very functional perspective. It probably isn't the last time I will read it, either. I think this one is a must read for any manual or movement therapist.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein Anatomiebuch, das die Knochen, Muskeln und Sehnen des Körpers erklärt; vor allem in Bezug darauf, wie man sie bei Bewegung verwendet und welcher Teil wofür zuständig ist. Sehr dicht, sehr klare Zeichnungen - ein wirklich sehr gutes Buch.

[Kyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second go at this book—I had started it last spring and paused after the section on planes of movement. Coming back to it with more focus, I committed to both reading and applying what I was learning through my yoga and Pilates practice. I committed to reading a bit of it every day, without fail, knowing this goal was needed on my part for my self study of anatomy and physiology of the body and movement.
That shift made the content come alive. The book is clearly written, well-organized, and helped me connect anatomy to movement in a tangible way. While there’s still so much detail to explore, especially with the smaller muscles and attachments, this was a strong foundational read. Four out of five stars and worth returning to again.

[Sherrie Gingery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another perfect book for anyone interested in movement. The descriptions of how the body works to create movement and the types of movement are detailed and easy to understand. A must-have for massage therapists and fitness instructors.

This book is so informative that I am never not reading it.

[Abhilasha Purwar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish the diagram were colored but the description and explanation is spot on.

I have read three books on Anatomy from a Yoga perspective but fairly applicable to understand all sorts of physical exercises or movements, and my personal ranking is as follows :

#1. Concise Book of Yoga Anatomy by Jo Ann Staugaard-Jone.
#2. Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germain
#3. Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff

#1 is Phenomenal. Lays great emphasis on all aspects of musculoskeletal system like ligaments, tendons, aponeurosis, nerves, etc.

Have great great things about Ray Long's book but yet to read that one, maybe that can up this one.

#2 is Good. Simple language. Lot of space to make notes. I use it as my anatomy notebook rather than textbook.

#3 is Not Good. Arrange by type of pose rather than muscle group. Less detail about each muscle, and more about their state in each pose, which you can automatically figure out if you understand the muscle groups.

[David Smart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful guide to develop an understanding of the body's musculoskeletal system and how it relates to movement. The direct experience of the body's map remains primary, but building an intellectual map is highly useful, too, especially in communication with others. In fact, I often found myself moving while reading this book, testing out how one part of the body influences another. Just more proof that it's all tied together in highly sophisticated and purposeful ways. A deep well of foundational information, one I will keep as an on-hand resource and return to often.

[Jake Barnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, Pretty solid.

Good diagrams, pretty broad descriptions and drawings of some portions but a great book to get the general idea. Of course other books will have more intimate explorations of singular joint/muscle mechanisms, but this book is great for the reader wanting to get a wholistic idea of the human musculoskeletal system.

[Becky Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most anatomy books teach about the articulations in isolation and the ways that movement makes change at the level of our joints is not covered. This book is anatomically correct but significantly more interesting than a stagnant medical anatomy book. It would be useful for pilates and yoga instructors but also anatomy students who want to think more holistically about movement.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books for understanding anatomy from a non-medical perspective. Plenty of clear illustrations interspersed with concise and practical text to help decipher the joints and muscles of the human body. If you move, read this book!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a great book. Well written and definitely a must for any yoga or Pilates teacher in training. It was required for our program, but I would recommend it to anyone and everyone in the fitness industry.

[David Papp · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gives you a good overview of the skeletal muscles, tendons and ligaments of the body.

Nothing special, just a good overview, if you are looking for something which focuses more on a specific topic like joints or how you can train the muscles then this is not the book for you.

However, I’d still recommend this to every trainer and coach, to get a general idea of where are those muscles.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting way to approach anatomy, especially useful for those of us engaging in dance, yoga, and other types of embodied spiritual practices.

[Myles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anatomy of Movement is a great introduction to the anatomy concepts and mechanisms. The diagrams and straightforward language make this accessible for any student. I will definitely hang on to this as a reference as a yoga teacher!

[Tishia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful book for learning about movement and anatomy. Great for dancers and for any movement professional.

[Jordan Balsamo · Rating 5 out of 5]

just the best book of movement I have read.

[Geoff Sebesta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. Not only is the information presented in a logical and fascinating way, but the illustrations are so incredibly good and sensitive that this is, no joke one of the two best artistic anatomy books I've ever seen. In any artistic or medical situation I make sure I have my copy of this book with me.

This is seriously one of the most useful books you can ever possibly purchase.

[Lee Ann Solo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some diagram and texts placements are confusing because they are scattered around the pages. Overall a great breakdown of the muscles and skeleton into smaller working chunks of knowledge. I've taken medical anatomy and physiology so this was more a study in motion of the body for me. I wish it had more info on ailments or mis-alignments and how to fix them or how they arise from skeletal/muscular deficiencies etc. Also one or two color diagrams would be nice...

[Paola]

This book is from the required reading list for my yoga teacher training class. While I haven't read the entire book (we still haven't studied the forearm and the hand), I must say this book's drawings and attention to detail make it an excellent resource for those studying anatomy for dance or yoga.

[Ayman Sieny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book on body mechanics. The author a ballet practitioner, provides hundreds of illustrations of anatomical parts of the body including bones, muscle, ligaments, and the possible movements for each part of the body. A great reference for anyone into sports and has a desire to better understand the body.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thrill-ride of the summer!

Jokes aside, this is an excellent reference I would recommend to anyone. The depth of explanation and detail and the precision of the diagrams make this a volume I will surely hold onto.

[Alessandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful anatomy book. It was written for dancers to help them avoid injury, but it was brought to my attention by a physical therapist and I find it helpful in my art for understanding human movement.

[Jitka Egressy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for every student of anatomy. I love illustrations - easy to undestand with them.

I can highly reccomend this book. You will learn not only basic anatomy, but also how body works in movements. Great source for every personal trainer!!

[cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great need-to-know guide. Use this when studying pilates and yoga. Excellent reference tool when used with a more traditional anatomy book.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm re-reading this in preparation for more Pilates training. Great book for those who want to know more about the anatomy of movement!

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So comprehensive, it'll forever be on my "currently reading" list.

[Rospoicha · Rating 5 out of 5]

clear explanations of the basics of anatomy/myology
succinct and elegant illustrations.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent reference book for anyone involved in movements of any kind ;-) The drawings are very clear and the book is easy to navigate.