Yoga w/ Richard Freeman: Ashtanga Primary Series

Rating:
Summary: a home movie would be better
Review: Do not be fooled by the title. Primary does not mean beginner. There are some beginner-level poses in the primary series, but the series as a whole is quite challenging. I have practiced yoga for 2+ years, and I found this DVD quite challenging. If you are brand new, or fairly new to yoga, and are looking for a good sweat, I would suggest Rodney Yee's Power Yoga, or Rainbeau Mars' series of tapes/DVD. They provide a good sweat without freaking you out with the level of difficult of poses (most of the time). However, if you are looking for a challenge, then this is it. I purchased this DVD along w/ Freeman's Intermediate level workout, thinking I could try this for a few weeks, and move on. No such luck, I'll probably be working with this one for at least 3-6 months. The Primary Series a challenging series of poses ranging from basic warrior poses, to full handstands to rooster poses, and series of other challenging arm balances. I could go on, and on about this DVD, but I won't. I'll just say that if you are looking for a good 90 minutes of sweat and work, and want to learn/practice semi-challenging, to very challenging poses, then you have found the right guy. The only negative thing I could say is that there is no music accompanying the workout. However, you'll sweat so hard doing this workout, that you probably won't need it anyway.

Rating:
Summary: The toughest workout series I've ever enjoyed
Review: Do not be fooled by the title. Primary does not mean beginner. There are some beginner-level poses in the primary series, but the series as a whole is quite challenging. I have practiced yoga for 2+ years, and I found this DVD quite challenging. If you are brand new, or fairly new to yoga, and are looking for a good sweat, I would suggest Rodney Yee's Power Yoga, or Rainbeau Mars' series of tapes/DVD. They provide a good sweat without freaking you out with the level of difficult of poses (most of the time). However, if you are looking for a challenge, then this is it. I purchased this DVD along w/ Freeman's Intermediate level workout, thinking I could try this for a few weeks, and move on. No such luck, I'll probably be working with this one for at least 3-6 months. The Primary Series a challenging series of poses ranging from basic warrior poses, to full handstands to rooster poses, and series of other challenging arm balances. I could go on, and on about this DVD, but I won't. I'll just say that if you are looking for a good 90 minutes of sweat and work, and want to learn/practice semi-challenging, to very challenging poses, then you have found the right guy. The only negative thing I could say is that there is no music accompanying the workout. However, you'll sweat so hard doing this workout, that you probably won't need it anyway.

Rating:
Summary: a home movie would be better
Review: I just can't get past the amateurish production! The microphone bobbles in and out of the shot. The editing is weird. You can hear Freeman smack his lips before every instruction -- gross. Every time I try to watch it I get annoyed that I paid $26 for a home movie in a studio.

Rating:
Summary: Production is fine,
Review: It's clear that Richard Freeman's focus is the quality of the yoga teaching, and not the production or anything having to do with entertainment. This video is not for entertainment, but for engaging in a challenging and real yoga practice. I personally am impressed that they have not including many distracting elements which are normally present (music, chattiness, etc.) Richard focuses on the breathing and will often say "this is mainly a breathing exercise" pointing us to the fact that the breath is at the heart of the yoga practice. He also focuses on holding the mula and uddiyanda bandhas. One fault I see with this is that while he seems to expect us to be holding and using them throughout the practice, he only reminds us to do so a few times. Not being well practiced in this myself, I could use more reminders. Many of the poses are VERY difficult, and if you are well versed in yoga, you will also find many of them familiar. The complete ashtanga practice is about 1 hr 50 min long. For myself I purchased his Introduction to Ashtanga for a shorter option which is 76 min long. Also, this "introduction" has a little more instruction, goes a little slower, and has a few more variations on the poses for those who are just starting out.

In the Primary Series, I am also very impressed with Richard's flow through chatarunga, upward dog, and downward dog, then jumping forward to sit between his hands. This flow is common in ashtanga and other flow forms of yoga based on ashtanga, so that is not new. But his immense control, and precise setting down of his body is amazing. I intend not only to practice along with this video, but also to watch it carefully at other times, when I'm not doing yoga, just to study his form and flow.

Another focus of his is gazing. Very often he gives directions of where your eyes should be focused -- on the thumbs, the tip of the nose, the middle of the forehead, the big toe, etc. I like this. If he was as attentive to giving instructions on the bandas as he is to gazing, then i would be 110% happy.

I have been practicing yoga for about 5 years, but this is the first time I've done formal ashtanga. I have been doing Shiva Rea's CDs for about 2 years, and she is based in ashtanga, I now see. But I have not found myself sweating profusely doing this yoga DVD. While I find many of the poses challenging, and I do sweat, I wouldn't say that this is similar to "power yoga" that has become popular. The poses aren't strung together all that fast. I am usually breathing so hard that I can't keep my "breath together" as he advises, but I have only just started the video two days ago. I think will practice and familiarity it will become easier.

Rating:
Summary: Best among many
Review: My wife and I have been practicing yoga for 18 months at the gym and at home. We have bought a variety of Yoga DVDs and also watched the on-demand classes. The Freeman Primary DVD is by far my favorite, and the routine is nearly identical to the best gym class teacher we've had. The standing and finishing poses are excellent. We usually skip the seated poses because most are too difficult. There is no music on the DVD, so I usually accompany it with David & Steve Gordon's relaxation CDs, particularly Garden of Serenity II.

In short, highly recommended for intermediate to advanced practitioners. Enjoy!