Customer Reviews

Ashtanga Yoga: The Primary Series

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wow! I'll never bother with a yoga instructor after this gem. Richard's words perfectly instruct your progress - as if he were there in the room - to assure that you learn the primary series correctly. He must be a very experienced teacher as his analogies and what he says keep you focused on the breathing and exploring all parts of the posture(s) together. I really learned a lot from what he said, discovering more and more each time (which is good because you don't look at the screen much while you're doing it!).

One especially high-quality feature of this DVD is the variety of starting points. You can start with 1. a poetic opening chant, 2. an informative introduction, 3. a discussion of breathing, 4. Sun Salutation instruction, 5. The complete 90 minute primary series, 6. Standing postures, 7. Seated postures, 8. Finishing postures and 9. contact information.


This DVD will last me several years, as I can only follow him for the first half hour so far. But if you want to see the absolute limits of the human body, watch through to the end of the 90 minutes. He's not a circus freak - it's way beyond that, stuff that will really take a good sense of humor to even approach. But he makes it look effortless.

I also tried Baron Baptist and while Baron is sincere, Richard is the real thing. My body has changed internally, with the proper form from practicing this regularly. I can't express the relief I feel now with a liberated lower spine, neck, legs, abdomen, breath, etc - except to say that everyone should do the work it takes to feel this way. It takes time but then it lasts.

I must say that Freeman touches the stars with his knowledge and practice of Yoga. He does it like a Yogi should. His props are simple (there appear to be some snow peaks on the sky blue prop which tells me that he believes himself a yogi seeking to be in tune with the greatest yogi who permeates the pulse of the universe, Shiva, and whose abode is the Himalayas :-) ). Is this a DVD for beginners, probably not if you have never ever had any exposure to yoga or if you have some physical symptoms that require the hand and guidance of a teacher, but I cannot see why a beginner would not aspire to learn and practice yoga as he does. Watching it certainly propels you to inspiration. He has three DVD's and one of them is for beginners. But they are all EXCELLENT

There are a lot of yoga DVD's (not to mention programs) out there that profess to sweat your "fat" and "power" your system...sweating was not an intention of the Yoga asanas (although it is a result of it)...as yoga is union of the mind and body and only should be practiced as such, and not as a power tool for egotistical ends. It is a powerful tool no doubt but it should be practiced in accordance to the philosophy it seeks to convey, namely understand who you are relative to your environment, how best to live in it and how to lead a life where positive action leads to positive reaction (Karma Yoga)

There may at best two or three people that have put out DVD's of value for the money. This is definitely one of them to learn from.

Ok, I will freely admit that I get a little caught up in the external aspects of most yoga DVDs, relishing in the trippy music and gorgeous locations almost as much as the yoga and instruction, so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this one. The production value is very pared-down compared with many of the other oyga DVDs out there, with just Richard solo amidst a lovely but simple background and there is no background music at all. What you DO get is a level of teaching and serenity that astounded me. You also get the absolute purity of the Primary Asthanga Series as it was taught by Pattabhi Jois. It took me a few minutes to adjust to Richard's energy, it's different, but he's very sweet, very grounded and with a very soft and soothing presence. This is someone who has been doing Asthanga for decades and still loves it so much, he's still very connected to the subtleties and magic of it all.

I've heard so many teachers working with the same exact postures and somehow he managed to gives cues, instructions and beautiful metaphors that enabled me to find a new depth and power in every single posture I did, opening to them in completely new ways. The magic is in the details, I often find, whether it's a film, a song or a good yoga class, and the way Richard can guide you through a very daunting series with such tranquility, encouragement, patience and meticulous detail without ever taking away from your own experience or where you are in your practice...well, it's stunning.

Personally, while I have done Hatha and Kundalini for over 15 years I'd found Asthanga series to be too intimidating and assumed I had to be in athletic condition to even begin to attempt this. The Primary Series is about 2 hours long in its entirety, and I'd say I can do about half right now on a good energy day. Then it gets into a level of stamina, flexibility and balance I have yet to experience, but with this DVD and his teaching I now have no doubt that daily practice will get me there, in my own time. And instead of the last hour seeming like an impossible dream, it inspires me. That's the magic of a truly great teacher.

The series itself is a wonderful combination of Sun Salutations (A & B), standing poses to stretch, open and build stamina and strength, and then the second hour is where the nitty gritty Asthanga kicks in with incredibly deep stretches, arm balances, a lengthy and lovely shoulder stand sequence and a few pretzel moments that I can only imagine must feel liberating and wonderful.

I've read and heard that being able to do the Primary Series and master it could take years, and I see why. But I feel even an advanced beginning yogi could benefit from this DVD. Even when I did just the first 30 minutes or so over the weekend I felt tremendous benefits and discovered new layers thanks to Richard's expertise. He glides through every movement as though he were weightless and partially made of rubber, it's really something to see. Such grace and poise can only come from dedication and absolute presence and respect for the work. I'm so glad I heeded the glowing reviews here and bought this DVD. This will be an instrumental tool in my growth as a yogi for years to come.

For the best Ashtanga teacher in the US, look no further than Richard Freeman. This DVD is a little slow at first, but if you watch carefully, will give you many slight adjustments that will help you in the long run as you advance in this vigorous and rewarding yoga practice. The instruction is clear and direct. There isn't a laugh track, so it's hard to tell at times, because his delivery is DRY, but Richard is also very funny. Highly recommended.

The primary series is a wonderful practice. And a very complete one. It has standing poses, forward bends, seated postures, arm balances, inversions... And Richard Freeman is a suberp teacher. His decades of practice are evident. Every instruction he gives takes me deeper into an asana. I find this practice extremely calming. It may have to do with the amazing sequence, with Freeman's relaxing voice and with his focus on the dristhi (gaze) and breath. Throughout the dvd the length and rhythm of the breath is kept constant. Freeman marks each inhalation and exhalation and he never gets ahead of himself or slows it down. Then, the drishti. He also explains, in every pose, where you should be looking at (usually between the eyebrows, the tip of the nose, or the thumbs). And in hatha yoga it is said that 'when the eyes are steady, the mind is steady'. I do find it quite calming, indeed.
The whole series is about 1 hour and 40 minutes long in this dvd. I have been doing yoga for over 3 years and I still can't do all of the poses of the series. I modify some. Freeman doesn't show most variations, but if you have practiced yoga for a while you will probably know the easier variations. All in all it is quite an intense session. Luckily, the dvd comes conveniently chaptered.

The main menu looks as follows:
-Opening chant and practice guidelines
-Introduction
-Ujjayi pranayama
-Sun Salutation instruction
-Complete primary series practice session (1h50min)
-Sun salutations & standing postures (36min)
-Seated Postures (51min, divided in 2 segments: 27 min of forward bends and twists - paschimottanasanas. janu sirsanas and marichyasahas- and 24 min of arm balances, more forward bends and hip openers, inversions and backbends)
-Finishing postures (22min: shoulder stand, plough, karnapidasana, headstand, lotus...)
-Contact Info

So, in the days when I decide to do this series but I don't have it in me to go through the whole thing, I skip a chapter or two, like an ashtanga teacher form the Yogatoday site does. For example, one may do the Sun salutes & standing poses + the First part of the Seated postures (27min of forward bends). Or the Sun salutes and standing poses + the Second part of the Seated Postures (before introducing these asanas, Freeman pauses, addresses the viewer and comments on the right attitude to engage their practice, so it is easy to know when this section begins. It includes shoulder press, kurmasana, supta kurmasana, titthibasana, legs behind the head, bakasana, cock pose, baddha konasana, upavishtha konasana, handstand and many others) + the finishing poses.
There is no matrix here, but one can skip through or return to the main menu to make a new choice.
Also, the half sun salute (chaturanga, upward dog, downward dog) is practiced after EVERY pose to 'wipe the slate clean'. So, when my energy level is not at it's max I sometimes rest during every other salute -although doing the whole thing as it is shown is fabulous. The body feels awesome afterward-.
I've had this dvd for 2 years now, and I use it several times a month. It is one of my favorites and I keep learning from it: from the concise instruction, and from Freeman's serene power and grace. He is the real thing. And a teacher's teacher.

(If you want to see which poses are included in the Primary Series you can google it. There are several sites that show the entire sequence in pictures.)

I have been practicing Ashtanga Yoga for about 2 years now and bought this DVD cause I really couldn't afford to pay $20 every time I wanted to take a class. After watching it all the way through I realized I have never done the full primary series and have never seen it in it's entirety in any book I have read on the subject...which I found a little unusual. I found myself fast forwarding through a lot of moves I found to be repetitive or just to difficult for me to do. The complete series is pretty long and takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete. With that being said, Richard Freeman is very thorough and moves at a good pace. The video is broken down into chanting, breathing, standing and sitting poses.

If anyone knows of any Ashtanga videos that are broken down into 45, 60, 90, and 105 minute guided practices, please let me know. If there isn't one, it would be a great idea cause sometimes it would be nice to have shorter options when time doesn't permit.

Richard Freeman is a wonderful teacher -- very clear and articulate. This simple but highly effective DVD is a great tool for learning the primary Ashtanga vinyasa series. If you're not familiar with this type of yoga, just know that even though it's called "primary" it's not for beginners . . . but with Richard's clear instruction solid practitioners of yoga can learn the sequence as taught by Patabbhi Jois.

Wow. I have practiced yoga for many years to video material, and Richard Freeman is the most inspiring practitioner I've had the privilege of encountering. The practice on this DVD could occupy most of us for a lifetime. It is not beginner material, though the clarity of the explanations could benefit anybody, and it would be beneficial for a beginner to have this exposure from the start, so long as they did not get discouraged. I originally passed over Freeman's "Ashtanga Yoga: Introduction" DVD, thinking it would be too easy for my level of experience, but now I am going to purchase it, hoping that this same quality of instruction will be given, but with a more manageable (for me) series. Particular attention is given to the bandhas and the breath, which are too often neglected in other yoga videos; questions I hadn't even quite articulated about some of these specifics were answered. Body dynamics are also emphasized in every pose. Freeman's mastery inspires confidence in the specifics of his instruction.

I purchased Richard Freeman's Primary Series at the same time I purchased David Swenson's Short Forms. I am not sure I will ever attempt to go beyond the Short Forms practice, but I am impressed with this DVD. If you are a VERY SERIOUS ashtanga yoga practionier, then this is for you. Richard Freeman's experience and ability are inspiring and amazing.

This guy is an amazing teacher, his dialog is perfect and his descriptions on how to properly build each posture is superb. If you really want to practice the Ashtanga series with full commitment then you will enjoy this video. Everytime you play it you will hear something new, it could be the way you are placing your feet on the mat or where to look in a posture.

I know some people think that 90 mins is a long time and I was introduced to yoga doing 90 min practices so for me that doesn't really seem to be a long time (I can easily do 3-4 hours of yoga) so this is somewhat of a disclaimer. However I don't thing a 60 min routine can do yoga justice at all.

This is a great video and once you get the Ashtanga Primary series down you will spend less time trying to "figure" out how to get into posture and more time with your breath and meditation. This video gives you a really great foundation to do that.

Namaste