Customer Reviews

Baron Baptiste's Power Yoga 3-Pack

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

 

 

I have never written a review, but I felt I needed to for this one because I am SO disappointed! I was so psyched to see a "new" power yoga set from Baron - but this isn't new. Its a re-release of the series he did in '96. I'd thought it could be, but in the description of these 3 DVDs they give a new title for each, so I decided to gamble. I'm very sorry I did!

I've only looked at the first DVD, but knowing that the 3 were filmed as a series, I'm not looking forward to #2 and #3. This one is filmed on an ugly set (I don't know how else to describe it!) with about 8 "yoga models" (not real people in a real class) wearing matching outfits probably provided by Danskin. His teaching is 7 years less experienced and it shows. And the music -- electronica from the '80s. Not music for yoga practice.

I LOVE Baron Baptiste. If you want to do Baptiste Power Yoga, buy his LIVE! DVD. In it, you get 3 separate workouts, his instruction is clear and safe, the people in the class have real bodies, and the music is by Krishna Das -- wonderful for practice. (If it is out of stock at Amazon, try his personal website: ...)

This is my first experience both with Baron Baptiste and with power yoga. I started with the more relaxed yoga practice but found it only acceptable before bed. I switched to pilates for about a year and found it better, but felt only slightly challenged. Then I took a gamble on Baron Baptiste and this "power yoga" thing. The poses are challenging and I find myself really working to get through them. My muscles work in a manner very similar to how they work when I'm lifting weights. I also love that I feel the burn well after I'm done. Yoga that makes me want to take on the world instead of taking a nap.

Another reviewer complained that the series only repeated his other work. I am not familiar with his work, so I cannot comment on this. Dvd 1 is divided into 3 workouts - sun salutations, lower body and abs - which you may do together or individually if you're pressed for time. I found the smaller segments challenging enough. Dvd 2 and dvd 3 are not broken into segments. This is the only reason that I cannot give this set 5 stars. It's a rare occasion that I have 75 minutes or 45 minutes to devote to the workouts. I also have not built up the stamina (yet) to be able to last for this long either. It is a problem for me that you can't easily select the area you prefer to focus on.

Overall, I love the set and power yoga. This is my favorite workout by far. I'll be checking out the Live series for a little variety, since I am doing these dvds daily.

This DVD is a great value. First, it has an outstanding yoga for athletes section, with a pre-sport warmup, post-sport leg-strengthening and stretching series, and a terrific abdominal routine. This alone is worth the price of the DVD if you are any kind of athlete and want to play harder and smoother with fewer aches and pains. The ab routine is also among the best I've ever seen, in that it focuses on using the abdominals to move the whole body instead of just "burning" the abs for aesthetics. Workout two is a really challenging workout on the order of Bryan Kest's 1995 series, with slightly more emphasis on balancing poses and slightly less emphasis on holding leg poses. This is one of the most challenging yoga workouts out there and will leave you feeling great. Number three is less spectacular but still a good workout -- it is essentially the Ashtanga first series cut in half and toned down to make it accessible to less adventurous yogis. Workout #3 is also good because it introduces the key yoga concepts of yoga breathing, internal muscle control or "locks" and the use of the gaze to aid concentration. Yes, the feng shui of the set may not be all it could be, Baron wears a silly headband and the music is cheesy, but really, who cares? When my VHS tapes of these workouts wear out, you know I will be getting this DVD.

This is my favorite set of yoga cd's ever! I love Baron Baptiste's style, and that even the easy level is hard enough for a good workout. I've used these individually as VHS until the tapes broke and then had to replace them. YAY!

Baron Baptiste may be a great teacher but you wouldn't know it from these videos. Some of the worst Yoga videos I've ever seen... And I've seen a lot. The only reason I gave it a star at all was because I couldn't submit a review without it.

I think people should note when they are selling DVDS that they skip. So disappointed and wasted my money.

i love baron and i'm sure the videos are great but the ones that I bought were scratched.

This pack of 3 DVDs includes the initial challenge, the next challenge and the ultimate challenge. All three are very technical, with easy to follow instructions. Baron's voice is easy to listen to and the only reason I am selling it, is that I have another set as a gift.