Customer Reviews

Budokon: Flow and Flexibility Yoga

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

 

 

I rented this online & wow, Cameron does NOT fool around. Even though this is mainly a 55 min advanced yoga workout in terms of stretching & body awareness, this has many poses & movements that are from Martial arts like Kung Fu, Judo, grappling movements.
The workout is great in that it's interactive that if when demonstrating a move, if you need more instruction, by simply hitting the enter button, you can access the detailed instruction in the tutorial. Automatically it will take you back to the workout right before he does the move so you can then follow along more easily.
The set is simple & the lighting/production values are high quality gorgeous.

There are many menu choices:
Play:
55 min workout
Tutorial:
70 min of Cameron teaching you slowly w/a model for several minutes for each of the 18 movements/poses since many he does are not in any other workouts out there that I know of.
DVD Settings:
Audio - music & voice, music only, voice only, commentary
Meditation - w/ or w/o beginning or end or both
Spinal Warm-up - w/ or w/o
DVD Extras:
Bloopers - Cameron's running joke of play attacking the marker guy many times, love his down-to-earth, modest line for re-doing over & over the 5 min meditation portion, "I mean how many times do we need to see me mystical'?" him pretending to be an '80s aerobic instructor & other honest, commendable bloopers.
Action Demo - Cameron showing his amazing flexibility, martial arts mastery & yoga advanced poses strength. Also has him & another guy showing advanced martial arts fighting/grappling that are awesome.
Trailers - his other recent dvds of this series & movie 11th hour

This is not for those who don't work out regularly & don't have good body strength like being able to do a crow or better strength. This is also not for those who aren't at least advanced beginner yoga practitioners who know the basic poses & can execute them safely.
I tried this workout, and got about 15 min before he did that switch feet pose that requires you hold your body weight on your straight arms for a second at a time & I couldn't do it.
I enjoyed the beginning starting with a 5 min meditation, then cat/cobra switching poses, downward dog/cobra switching poses, downward dog/bent knee/foot to hand stretch, bent knee/foot to hand hip opener though & my spine & hips felt much more relaxed.

Video previews & more at his site: Budokon com

Edit 2/2009: Since there seems to be some confusion, I never stated that the crow is done in the workout. I only mentioned the pose to give an IDEA of how much upper body strength will be required to be able to do this workout. Check the comment on this review for more details. I welcome any other reviewers to help explain the flowing moves that are done to help people make an informative decision on whether to buy this as I have done my best to. Rebecca Johnson also attests to the upper body strength required in her Budokon: Power and Agility Yoga review.

I really enjoyed this DVD. I feel that this workout is the easiest of all three tapes. While this workout is by no means simple, it is will get you moving and help you build up strength for the next ones. This tape has no balance on your hands type work (i.e. no crow positions). My advice: start with this DVD then move up.

For anyone who has ever bought a workout DVD and been disappointed that said DVD was something other than what they expected -- this is not that DVD. It is exactly what it says, and it does what it says it does to your body. I bought all three DVD's but this first one is the only one I've tried so far. I also own Brian Kest's "Power Yoga" and several Rodney Yee Yoga DVD's. I have purchased Baron Baptist's videos also but, since I had Brian Kest and Rodney Yee, I didn't see a need to confuse myself with something else, so I gave them to my sister.

I wanted to give this Budokon a try because I am a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and wanted something that incorporated what I love to do anyway with a eye towards fitness rather than martial arts. What's so nice about this program is that he very clearly gives a lesson on each of the various new moves independent of the actual workout. That way you can practice the moves, then get into the workout. So many DVD's just jump right in and expect you to keep up. Not this one.

Anyway, very highly recommended. I use it as much as my Brian Kest DVD.

I loved this workout. It's fun and challenging and I feel like a ninja while I do it ;).
It's got a lot of the standard yoga postures (up and down dog, warriors 1 and 2) but puts them together in flowing enchainements. The flow sequences remind me of Shiva Rea's graceful style but with a little more punch (no pun intended).

Just look at Cameron Shayne and you know he is a master of his craft. I recently started doing Budokon at a local yoga studio and my instructor is also amazing. She exudes grace and power from the moment she walks in the room. I hope one day to be as strong and in control as she is. One of the cool things about Budokon is that it can't be taught by just anyone with a certificate. I am not saying anything bad about yoga -- I love yoga, but anyone can teach it that has done their 200 hrs. Budokon is taught and certified only by Cameron himself. If I get the opportunity to train with him I will do it in a second. I don't think anyone should look at this as just a workout. It stays with you -- It is about the meditation and awakening. There must be strength in each pose and transition alike. Anyone who does do yoga will benefit from using more legs and butt, more power in intensely controlled movements, and you will really strengthen your wrists and shoulders. It is more challenging than yoga, I have to say. I sprained my ankle a little over a month ago and was back at yoga in a couple weeks but I am still unable to do many of my favorite Budokon moves (because of the strong demi point and rolling up using the tops of feet). Overall, I am so much stronger already from this practice. Physically and mentally. Budokon stems from martial arts so there is a respect for The Source, a connection to all things, a lot of Buddhist philosophy. For Christians or religious types -- Buddism is not a religion. It is a state of mind. Read about it, or just listen. He is not trying to push anything on you, that is not what it is about at all, but honestly if you don't understand and you are just doing this for the" workout" it won't do you much good. You must have an open mind, not resist. Be able to be intensely still and then intensely active. It creates the most amazing energy if you really let go and feel it for what it is meant to be.

I've been doing the beginning practice for a couple months and like it, but it is not as integrated a workout as the the rest of the DVD's. Flow and Flexibility is a quantum leap past the beginning practice, but it is easier than Power and Agility or Strength and Balance (which is the most challenging). I bought them all not knowing the order they should be attempted. The style of the beginning practice much different and getting the next disc is good to use to practice some of the techniques because the level of core and leg strength needed is higher for the Flow and Flexibility (and the other discs).

Some of the moves are pretty advanced so if you are not familiar with yoga, do not start here. That said, it is an impressive workout and he demonstrates and explains all the moves, which helps a lot.

Dream come true. I have always wanted to be able to do the movies like in the movies and this definitely will help me reach my goal! I just did it once and I was already doing the rolls to standing position.

I now have four of these dvds. I really like budokon. It is difficult and doable. I am still working on my fluidity with this workout, but feel amazing while I'm doing it and afterwards. If you haven't done Budokon and you like yoga and martial arts moves, this is great!!

First of all, this really is a great DVD. This is the only Budokon workout I have ever tried, so I can't compare it to the others. While I do enjoy the workout and do feel challenged by it, it is not one I alway return to.

Also, I can't help but feel a little cheated, 15 minutes of the 55 minute routine are spent just breathing (5 at the beginning and 10 at the end). For this reason, I only consider this a 40 minute workout. But that is not to say the 40 minutes are not challenging. I enjoy the bursts of martial arts thrown into the DVD, and I enjoy the flow. I always feel good after doing this DVD, but it just is not one I return to frequently.

I also own the Mark Blanchard 3 DVD Progressive Power Yoga set, which is another set that challenges me, but I find it difficult to motivate myself to do them. Maybe I'm not much of a yoga person. I have tried Rodney Yee, Ravi & Ana, and a few others, but I have yet to find one I love. I want to enjoy yoga more, but I just can't get into it (I should mention I am an avid workout video enthusiast, with a large library). So with all that said, this is one of my favourite yoga DVDs.