'Baptiste Power of Yoga & Meditation with Sherri Baptiste Freeman

Rating:
Summary: A well balanced workout
Review: 'I bought your yoga video and I love it!! Your workout left me feeling energized and refreshed afterwards and yet there are infinite possibilities for growth with the workout. It is a well balanced workout' ~ Julie from California

Rating:
Summary: Baptiste Power of Yoga with Sherri Baptiste Freeman
Review: I LOVE THIS VIDEO! I am new to the Yoga world, this video was very accessible and rewarding. Practicing this video gives me a true workout and makes me feel amazing afterwards. I Recommend this Video.

Rating:
Summary: Baptiste Power of Yoga with Sherri Baptiste Freeman
Review: I LOVE THIS VIDEO! I am new to the Yoga world, this video was very accessible and rewarding. Practicing this video gives me a true workout and makes me feel amazing afterwards. I Recommend this Video.

Rating:
Summary: A Challenging, Unique, and Deep Intermediate Yoga Practice
Review: Sherri Baptiste Freeman has produced a wonderful intermediate Yoga Video that is very complete, inspiring and unique. I have over 60 yoga videos and there are many poses included here that I've never seen anywhere else. Even poses that are familiar to most practitioners are approached in a fresh way.

Another feature of this video is that along with the use of vinyasa throughout, almost all of the poses are performed dynamically first (with preparatory movements) before holding the poses for several breaths.

Though this is a very challenging yoga practice, all of the poses are possible for just about anyone who is in good basic health (and you can always modify to suit your needs). There are no poses for example that require you to put your legs behind your head or any other movements that are out of the realm of possibility for most people.

Sherri Baptiste Freeman was practically born doing yoga. Her parents Walt and Magana Baptiste were among the earliest Yoga and fitness pioneers in the United States. Her brother Baron Baptiste is also one of the leading yoga teachers in the world. Sherri brings a level of experience and depth that is rare to find anywhere. Her instructions are crystal clear and she demonstrates the poses beautifully.

The tape starts with an interesting variety of breathing practices and shoulder openers that gently prepare your body for the challenging practice ahead. Among the many interesting approaches on this tape is the fact that, while it is a vinyasa flow, it doesn't have the traditional Sun Salutations. Yet you don't miss them here at all.

Rather, early in the practice she has unique dynamically flowing poses such as Fire and Earth (Prithvi Mudra) which is a gentle breath led shoulder and neck opener, you then move into Victory Squats (Jyasana) which is a breath led dynamic squat which is done while opening the arms outwardly and inwardly.

This dynamic and flowing approach to poses permeates this video which keeps heat in the body, helps to maintain focus on the breath and brings a meditative quality to the practice.

After the warm up poses there are a series of hip openers such as dynamically moving lunges, revolved side angle poses, standing splits (a variation on dog pose with one leg extended) which moves into pigeon pose. These are soon followed by cobra and a Warrior lunge which flows into Prayer twist. Many forward folds and downward facing dog poses are interspersed throughout the tape as part of the connecting vinyasas.

There is a complete flowing locust series which works this beneficial pose through different phases, first one arm and leg at a time and then both.

Following are poses such as Tortoise (which I would describe as a pose that moves dynamically between plank w/ lowered knees and child's pose for several repetitions) , Bow Pose (dynamically performed), half plank (plank pose w/knees on the ground which moves dynamically w/ child's pose) which is followed by full plank that alternates dynamically with Down dog.

Next comes a VERY challenging balancing series which has Warrior 3 pose (called balancing T-pose here), Skater's pose (another unique variation) and Butterfly pose.

At this point you move into a flowing Warrior series which brings you from Warrior 1 to Warrior 2 to reverse Warrior(looking up) to Reverse Warrior (looking over lower shoulder). Then you move into a crescent lunge first with arms over head and then with your hands interlaced into the Yoga Mudra position behind your back.

Boat pose comes next, (which is first performed dynamically) and which prepares you for the longer held boat pose. Purvottansana (reversed table pose with straight legs) is interspersed here between another held boat pose. This is followed by variations of dynamically moving core strengthening poses such as alternating knee to chest while bringing arms and torso forward, then w/ straight leg, then both legs bent, then both legs straight.

Following are a lying spinal twist and Archer's Pose (another pose I've never seen before) which is done by holding one knee, with the other leg straight and raised, back is raised off the ground towards the bent leg.

Then comes a back bending series which has bridge and wheel pose (aka upward bow) after which you release your back by bringing knees to chest and then reclining lunge (which is like dead bug or happy baby pose).

The practice ends with savasana and seated meditation.

If you are looking for a complete, deep, beautifully sequenced and flowing intermediate level yoga practice you will LOVE this tape!

Namaste