Rating: Summary: Not worth your money or time Review: The DVD description and the reviews all sounded great in principle but in reality, the DVD was a total letdown. The yoga exercises did not flow well and hardly amounted to much stretching or relaxing. The quality of the production was unimpressive in a brightly lit, crowded studio. In place of this, I would recommend Rainbeau Mars series of yoga DVDs (ranging from beginner to more advanced). The quality of production is much better and the choreography and explanation of moves are much clearer and more logical.
Rating: Summary: This really amounts to light stretching Review: This is a good video if you want a light stretching routine. If you are looking for something more rigorous, look elsewhere!
Rating: Summary: Good, But Questionable for Those with Lower Back Problems Review: This is an overall good, low-key routine, but seems to be designed for younger, fairly flexible people. I don't know if it was the length of the workout (45 minutes), the number of poses, or the sort of upbeat relaxation mood of the tape, but I wasn't particularly relaxed at the end-- not energized but not entirely relaxed, either. I actually had trouble sleeping an hour after doing it. An issue with this routine could be that there are a lot of forward bends, which are intended to be relaxing but are also stressful for those with lower back problems (such as me with a bulging lumbar disk). I'm in my late 30s, fairly fit, do a lot of yoga and swimming, yet I had a lot of lingering back pain after I finished this routine, even though I had done the suggested modifications and didn't notice the pain while I was doing it. If you still want to try this routine, I would suggest you go slowly and definitely keep a towel or cushion handy to do the modifications the first time out to make sure the forward stretches won't be too much for you. One slightly overstretched forward bend can give you an aching back for two days!As a side note: If you want a good, higher energy yoga workout, get Sara's "Crunch-- Fat Burning Yoga". Enjoyable routine, excellent stretches, and no back pain issues.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful in every aspect! Review: This is my FAVORITE dvd right now. Everything about it is amazing. The set and lighting is absolutely gorgeous and along with the soothing music helps put you in the right state of mind for the practice. Sarah Ivanhoe is an excellent instructor who is not intimidating and does not "talk down" to you. The workout flows beautifully and is so soothing, that it has almost completely eliminated the back pain I have been suffering from for YEARS in just a few weeks. If you buy the DVD instead of the VHS, there is an additional 15 minute "energizer" segment that is the perfect start to the day. If I do that segment in the morning, I have so much energy throughout the day I can't believe it! I highly recommend this DVD.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful in every aspect! Review: This is my FAVORITE dvd right now. Everything about it is amazing. The set and lighting is absolutely gorgeous and along with the soothing music helps put you in the right state of mind for the practice. Sarah Ivanhoe is an excellent instructor who is not intimidating and does not "talk down" to you. The workout flows beautifully and is so soothing, that it has almost completely eliminated the back pain I have been suffering from for YEARS in just a few weeks. If you buy the DVD instead of the VHS, there is an additional 15 minute "energizer" segment that is the perfect start to the day. If I do that segment in the morning, I have so much energy throughout the day I can't believe it! I highly recommend this DVD.
Rating: Summary: Sara's best Yoga DVD Review: This is the best of Sara's instructions. I disagree with the other person who said Crunch The Perfect Yoga Workout is better. Yes they are similar, but I this one is better. Flows better. The music is lovely with nature/bird sounds in the background. My only complaint is with Natasha. She is supposed to be beginner level, but demonstrates with extreme flexibility. It would be better if they used a beginner. She also seems rather stuck-up while Sara and the other students are real people. I own several of Sara's DVDs and all of them are wonderful. The new Yoga on the Ball DVD is great too! Thanks Sara! Check my other review on Amazon for the best choices in exercise and yoga DVDs. Thanks!
Rating: Summary: relaxing and calming Review: This is the first Yoga video I have gotten and it is also the first time I have done Yoga. For a beginner it is quite easy and very relaxing. Ms. Ivanhoe has a peacful calming voice and the music is wonderful. When you close your eyes the music just soothes you. Very happy with getting this DVD and learning Yoga.
Rating: Summary: Very relaxing and a great stretch! Review: This is the kind of yoga workout I've been looking for. I've done a few others and they always feel more strenuous then they do relaxing. This stetches every part of my body out! I've been doing it for two weeks (2-3x a week) and I can already notice the flexibility difference when I do ballet. I recommend this if you want a yoga workout to relax you and help with flexibility.
Rating: Summary: Relaxing Review: This tape is just what I need after a long day of sitting in front of a computer. The session is relaxing and you get a nice stretch that takes out all of the kinks you get throughout the day. The bonus session is a plus and nice to do when you only have a little bit of time to get a session in.
Rating: Summary: the most soothing stress relief ever Review: This video is FANTASTIC. While I was doing it I truly had a sense of peace and well-being, in my mind AND in my body. The instructor is amazing. She does an excellent job of guiding the breathing, something I have trouble with because of my asthma. My breathing can get more hiccuppy than smooth, and her constant reminders helped a lot. The series of poses is flowing and exceptionally relaxing, and the instructor guides you through various modifications for all levels of flexibility and yoga experience. I don't know the names of every pose, but there are twists, forward bends, the famous downward facing dog(don't do it in front of your boyfriend!), and balance poses. She does an excellent job of guiding your form and constantly reminds you to relax, not to push yourself, and proper breath technique. I felt that this tape was accessible to anybody and I LOVE it. All the elements came together...lovely set, incredible instructor, soothing music, and constant encouragement and reminders to stay relaxed. To give you some idea of my fitness level, I work out 5 days a week, do cardio and weight training(for about 2 years), and consider myself definitely a novice at yoga, although I do have good natural flexibility. I'm telling you this because often with reviews when someone says something is too easy or hard, or just right, you have no idea how your fitness level would compare to theirs and it's not as helpful. That said, I truly believe anyone can use this tape and benefit, as there are excellent modifiers in both directions and she continuously emphasizes them, and the purpose of the video is purely stretching and tranquility. If you ever have stress, tension, or body soreness from a long day at work or an intense workout, GET THIS VIDEO. It will blow your mind. I also recommend Crunch Fat Burning Yoga, which is the same great instructor and a faster paced style of yoga.
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