Element Hatha Flow Yoga for Beginners

I am very new to yoga, and by that I mean I have been practicing with "beginner" DVDs for the past month. This is one of my favorite beginning yoga DVDs. Tamal has a great voice, and explains why you're doing certain poses and what health benefits they give you. I also enjoyed the scenery and background music. One thing I love is that he emphasizes focusing on your breath by audibly breathing so you can follow along. I find this extremely helpful as I constantly forget to breath and need a reminder. You can get so much more out of your routine if you focus on breathing! There are (2) exercises on this DVD. The first I feel any beginner can keep up with. The second was extremely challenging for me, as I am very much out of shape, but it really gives me a great work out and something that I can work towards as a goal. The only thing that would make this DVD even better, is a short "what not to do" guide on these poses. I previously watched one of Rodney Yee's beginning yoga DVDS and he had a section on what you should be doing and what not to do on the poses before he even started the exercises. Since I'm doing this at home, I found this guide extremely helpful! All in all, I will be looking for other DVD's by Tamal - he was wonderful! Read more

I bought this beginner video and am very happy I did. I find the poses and directions very easy to follow. It has helped my tight glut muscles relax so I no longer have any problems with pain in my legs. It is a total body stretch and I like the fact that I can work up to the Flow section when I am stronger in my upper body. Tamal's voice is very soothing and pleasant. He integrates all the proper names for the poses and explains what each pose is accomplishing for your body. It is very informative. I recommend this video highly. It is well thought out. I have been using the video for several months and wanted to send this review for others that are looking for a beginner session. I always check the ratings for advise a product when I am looking for something. Gail Read more

My main issue with this DVD is that the difficulty level of the two workouts is really quite extreme and some people might not be prepared for that. The Hatha session is wonderful, soothing, and relaxing. It will definitely relax you at the end of a long day and help work on flexibility. I encourage everyone, beginners and advanced yogis alike, to use the strap as the instructor demonstrates. I didn't because I never use straps or blocks in my yoga practice but one day for the hell of it I did and it really adds a lot to this session. You feel and stretch your muscles in new ways. The flow session is quite a power packed little workout that those new to yoga, overweight, or new to fitness in general will find very challenging. It is miles away from the ease of the Hatha session. There are some great strength building sequences, very good core and balance focus, and you will get a decent full body workout in 30 minutes. I would hesitate to call this a beginner workout though. You will need a beginning understanding of basic yoga poses and knowledge of proper form. If you approach the flow session by going easy on yourself, taking breaks when you need to, and focusing on doing the best you can at that moment I think you may like this video and will be encouraged by your progress the more you do it. Use the Hatha session as your reward for putting in a good effort. The instructor is encouraging and manages to strike a good balance between being motivating and babbling on and on to the point of distraction. His focus and guidance on breath, the essence of Yoga, is excellent. For those brand spankin new to Yoga I recommend the beginner Yoga Zone dvds. They are, IMO, the best at explaining proper form, giving a good background on Yoga, and guiding you as you learn about this great form of exercise that nourishes your soul at the same time. For beginners with a basic knowledge of poses and alignment but wanting a little bit more challenge (not quite as difficult as the flow practice on this DVD) I recommend Baron Baptiste Power Yoga Level 1. Don't be scared by the title. You will work up a sweat and get a good workout that is very accessible and easy to follow. Read more

I have ordered a number of videos over the years and this is by far the best Yoga video I have every used. The Hatha section is really perfect for beginners and in true Flow Yoga form, the Flow section is challenging but relaxing. I would say that Flow Yoga in general is a more challenging practice out of the types of yoga I have done so the word "Beginners" is a bit misleading if you truly are new to Yoga practice. This is a great video however and mimics the kind of relaxing practice you would find in a studio. The instructions of VERY detailed. As I have become more familiar with the video, I have found that the pace is perfect. Read more