Rating: Summary: Great Set of Videos Review: I got this package for a christmas gift. I have been doing yoga on and off for about a year, and have just become serious. But dont confuse serious with flexible....this set is just what i needed. Each DVD has chapter menus, so you can jump to a section you like. Each DVD also shows several camera views for the 5 basic yoga poses. Dont let the cover art on the DVDs fool you, she does not include some of these more difficult poses in the routine. I do agree that she may talk just a bit too much, but I doesnt bother me. I would recommend these to someone who is intermediate and would like to add some DVDs to their collection. I like to do these on days when i dont have time for the hour yoga classes at the gym. My only complaint, is that each workout is under an hour, and on those days when i do have time, it would be nice to have a longer workout. But, each tape focuses on different things, so you can really make your practice your own.
Rating: Summary: One of the best Yoga DVD set you can get Review: I got this set because i wanted to try out vinyasa yoga. I was skeptical because rainbeau was an actress and i thought yet another hollywood type trying to sell her wares. But i was wonderfully surprised. THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEST DVDs I have purchased and i have purchased many of them. This really gives you the feel of being in a yoga class with rainbeau. This was a wise investment for me and i think that if you like yoga or are even just curious to see what it's about this set has everything you could ask for.
Rating: Summary: A Good, Solid Yoga Program Review: I like this set mostly because there is something for whatever yoga mood you are in, whether you need a challenge or a chance to relax. Rainbeau is a very good teacher, although I will agree somewhat with another reviewer who said she talks an eensy bit too much during the practices. However, the things she is saying are important and I am always glad to have been listening. I have purchased some real cheeseball yoga tapes and this is much, much better. I would definitely recommend it.
Rating: Summary: pasta ain't even close Review: i was blown away..i've tryed year after year to get my health right...the doctors put me on pasta and it helped a little but pasta ain't even close to the health in this video..i've lost 250 pounds in a year and have already started dating again because i feel like a new man..yoga (don't confuse this with yogurt the popular dairy desert) this is totally different.. this is all about breathing..this has also helped me quit alcohol..i was an alcoholic for 54 years...i went to jail for being drunk at a taping of "wheel of fortune".. that long night in jail got me thinking about a new way of life..that's when a friend of mine from the church gift shop turned me on to this video..without it i'd be dead and i never would have heard of yoga..i would have been one unflexible corpse..but now with this yoga video i feel like i'm never gonna die...i feel like it's not even real.. sure friends of mine have died this week but they were screwin around with speed...i feel like i'm gonna live forever and i want to thank Mrs. Mars...i also heard she's a big fan of the red hot chili peppers and i love them too..all the guys in that band do yoga...i guess it's the hippest thing goin so don't feel like it's gonna make you uncool...i've been busting a move more than ever since the chicks found out that i do yoga...i feel like i can fight Tyson with the new power i got in my leg muscles...this video will change your life if you're a boozer or junk food addict..it'll even change it if you're just plain bored...believe this yoga thing has something to do with god..i couldn't touch my toes a week ago now i'm feeling holy.
Rating: Summary: Fabulous! Review: I've tried a few yoga tapes, and have been dissapointed in all, except these! The background is absolutely wonderful, and the instruction is even better! Ms. Mars has a soothing voice and seems to remind you to breathe, or feel this or that, exactly when you need it (like just when you start to forget b/c you are focusing on your position too much). I find each of these volumes wonderful, my favorite being the tranquility volume. And yes, each volume is only about 30 minutes or so, BUT that's perfect, it fits into my schedule. And though the running time is short, I don't feel that the tapes are in anyway rushed. And that is a definite plus. In the past, I've used yoga tapes where they go through the movements so quickly, there's just no time for relaxation or the chance to focus. I highly recommend this Yoga set!
Rating: Summary: Short and sweet should be for dessert Review: If I had known how short the videos are, I would have thought twice about buying them. The material is fine but the length sucks. Just know the practices are only about a half an hour.
Rating: Summary: nice quality, short workouts Review: Rainbeau has a done a great job with these DVDs. They are nicely produced, have great scenery and sound. The routines are interesting and not too challenging for the intermediate student but would probably be OK for the beginning student. I usually prefer a longer routine, at least an hour. The routine is read by Rainbeau and it lacks feeling or passion, sounds very scripted. The poses are described very well and I found myself reaching for new places. Overall very good but the serious student will want longer routines with more feeling.
Rating: Summary: Nice series of yoga practices allows for variety Review: The four routines in this set provide a nice variety of yoga practices which are applicable to a wide range of yoga practitioners, from experienced beginners to more advanced yoga students. The practices are led by Rainbeau Mars, who offers voiceover instruction in a calm soothing voice. Her mirrored cueing is excellent (although sometimes slightly out-of-sync with her movements on screen), and she is obviously very knowledgeable about yogic principles and traditions as well as anatomical issues. In addition, the practices are filmed in Hawaii against beautiful backdrops.
The most basic practice in this series is Pure Tranquility, which is designed to prepare the body and mind for meditation. The entire practice is performed in a seated position, and Rainbeau guides you through gentle stretches to open the body and relax the muscles. The Beginners video actually offers a bit of a challenge and requires some pre-existing strength. In this practice, Rainbeau begins slowly with breathing exercises and warm-up stretches. She continues with several vinyasa flow series, still moving slowly but holding some poses (such as downward dog) for an extended period of time.
The remaining two practices in this set are significantly more challenging than the first two. In Pure Power, Rainbeau builds on a series of sun salutations by adding rigorous poses such as side plank, crescent lunges, chair, and 3-legged down dog. Pure Sweat further picks up the pace by adding additional lunges and twists as well as plenty of yogi push-ups (chatturangas). Although these two practices are definitely at an intermediate/advanced level, Rainbeau performs them at a leisurely pace and does not include inversions, thus making the practices extremely accessible.
One of the things I like best about this series is that each practice is only 30 minutes long, which is especially rare for intermediate/advanced practices. However, the videos could be easily combined to form an hour long workout if desired: Beginners would make a perfect warm-up for Pure Sweat, and Pure Tranquility would work well for winding down after Pure Power.
As an intermediate yogi who has been practicing yoga for several years now, I would not recommend this set for those totally new to yoga: while Rainbeau's cueing is excellent, her instruction is not overly detailed, and she does not offer modifications for the poses. However, beginners who have had some prior experience with yoga can start with the first two videos and build up to the remaining two over time. Finally, this series is not for someone who is looking for a fast-paced, power yoga or ashtanga-type practice, as everything about Rainbeau is laid back and relaxed. Rather, this set is perfect for intermediates looking for softly flowing practices which will provide a gentle challenge to their home practice.
Rating: Summary: Too short! Review: There was nothing on the packaging to indicate that each video is only about a half hour long - I was looking for a longer workout. Good instruction, beautiful background. I suppose it would be a good video to pop in if you only have a short amount of time, but if I only have 30 minutes, I'd probably do exercise other than yoga.
Rating: Summary: Short and sweet should be for dessert Review: This 4 tape set by Rainbeau Mars is a treasure of Yoga Gold with many unique colours. If you only owned one set of Yoga Videos I would say this would be one of my top choices without a doubt. The reason is that there is so much variety between these tapes that you can choose one on any given day depending on your level of energy or depending on what you want to focus on. What is special about this series is that each of these programs is completely unique. Many Sets of Yoga programs are basically the same routine with more poses added (or harder variations) rather than unique programs unto themselves. Rather these programs are completely different from each other. What's nice about this is that you can actually alternate these programs each day or combine them if you have more time without the routines overlapping. The first two tapes "Beginners" and "Pure Tranquility" are gentle tapes that let you melt into wonderful yoga flows that will make you feel incredible as you open up your body, mind and spirit with movement and breath. The last two tapes "Pure Power" and "Pure Sweat" will challenge you and push you to new levels of strength, endurance and flexibility while maintaining the true essence of yoga which is awareness and breathing. Rainbeau Mars is a wonderful and inspiring teacher who comes across with real depth and sincerity. You feel like she's right there with you leading you through the practice. She's a real yoga teacher and not an aerobics teacher who decided to do a yoga video because it's the "in thing" . Also, these tapes clock in at about 30 minutes so they are very easy to fit into anyone's schedule so there are not reasons to ever skip a day of Yoga. Highly recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Namaste
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