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A
review of the best yoga DVDs.
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Originally Published April 4,
2005 -- Your Wellness Guide
Yoga Becomes Part of Fitness Core
Special Consumer Wellness Series 2 of 2
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For additional
information on yoga:
Part 1 in this series
Yoga Is For
Everyday People
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Since
2003, there has been an increasing variety and quality level of yoga
instructional products, primarily DVDs, that would bring a yoga
practice to anyone, anywhere. While I am of the same opinion as
most yoga professionals that a home yoga practice should only
ideally supplement an on-site group or private practice (guided by a
qualified instructor), many of us cannot escape our homes, work, and
family responsibilities for over 90 minutes several times a week to
attend an on-site class at a designated time and day. And, for
many, a yoga studio is often an expensive investment -- even with
monthly and yearly packages. |
So, from a
real-world application, yoga videos offer you the freedom to practice yoga
when it’s the best time for you -- as long as you are disciplined in
both the practice and technique. By combining a yoga studio class
visit (perhaps one day a week) with home yoga DVD routines, you can manage
a yoga practice that provides ongoing motivation, flexibility, and needed
instruction to avoid injury, improve posture and alignment, and keep
progressing in your abilities.
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Yoga Step-by-Step: The Total Guide to Beginning Your
Home Practice
If you are
starting yoga for the first time, go to a studio and take a series of
introductory yoga classes. However, if you want to complement your growing
knowledge and abilities with an at-home experience, then the most extensive
I have found is this series. Hosted by Natasha Rizopoulos, who has
not nearly an ounce of fat on her body, Beginning Your Home Practice
is actually three DVDs. The first volume introduces you to beginning poses
and breath work. Volume 2 adds bends and twisting poses, and Volume 3
focuses on balance. The production quality is good. A nice consistent
addition is Natasha’s assistant, Jason, in all three volumes who modifies
poses for those with less flexibility, experience, or ability.
The videos are
highly technical and add several layers of detailed instruction, including a
high focus on correct posture and alignment which would lessen your chance
of injury if studiously followed.
Yoga Step-by-Step: The Total Guide to Managing Stress
This guide to managing stress is a re-packaging of easy, beginner-focused
yoga poses and some interesting side features like a breathing routine and a
guided meditation sequence -- all under the banner of “reduce your stress.”
More a marketing strategy that finding anything else new, the volume does,
however, focus on those areas that would lessen your stress rather than a
complete yoga workout -- releasing tension in the shoulders, back, and
mind. The routines are simple and short.
Journey Into Power: Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga
This is a two-volume series with
Level 1 labeled for beginners and
Level 2 (separate DVD) for all levels. I
like Baron Baptiste’s style. These two DVDs are different that everything
I reviewed for this column. Rather than the usual voice-over instruction,
the video is shot with him as an active yoga trainer helping his students.
You get the feeling he is right there with you instead of simply posing for
you on the screen. |
While I don’t
agree his DVDs cater to beginners, I enjoy his style, attention to alignment,
and vinyasa flow. The DVD is energizing, motivating, and offers multiple points
of view. I see his products as being for those who already have some yoga
experience. There’s nothing boring about Baron and his DVDs -- no sleeper
product here!
Niche-market yoga
DVDs and CD
There are a few other multimedia yoga products that caught my attention, and
they all serve non-traditional markets.
Yoga for Your Pregnancy is produced in
conjunction with
Yoga Journal and Lamaze; it offers needed
pose adjustments for expectant moms and is well done.
Yoga Just My Size caters to the “larger
people” market; if you’re on the heavy side and rarely exercise, then this
simple-pose video is for you.
Chair Yoga
centers on offering yoga for those who are likely chair bound -- such as the
elderly; however, I wish there were a better-produced product for this market as
this DVD is utterly un-entertaining. And, an innovative, quality-recording CD
called
Yogafit on the Road is an audio-only yoga
workout for either on the plane or in your hotel room; this CD will test your
self confidence while doing simple stretching poses in your coach seat but is
completely worth the potential embarrassment as you relax and refresh your
body.
Terra
Wellington
is a
national authority on creating a wellness lifestyle.
www.terrawellington.com
© Copyright Terra
Wellington
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