Customer Reviews

Baron Baptiste's Power & Precision - Power Yoga For Beginners [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Baron is one of my most favorite yoga teachers-him and Bryan Kest when I'm a more "hard core" practice. This is a great tape for novices or more seasoned practioners looking a "lighter" practice. Broken into four sections-Water, sun salutes from modified to full to warm you up; Fire, standing poses and lunges (it lives up to it's name your muscles will burn!); Earth, balancing poses and "core" poses to ground you; and Wind, final stretches and breathing exercises (hence the name:). I've had this tape well over a year and I use often, when I want to do power yoga but perhaps not head on. Baron is an amazing teacher who exudes a calm you want to achieve. Buy it you'll love it!

I have over 80 tapes (including the Bryan Kest Tapes which I think are excellent).

This tape is a very well rounded and challenging tape, it is intelligently sequenced and very easy to follow. I find Baron to be an excellent teacher who encourages you to challenge yourself without pushing too far.

It is broken up into four sequences of Water, Fire, Earth and Air. This tape contains many interesting sun salutations (traditional and variations) which build heat in the body,the other sequences have a well rounded series of standing poses, balancing poses, seated poses (with interesting variations as well), twists, abdominal work, and a breathing and relaxation segment (a bit on the short side, but you can always stay longer if you wish).

I just finished doing this tape a few minutes before writing this review and I can tell you I feel great!

As far as the production goes, I will say that it's a bit on the "high tech" MTV style, but to be honest with you, I found myself too involved in doing the practice to look to much at the T.V., just an glance here and there so it didn't bother me at all.

If you are looking for a Power style yoga tape with a highly experienced, expert teacher, then I think you will benefit tremendously from this tape.

Other tapes I would recommend if you like Power/Flow style yoga are Tracey Rich/Ganga White's Total Yoga "Flow series" (These are my Favorite Yoga tapes) and the original Total Yoga tape as well.)

Bryan Kest's tapes (as mentioned above)are great, a new set by Rainbeau Mars called "Sacred Yoga" (4 tape set) is a nice approach to vinyasa flow-the different tapes give you very different sorts of practices.

For more Traditional "Ashtanga" style check out David Swenson (Short forms, Primary Series etc.) and Richard Freeman's (Breathing and Relaxation if you're newer to Yoga, and his Primary series etc.) are excellent videos.

Namaste

I did this for the first time last night. I ended up drained yet refreshed, it is wonderful! A great variety of poses that leave you feeling thoroughly worked out, fast paced yet doable. Obviously not for total beginners, you do need to have a basic knowledge of the poses (I recommend Kathy Smith's New Yoga Basics, and Planet Yoga's Yoga Practice: Introduction sounds like it could be good too). I started off by ordering Bryan Kests' "beginner's" version and collapsed within 5 minutes - that was maybe 7 weeks ago and I have built up stamina since then, with the help of, among others, Buns of Steel (sic) Power Yoga - excellent for beginners. This was tough, but I worked through it all, not easily but no straining either - worked up a sweat, and enjoyed it thoroughly. The sections all make sense on their own, but doing the whole thing was perfect. I have never done such a fast moving flow of balance poses - and I wouldn't have dreamt I could - but I did! Same with a spinal twist warrior - what a buzz! And by the end, my stretch had deeopened more than ever! His instructions are insightful, detailed and encouraging. The music is inspiring, and the class background is helpful. I can't wait to work up to one of his tougher tapes - eventually!

An American friend recommended that I try Yoga because I was generally feeling unwell, and said that Baron Baptiste was very popular in her home country, plus I could hardly find any Yoga videos in Japan. I have been completely surprised by the amount of flexibility I have gained over the past 2 months, and I no longer suffer from lower back trouble or the persistent leg cramps that have plagued me since childhood. If you're feeling generally unfit, miserable and too poor to go to a gym, you'll really benefit from this video.

I got this video after reading on Mr. Baptiste reputation and fame as a power yoga instructor. I understand that this is a begginer's program and it is good in that way, since instead of calling for a pose to be performed i.e.. cobra, downward dog, warrior I, warrior II, etc.; in most cases it tells you what body parts or limbs to move to achieve such pose. So for someone with some previous knowledge of yoga, like myself, it was somewhat distracting.
The whole class is divided into four continous sessions that increase in intensity ending in relaxation and breathing exercises. I didn't appreciate the fact that there are some editing and montages in the midst of each session,I found that distracting. The best thing for me to do was, to watch it completly at first, and then rewind it and follow the tape only by listening to the instruction, glancing only occasionally over the screen to make sure I was in the correct pose.
Mr. Baptiste introduces a good array of poses that work (or stretch) every muscle on yor body so one will never get bored after a few weeks of exercising with this video. I will also try his other more famous video "Live!" and hope it would also work for me. If you're interested in working your body gently by pushing it to a higher degree, or just want to explore another side of hatha yoga, go ahead and buy this tape; if you want to expand your yoga practice and get a workout out of it, and if you have enough stamina, I will also recommend any of "Brian Kest's Power Yoga" series which are a bit more "intense" than this one.

This is my second review of this program.

I have had it now for a while and it is a favorite in my now 70 plus collection of Yoga VHS/DVD's.

This program, which is just under an hour long (minus the intro and credits) is one of Baron's easier, yet not easy, programs. I was definitely sweating though and my room wasn't heated :)

Don't let the slick production put you off or you might miss out on an excellent opportunity to practice.

Here's the basic layout of the sequence which I think speaks for itself:

WATER SERIES

Down Dog/Rag Doll/Sun Salutation "A" 2 x;s/Sun Salutation w/ low lunge 2x's/Sun Salutation "B" 2x's/Hold "Thunderbolt" pose/Uttanasana/Padahastasana/Samasthiti

FIRE SERIES

Triangle/Wide Leg Forward Bend/Warrior 1/Wide Leg Forward Bend/Warrior 2 to Side Angle Bend (Parsvakonasana)then do the same 2 poses on the left side/Wide Leg Forward Bend w/ hands clasped behind and bringing them overhead/Twisting Warrior (prayer Twist) to Warrior 2(then do same 2 poses on the left side)/Wide Leg Forward Bend (holding toes)/

EARTH SERIES

Sun Salutation "A" w/ a long Down Dog / Eagle (left arm over right/ right leg over left)/Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)/Airplane on one leg, then bring hands to the floor, then back to airplane/Tree Pose/Sun Salutation/Locust Sequence/Bow/Child's Pose/Cat flow (extended cat/arched cat)/Bridge or Wheel/Knees to chest/Pashimottanasana w/ hands crossed reaching for opposite feet, then extend one arm out while twisting and looking at extened hand and back

WIND SERIES

Navasana/Twisting Situps/One Arm "Happy Baby" (Bug) then grab toe and lift face to leg, then bring leg outward/seated twist to left while looking to the right(then repeat the entire sequence w/ the left leg)/Baddha Konasana/Janu Sirasana Variation (reach left hand to right leg) to Seated Twist to Seated Pigeon Variation (then repeat on the other side)/Seated Alternate Nostril Breathing /Seated Meditation (w/ normal breathing)/Savasana

Inhale and bring arms overhead/Exhale and lower back to the sides

That is basically the routine as far as the overall sequence goes. It's very thorough yet very doable and I think Baron does a great job of leading you through the program as always!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Namaste

Like Bryan Kest Videos, this is a mess. Poorly directed its more about the teacher instead of the practice. You hardly see anything but Byron huffing around. The poses are presented in a catch as catch can grab a shot if it happens to be there type of production. I had high hopes but this is depressing and it cost twenty bucks. Save your money.