I've been practicing yoga on and off for about four years now and always feel better when I'm doing it. Due to time constraints I haven't been able to make it to classes lately and decided to order a DVD. I've done a couple that I really disliked, but THIS ONE IS GREAT! I love that there are different time options. There are some days when I need to be out the door quickly, and some of the 10 or 15 minutes workouts are perfect. Other days I can afford more time and do 25 or 30 minute programs and it's wonderful. The instructor paces it well (a little slow, but you stay in the poses longer and get a deeper stretch), and her voice is so soothing. Perfect for melting away stress and tension. I find the poses challenging but not impossible. I also tried the Rodney Yee AM Yoga DVD and like this one infinitely better. This one is much gentler and more focused on relaxation, which is what I needed. Great for beginners or intermediate yogis. I highly recommend it!!! Read more
I purchased this dvd so I could get back to doing yoga after three years away. I didn't practice regularly even then, but I was certainly more flexible. Well, this dvd has increased my flexibility. The PM section really helps me to get a good nights rest and relax my strained muscles after AM kick boxing. I did not give it five stars because there is a PM portion that has you sitting then standing, then sitting and standing yet again. There seems to be no flow there. There is a lot of breathe work which is great for relaxation, however, I am now ready to do more positions. Overall this is a good dvd and will purchase the next one which I hope will be more challenging. Read more
I have always had an immense interest in trying Yoga. Yet I've always been intimidated because often instructors make it seem near impossible to achieve the level of flexibility and strength endurance that they have (seeing as they've been doing it for many years). I remember wondering in class (when they did impossible poses) if they were just naturally flexible because there was no way in hell my body could ever possibly bend like they were showing. I became rather discouraged with it all and I stopped attending that particular class. I was browsing on Amazon for different exercise DVDs and came across this one and saw the starred reviews. I have to say I was I bit hesitant to try just for the simple fact that what some people consider easy, I consider hard and even though I run a lot, I am not that flexible. When my DVD arrived, I popped it in and selected the morning (AM) option. There was a list of options to choose from and since I had the time, I chose a 45 minute one. All I can say is yes, it's a bit challenging. HOWEVER!!! If you are a beginner, then it IS the right level for you! And the instructor on the DVD is great because she allows variations to be done and encourages you to not hurt yourself or strain yourself. She is constantly reminding viewers that yoga is not a race nor a competition and that really helps during the exercise (for me at least since I have always been in a rush). Another thing I like about the DVD is that it's not one of those annoying exercise DVDs where the instructor is exercising and talking and is constantly running out of breath simultaneously. This DVD has her do a voice over of her poses so her tone is always calm and she's doing everything in the demonstrations the way you're supposed to. There is also relaxing ocean waves in the background and meditation music playing. After only a few days use, I can already see my body improving with flexibility and also I am gaining a better since of control over my mental state (ie if I'm stressed, bummed out, etc). Best part is, for the longest time, I've had lower back pains. I even bought a new bed to try to alleviate some of the pain (which did not work). Great news: Yoga helped TREMENDOUSLY with my lower back pain. Even when taking Ibuprofen wouldn't help, yoga has damn near eliminated all of my lower back pain! It's amazing. I say if you're intimidated by the thought of yoga, or you've had a bad experience with it, try this DVD. The lady in it is sincerely nice and she seems really knowledgeable on Yoga and what she demonstrates. Read more
I went to my first yoga class while visiting NYC and enjoyed it so much that the very same day I ordered this video and Yoga For Beginners, bought a yoga belt and mat. I live in an isolated area with no access to classes or other practicers and based on reviews and "Beginner" in the titles, I thought this would be the best for me. The class I went to in NYC was intense, I was sweating by the end and felt incredible for the rest of the day and a similar glow stayed with me for several days. I've done this video more than once and thought it was kind of boring and not challenging. Some of the descriptions could have been better and the quality of the video as a teaching tool is low. Sometimes there are shadows when she's on the floor and it's difficult to see if she's lifting herself up, a lot of transitions are bad - suddenly she's in a new pose and most importantly: there should be multiple shots and multiple frames at once so you can see what the teacher is doing from multiple angles - this way you know what you're doing is correct. When I first started to do this video, there was a lot of stopping and going, since I'm new to it and I wanted to get the basics right. At the same time, I was looking for something that was at least a little physically challenging - like the class I went to in NYC and this was not challenging... but it WAS comforting to my body (and maybe Barbara's constant patient comments and alternatives if you aren't flexible has me thinking I'm much better than I am). I DID enjoy this video and wouldn't return it, I think it's a valuable assess to a beginners collection, however if I'd been able to rent it first, then I would've gone with something else to purchase. So now I've ordered Yoga Shakta and Shiva Rea: Daily Energy, which I'm hoping will be more challenging. Read more
