Product Details

• Actors: Bryan Kest
• Directors: Randee St. Nicholas
• Producers: Diane Isaacs, John Hopgood
• Format: Box set, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 3
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: November 2, 1999
• Run Time: 54 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (497 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303548970
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,893 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Anyone wanting to get in shape like the stars need go no further than Bryan Kest's home-video workouts. Kest teaches wildly popular yoga classes in Santa Monica, California--so popular that stars like Rhea Perlman, David Duchovny, and Elisabeth Shue willingly sweat alongside the hoi polloi in Kest's packed, ancient loft studio. If you don't happen to be in the neighborhood, not to worry: Kest's yoga videos are nearly as good as being there. Volume 1, Energize, is a beginner-level class that nonetheless is smartly designed to provide challenges for all levels of users. Kest's Jersey-boy voice at first seems in contrast to the serene environment and inner-peace objectives, but it gradually becomes soothing and hypnotic in its own right. Stretches and strengthening moves are alternated with just enough repose to keep even first timers on track. After mastering Vol. 1, practitioners can go on to Volume 2, Tone, in which Kest turns up the intensity, holding a variety of twisting poses for long stretches of time. It's OK to take it easy, rest, or modify the routines to your ability, which is part of the reason the tape is so useful. You won't be turned off as a beginner-to-intermediate practitioner, but there's plenty of room to challenge yourself as an advanced athlete, too.

Volume 3, Sweat, is a slightly shorter version of the challenging class Kest teaches in person. There are still all the gentle, firm admonitions to listen to your body, not to feel competitive with anyone else in how you do the pose (and as long as you heed them, you'll do fine). But Kest combines the classic warm-ups and longer-hold poses with a rapid succession of sun salutes, which will be gratifying to the advanced yoga student, but may make a first timer feel as though he dropped in to a Rockettes rehearsal by mistake. But if you keep at it, the workout is very easy to follow, and Kest's gentle, gruff voice is so soothing you find yourself relaxing even as you're pushing your body to its limits. As long as you keep in mind his personal mantra--"If you're doing the best you can, you're doing this class perfectly"--you and Kest should have many satisfying years of workouts together. --Anne Hurley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

162 of 167 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Video, October 16, 2000

By 

Art (Riverside Ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bryan Kest - Power Yoga, Vol. 1 - Energize [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Brain Kest's videos genuine, effective,powerful. Kest has a real concern for his students including those who watch his videos. Those who snipe about him posing or being shirtless are simply missing the point. Its ok to have a beautiful, healthy body!

Kest teaching style is motivational, yet compassionate.He urges the user to modify the exercises to the user's body type rather than a precise replication of the asana urged by "old school" yoga teachers. Kest understands that most students (especially westerners) cant readily adapt their tight, rigid bodies to an Iyengar level of perfection. For them to do so would put them out of harmony with their body and possibly cause injury and needless duress.I bring this up as one reviewer ( a yoga techer) complained that some of the students in the video were not in perfect form.

Anyway, his video vol 1, is best for those who have some exercise behind them, particularly some yoga.These tapes are based on Ashtanga yoga, the most physically difficult system of yoga. An out of shape beginner will find this tape very challenging.

For those stick with it they will experience a body transformation unlike any exercise program they have or will work with. Hang in there. Youll love the way you look and feel. Namaste A

131 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn by listening and doing, June 9, 2004

By 

Reine des Coeurs "reine_des_coeurs" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bryan Kest Power Yoga Complete Collection (DVD)

I'm a yoga novice and ever since I purchased this DVD, I have consistently used it three times per week. The first few times I was unable to maintain the poses for long, but I listened carefully to Bryan's instructions and when it got to be too intense, I sat down and watched. He's a wonderful instructor and getting this DVD and learning from it was better than some live yoga classes I'd paid for and been disappointed by.

70 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rewarding Video, March 16, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bryan Kest - Power Yoga, Vol. 1 - Energize [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Reading the varied opinions of this video reminds me that we all have different needs and tastes. That's good. It makes life more interesting. I think this is a beautiful video. I have the series and have thought the producers allocated more of their budget to Video 1 than the others with the idea that "beginners" need more motivation. I liked that the class includes participants who appear to be relatively new to yoga practice. The class members display some variety of strength and flexibility. This was not an easy video for me. The first time I tried it I got through 20 minutes and thought, "No way!" Fortunately, an injury forced me to incorporate some intense stretching into my training or give up my running addiction so I kept at it. Now after more than a year doing Videos 1 & 2 several times a week I am addicted to power yoga too! Just wish these videos were available on DVD. One more thought: I am fairly flexible and had little upper body strength before I began this doing this video. This workout challenges your flexibility, strength and balance. In sharing it with others I have found that it seems more difficult for those with less flexibility to stick with this video in the beginning.