Anatomy in Action - by Theodore Dimon (Paperback)

About the Book

"A guidebook illustrating the principles behind the body's musculoskeletal system"--

Book Synopsis

An illustrated guide to the core design principles of the body's musculoskeletal system--for kinesiologists, movement therapists, yoga teachers, dancers, and bodyworkers of all kinds

What does knowledge of anatomical structure have to do with preventing everyday muscular aches, pains, and injuries? According to Dr. Theodore Dimon, everything!

Our bodies are designed to work holistically, supported by an intelligently organized system of muscles, bones, and connective tissue. So when we target problem spots by stretching, relaxing, or strengthening individual muscles, we bypass the dynamic, interconnected network that enables healthy functioning and injury prevention. Understanding how this system works in action is the key.

In this groundbreaking guide, Dr. Dimon describes the basic principles that govern our bodies' musculoskeletal architecture and provides practical exercises to activate specific muscle groups and demonstrate our bodies' efficient holistic function. Readers will learn about dynamic design and the body in action, including:

How the musculoskeletal system works as a whole

The relationship between proprioception and muscle length

About maximizing spinal, shoulder, hip, arm, and leg stability and health

The important role of breath and breathing

About posture and musculoskeletal support

With more than 300 illustrations, this is an ideal resource for students and practitioners of kinesiology, bodywork, movement, sport kinesiology, dance, and all readers searching for a dynamic guide to the human body.

Review Quotes

"I enthusiastically recommend this book. It very clearly and simply achieves its stated goal of 'contribut[ing] to a practical and theoretical understanding of this vital subject and to an advance[ing] in our knowledge of the remarkable and subtle workings of [the musculoskeletal system of] the human body.' It is exceptionally readable for anyone who has an interest in understanding the basic parts of our body that contribute so greatly to our daily living and well-being."
--Richard A. Magill, PhD, coauthor of Motor Learning and Control and adjunct professor at the Movement Sciences Program, Teachers College, Columbia University

"What would it be like for you 'to be connected' with your body--to be aligned mentally and physically to prevent injury, tension, and stress? Dr. Ted Dimon gives us the tools to have a heightened awareness of this mind/body relationship. The fundamental aspects of anatomy are creatively illustrated. The wonderful dynamics of the human body in motion are displayed to perfection. This book will guide you to achieve proper alignment of the muscle/bone/joint unit. What a gift for wellness and therapeutic healing!"
--Dr. Marie Lupica, assistant attending pediatrician at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College

"In this groundbreaking book, Ted Dimon unravels the mystery of the moving body, making sense of its various functions and capacities. For Dimon, the body is not simply something to be treated, but is the vital foundation for living healthfully, for paying attention to oneself, and for paying respect to our living design. I recommend this book highly, whether for healers of others or healers of self, who seek to reintegrate bodily awareness with physical form. Dimon opens the door leading to wholeness."
--Lisa Miller, PhD, professor and founder of Spirituality Mind Body Institute, Columbia University, and author of the New York Times best seller The Spiritual Child

About the Author

Dr. Theodore (Ted) Dimon, founder and director of the Dimon Institute in New York City, is an educator, author, and leading expert in the Alexander Technique. Dimon earned his Master's and Doctorate degrees from Harvard University in 1987, making a detailed study of human evolution, comparative anatomy, and educational theory. Through this research, in combination with his practical hands-on experience, he discovered new principles of how the human being is designed to work and function. Since then, Dimon has helped thousands of people overcome chronic musculoskeletal problems and achieve higher levels of consciousness. Dimon's other books include The Undivided Self; The Elements of Skill; The Body in Motion; Neurodynamics: The Art of Mindfulness in Action; and Anatomy of the Voice.

G. DAVID BROWN is a medical illustrator with over 40 years of experience and Professor Emeritus of Illustration at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he taught for fifteen years and ran the BFA illustration program. He co-founded Synapse Media Productions, Inc., producing medical illustration work for print and video productions. Brown earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his masters degree in medical illustration from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas, where he served for four years on the graduate faculty of the Department of Biomedical Communications.