Customer Reviews

Baron Baptiste: Unlocking Athletic Power - Power Vinyasa Yoga Live!

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have all of Baron Baptiste's vhs and dvd workouts, and this is the best. Although it's too short for my practice, just under 30 minutes, it is demanding. I practice power yoga 6 days a week, and this dvd is in my machine at least half of those days. If you like crow pose, and jumping into plank, this is the dvd for you. For a real workout, I like to do this dvd and then another longer one like Soul of Strength, or Power Yoga: The Ultimate Challenge (Level 3 - last in a series of 3).

Unlocking Athletic Power is one of the three videos from Baron's Live! series. Like in the other two practices in this series, Baron leads a large class through the postures, moving thruogh the participants to make adjustments and offer encouragements. The video is described as being for all levels, and some of the class members do perform modified versions of the postures, but there are also some more advanced postures included as described below.

As with all of his videos, Baron begins with sun salutations, moving from the A to the B series. He ends the latter with crow pose, an arm balance--a surprisingly challenging posture for this early in the practice. Next comes a warrior series with plenty of form pointers for where you should be feeling the work. Baron then moves into a series of hip openers, beginning with crescent pose and proceeding to lunge with forearms on floor, pigeon, and double pigeon; a variation on boat pose follows before moving on to the other side. Then it's down to the floor for bridge and wheel (a full backbend which is optional). Baron then throws in a few moves for the abdominals before moving into the final stretches, including dead bug, cobbler's pose, table, lying twist, and savasana. The actual practice is about 26 minutes long, but the music continues for another 2 minutes, allowing you to easily remain in relaxation pose for a longer period.

Overall, I thought this was a nice intermediate practice. It is longer and more challenging than Baron's Core Power (although obviously not as core-focused) but also shorter and not as advanced as his longer Live practice, Soul of Strength. I would recommend UAP for experienced yogis looking for a strong, powerful vinyasa yoga practice.

I have the 2004 "Journey Into Power Level 2" and this 2001 DVD seems very similar, albeit a shortened version. I just got this DVD yesterday and did it for the first time, and that's exactly what it seems like to me. It's easier than the "Power Level 2" one, there are way fewer poses. I did like it, and I think it will be good for someone pressed for time, or someone who is somewhat fit and just starting Yoga. But I would recommend the 2004 "Journey Into Power Level 2" over this one, for a really challenging workout. I will do this one when I'm pressed for time, but will reach for the "Level 2" DVD on most days.

I was fairly fit before starting Yoga a few months ago, which helps, as Yoga is NOT easy, but do have lower back problems, some lumbar arthritis, but these practices seem to help me a lot with it, not harm it at all.

Luckily I rented this out on netflix. The title really intrigued me. I am always looking to connect biomechanics in all types of exercise. Let me state I am a beginning to intermediate level yoga practitioner. I teach T'ai Chi and Qi gong, So I am not a newbie in the internal arts by any means. I also teach boxing aerobics and play sports.

I figured this would explain how the yoga moves can "unlock" your athletic potential. Not hard to imagine how I came to that idea. There is absolutely NO mention of how yoga can do this. This is an advanced yoga practice for seasoned yoga practitioners. When he says "athlete" he doesn't mean an athlete like a baseball player or marathon runner. He means advanced YOGI. My wife is a Yoga instructor. She thought it was a great workout. She has been doing Yoga for 8-9 years. One positive thing I can say is.....it is interesting to watch Baron Baptiste conduct his class. I like how he went around and corrected people in a very encouraging way. Though I thought it was very distracting to try to follow along while he was walking around a class full of students. But that didn't seem to bother my wife.

To sum it up! There are no specific instructions to unlock your athletic power. I would say this title was contrived to sell tapes to a non yoga audience without having the content of the tape communicate effectively to that audience.

It is similar to Baron's "Journey Into Power Level 1", with the exception of not as much core/ab focus towards the end. This is fine with me because this is not what I am needing in a 30 minute yoga routine. The sequence and pace of the postures is just my type of thing.

I love doing this particular DVD before I have to get ready for work, especially when I'm tired and not feeling up to par this gets me feeling better on so many levels.

I enjoy Baron's style of instruction better than anyone else I've experienced on DVD or real life.

About myself:
I'm into Yoga since about six years.
I practice dayly.
I also teach Power Vinyasa Yoga at a local Hotal Spa Fitness Studio.
I personally like fluid and complete physically challanging Power Yoga Routines.
Since I'm german my english spelling is pretty bad, sorry for that!

About the DVD: You can't do a 60 to 80 Minutes Training every day, and this is for the days in between.
It's a great short Workout that leaves you warm and energized. Even though it is short it is still physically demanding.
Baron is a great teacher! He honors every aspect of Yoga and encourages his students in a professionel an gentil way. (Although he seems to overdue it just a little from time to time with sayings like: "Angels fly because they take themselves lightly". Come on Baron! But to me that makes him even more sympathic. Obviously he is so much into Yoga that he looses it just a little from time to time ;-))
The routine is fluid and round.
It is suited for all Practicioners from Beginner (meaning you already took some Yoga lessons and know the main poses) to advanced.
I highly recommend it!
I hope this was helpfull for you!
Namasté!

I had a chance to take one class with Baron a couple of years ago and it was a great experience, he is very engaging and personable, so I wanted to got a video or two by him. (If you ever have a chance to take a class with him, do so. He is alot of fun.)

This DVD has a a routine that is one that is leads you through a set of moves that will warm you up and lossening your muscles (Sun Salutation, Warrior) and then continues on with poses that really help develop strength and your abdominals. Boat Pose is one I love and always find that it is one that really develps my strength.

The routine is just shy of a half hour with some parts a bit more challenging to me than others, but his expert advice and tips help me along.

I have one other of his DVDs and love him. There are ways to attempt more difficult moves with moderating if you're newer to yoga. They are also quick--about 25 minutes. His instruction is fantastic. It's a great workout--I'm always sweating by the middle!

I like the type of yoga workout and his style of teaching but I found the
DVD short. A 30 minute workout is not long enough for a power yoga session for me.

I developed plantar fascia (severe heel pain) while training for my first marathon. Because I kept up the intense (read insane) training to get ready for the marathon, I let it get so bad I was limping for 1 month before the marathon and 2 months after - even though I had stopped running. All that limping caused bursitis in my hip.

After the marathon, I waited 3 months to see a Sports Specialist. He told me to quit running. I did quit running for 9 months - and my injury did not get any better. Every time I tried to run, I would come back limping. Out of desperation I picked up 'Unlocking Your Athletic Power' and started doing it on a daily basis. It targets all of the trouble spots experienced by many athletes: hips, low back, hamstrings, and calves. It's only 30 min. long which made it easy to fit into my schedule, yet still do a whole lot of good.

I credit doing this DVD and seeing a chiropractor with finally getting me back up and running. I went on to run the marathon 3 more times and am currently training for my 5th. I can't recommend this DVD highly enough!