Sacred Yoga Practice: Vinyasa Flow Pure Power

Rating:
Summary: A challenging yoga practice aimed at building strength
Review: Pure Power is a 30-minute challenging yoga routine that is designed to build strength. It is definitely not for beginners, as it includes some fairly strenuous moves which require quite a bit of pre-existing strength, especially in the arms: as an intermediate exerciser who has been practicing yoga for several years, I found that I needed to take several breaks throughout the practice.

Rainbeau Mars leads the practice in her usual calmly flowing manner. The first half of the routine consists of approximately five total sun salutations. Although Rainbeau moves slowly through each series, she inserts poses which will definitely challenge your stamina, including side plank, crescent lunges, awkward chair, and 3-legged down-dog. She also includes some tough movements lying on your stomach such as yogic push-ups (lowering to chaturanga and then lifting back up), 1-legged chaturanga, and cobra variations. From standing, Rainbeau comes to a reclined position (there are no seated postures in this practice) for bridge, lying twist, and relaxation.

In this video, Rainbeau is less chatty and more focused on the poses than in some of her other videos, but as always, she is gently encouraging and provides very good mirrored cuing. This is an excellent program for anyone looking to expand their yoga practice, from more experienced beginners who want to slowly build strength to more advanced yogis who wish to continue to increase their stamina and endurance. Finally, the 1/2 hour time frame is likely to be particularly beneficial for those who have limited time but who still want a serious yoga practice.

Rating:
Summary: I really liked this tape
Review: I started out using Crunch: Fat Burning Yoga. The crunch tape really prepared my body for yoga but I thought it was too hard on my knees so I looked for a variation and started taking a Yoga class. I didn't like the class and sought yet another tape alternative. I started Mars' Pure Power tape and I am now a Yoga enthusiast. This particular tape rarely places any strain on the knees and it increases your flexibilty AND is easy to learn. I find myself doing the yoga stretches each morning before I get the day started because my body loves the stretch. The music is very relaxing and you can tell that Rainbeau Mars actually believes in Yoga. My teacher couldn't remember the sanskrit name half of the time and seemed to struggle with the practice of yoga itself though not the poses. I highly recommend this tape to someone whose body has been conditioned to yoga poses.

Rating:
Summary: Slightly disappointed...
Review: I've done Brian Kest's yoga tapes for a few years now, and was looking for something different. Rainbeau was reccommended by someone, and while I thought her teaching was good, and the scenery and music were great, I was really disappointed in the simplicity and duration of the routine. None of the challenging poses Rainbeau is seen doing are taught, nor are the easier poses leading up to them. It's really just a basic sun salutation with a few other things. It wasn't nearly as challenging as Kest. While I liked her personality better, it looks like I'll have to stick with him for a challenge and/or an hour-long session.

Rating:
Summary: Aesthetic but Short
Review: Rainbeau Mars is a beautiful woman with a beautiful body doing yoga in a paradise atmosphere but I would NOT recommend this tape to anyone looking for that serious Power Yoga thing..I am a New Yorker and years ago practiced at a wonderful studio called Jivamukti run by an incredible man named David Life...The thing that bothered me though was that before EVERY class we had to sing in Sanskrit to some Hindu deity (Ganesh,Shiva,Vishnu)( I am a follower of Christ so i found it tough to sing in Sanskrit ) and then we were given a lecture about something or other,and THEN the practice began..This tape reminds me of that experience at Jivamukti as it seems it takes a bit of time for Rainbeau to get the ball rolling. There is alot of focus on the breath (maybe 5 minutes) then with the sun salutations,Rainbeau speaks alot of new age jargon..example"with bravery jump into chataranga" "with total acceptance of who you are,touch your toes" .Then suddenly after a very slow sun salutation beginning, the tape gets cahllenging for ten minutes or so,you do a one arm balancing pose,you hold warrior one,and there is a bow,and some cobra poses I believe and then its done.I do give the tape 4 stars because the production value is incredible and Rainbeau obviously practices and has done so for years,she is very fit..but Im warning all you people ..this tape is SHORT. It works best for busy moms,office people,and those who cant put the time in for a better practice.

Rating:
Summary: short practice
Review: The production value is great (lovely beach background) and rainbeau is wonderful to look at,(especially if you are a middle aged man)..The tape is very short and Rainbeau speaks alot about spirituality,finding yourself,and all that new age stuff ,but there were parts of this tape where i was in PAIN,begging for the postures to end,and I mean that in a GOOD way..so I would recommend it as a good way to get a quick practice in.