Ashtanga Yoga - An Active Practice, Introductory Poses

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Beginner
Review: If you want a true introduction to ashtanga, here it is. Nicki's instruction is very clear and extremely easy to follow. She carries you through the sequence with a low-toned neutral voice that will not distract you but will guide you. If you are new to yoga this is where you want to begin. Her language is clear as she uses the sanskrit names of the poses and explains each term as she uses them. She turns your attention to your breath when you need it. She directs your attention and focus very well.
The music is calming with some gentle instrumental sounds and a low, dull, medatative male voice which her voice meshes well with.
This is a slow, easy to follow explanation of the asanas. After almost a year of using this tape I purchased the Beginners practice with Nicki Doane and used it faithfully to take me further into my yoga practice. It was only then when I felt confident enough to go to a yoga studio and take live instruction without feeling like a jelly bellied, sweaty couch potatoe. Of course that was just me, but the hands-on instruction of a live yogini really deepend the asanas for me and cannot be ignored so use this as your introduction to your introduction class.


Rating:
Summary: Another waste of $$
Review: All these videos are the same! Just with new music, and a new setting. I wish i could say I like it, but all it made me feel is depressed being in my own living room, while these rich people were in hawaii cause i bought there tape.
If you already own one of their tapes, don't bother buying anymore. they're all the same.
Waste of money.

Rating:
Summary: I overestimated myself
Review: I bought this DVD tonight in the hopes of beginning a yoga regiment.

Boy did I overshoot myself. This routine is difficult...to say the least. 10 minutes in and I was profusely sweating. After another 10 minutes I had to stop.

Not to say this is bad, in fact i plan to try something "more my speed" in the hopes of working back up to this level. The music is also very soothing and inspiring.

I look forward to working myself up to this in the future.

Rating:
Summary: solid introduction
Review: I found this to be a very helpful introduction. Whilst I have started yoga classes at a studio, this video helped me learn correct breathing and transitions. Very slow and deliberate -- it's great for building a foundation to further practice, and a good workout in itself. Nicki Doane is a no frills but solid instructor. I look forward to moving to her next video.

Rating:
Summary: not for the novice....
Review: i had to give this dvd 5 stars because it really is good and just what the editorial review said it was...niki's voice is calm and soothing but a little stern almost as she takes you from one position into the next...however, it is not easy and if you are looking for a dvd to practice simple yoga this is not the one...this one will make your heart beat a lot faster and you might even break a sweat!! i have been doing yoga for about 18 months now and i am determined that i will get through this dvd...i have to say that when i finish what i am able to do (which is about 35 minutes) i feel exhilarated! i would also advise you not to do what i did and buy the two dvd's at the same time (the beginner's practice is the second dvd in the series) until you are sure this is a yoga practice that can work for you...

Rating:
Summary: I'm not quite sure about this one.
Review: I loved the advanced Ashtanga demonstration. It's something to watch and a beautiful performance. Also Nicki Doane's interview explaining Ashtanga is very good. I've given this DVD a three because of these two sections. The actual practice was disappointing. There are no submenus for the Salutation A and B, you just have to skip forward through the practice if you want to do a portion. When I did practice straight through I found Nicki's voice quite abrasive. I'm sorry to say that because I think it is a good practice and in time I'm hoping her voice doesn't irritate me. I doubt I'll be bringing this one out a whole lot. A softer voice and better music would have improved this practice.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT
Review: I REALLY ENJOY THIS DVD ITS THE FIRST WORKOUT THAT HAS GOTTEN ME TO ACTUALLY WANT TO GET UP THE NEXT DAY AND DO IT. ITS SIMPLE YET DIFFICULT AT THE SAME TIME WHICH IS WHAT YOU WANT IF YOU WANT RESULTS. IM NOT QUITE READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL YET BUT I WILL CONTINUE THE INTRO UNTIL I DO.

Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best in Sun Salutations
Review: I'm a beginner to Ashtanga yoga and I liked this video very much. The editorial review above says it all. Nicki Doane's slow, steady pace and her stern voice help me concentrate on breathing and work deeper into each pose in Sun Salutation A & B. I tried and liked Rodney Yee's "Power Yoga" before, but his pace was a little too fast for me.
With Nicki's instruction, I can inhale and exhale to my full lung capacity, and I can have the time to fully appreciate my body's reaction during the practice. My body is fully stretched, generating a lot of heat, and I feel very refreshed, peaceful and strong after every workout.
You shouldn't expect to get into other poses than in Sun Salutations, since this video is aimed to build up the foundation for further yoga practice through repetition of these basic movements. So, if you are already familiar with Sun Salutes, you might want to start with her "Ashtanga Yoga Beginner's Practice," which includes some standing poses in addition to Sun Salutations. Or, if you want more variety of poses packed in shorter time, David Swenson's "Yoga Short Forms" would be very helpful.
But personally, I believe that a serious beginner should try this Nicki Doane video first. She doesn't talk much about yoga's spirituality, but you'll find it through the practice yourself, which I think is the way it should be.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent beginning
Review: I've taken a few yoga classes, but this tape really helped me "get" the sun salutations. The extra time in the different poses is tiring, but it really helped me get familiar with the sequence and gave me time to work at holding the positions correctly. By the end of this workout, my body feels tired, but I feel exhilirated. The production values are excellent, and Nicki Doane is a fantastic instructor. When I first heard her voice, I thought she sounded too stern, but after going through the workout, I found her voice perfect: very neutral but no-nonsense. She doesn't drown the workout in new-agey yammering---she talks only when it's relevant, and that helped me to really focus on the poses and to succeed in "stilling" my mind.

Rating:
Summary: Best Ashtanga instruction I can imagine
Review: If you don't know what Ashtanga Yoga is, this is not your DVD. If you understand that Ashtanga includes a very difficult, set series of poses and would like to get off to a careful and serious start, this is terrific. If you know you'll never be able to do the Ashtanga Primary Series, but would like to do what you can, this is a great DVD. It only includes the two Sun Salutations, building them up bit by bit. Each one is 20-25 minutes long, repeating the salutation by steps until it is complete.

This DVD will let you get a solid footing in the salutations. If you know them cold, you could probably skip to Nicki's other beginner's video.

The additional features are well worth watching. The sample of the full Ashtanga program is amazing, and the interview makes Nicki Doane very accessible. I love her straightforward, to the point tone.