Sara Ivanhoe's 20 Min Yoga Makeover (5 Volume Gift Set)

Rating:
Summary: Fun and challenging practices
Review: I have just started using Sara Ivanhoe's box set and like it very much. The practices are short but fit nicely in with my morning routines. I use one workout prior to one of Sara Ivanhoe's CRUNCH workouts or before Hemelaya Behl's practices. They are fun, challenging and offer up quick results, having already noticed some more muscle tone in my arms and legs.

These practices would not be enough to replace a longer workout, in my opinion, but are a nice addition to your practice.

Rating:
Summary: Nice series of short yoga practices at an intermediate level
Review: Sara Ivanhoe's 20 Minute Yoga Makeover series consists of 5 20-minute practices designed to help anyone find time to fit in yoga. Although the videos are being marketed to all levels, they do not contain detailed instruction and would not be appropriate for those new to yoga; in fact, many of the postures included are on a more intermediate level. Instructor Sara Ivanhoe's personality in this series is similar to her prior Crunch and Dummies videos: she is very down-to-earth, although some may find her language a bit patronizing at times.

My favorite practice of the series was Sculpted Buns & Thighs, which contained excellent leg stretches and hip openers. The other practice focusing on a specific area of the body is Flat Abs, which included some challenging plank work as well as Pilates-type abs exercises. Weight Loss and Power Beauty Sweat are both designed to build heat and burn more calories, mostly through adding additional movement rather than performing static poses. Both routines have a standing posture focus: the former moves through the warrior series, including the revolved postures, while the latter concentrates more on twisting postures. The final practice in the series, Total Body Tone with Weights, was my least favorite. Rather than using the weights to enhance the stretch in the postures, the weights felt like more of an add-on.

At the end of each practice, Sara concludes with a mudra, or yogic hand gesture, which is designed to seal in the benefits of the workout; these short meditations provided a nice introduction to some of the non-phyiscal aspects of yoga practice. Overall, this is a very good series for those who have had some prior experience with yoga but who are having trouble trying to find the time for a more regular yoga practice.