Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Gaiam, Inc.
• VHS Release Date: October 15, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005RJ1F
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,588 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Excellent, Excellent for the beginner, June 13, 2002

By 

Minnesota Raven "Viking Vixen" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hot Yoga - The Power yoga Method: The Initail Challenge/ Level 1 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I happened to stumble upon this series of 3 yoga instruction videos. This tape is tape 1 with tape 2 being for the intermediate person and tape 3 being for someone advanced. It's clear from watching the video that Baron is used to teaching. He begins the tape by explaining that unlike a lot of exercise programs yoga is about trying and always trying to get it perfect and that no two people are going to do each and every exercise the same because we are all different. So for me, the novice yoga practioner it was good to hear that you weren't expected to be able to complete the moves but to give it a chance and eventually I would.

I expected weird music, chanting and a snail's pace. Not at all much to my delight. Baron refers to this a power yoga for a reason and that is because he moves at a crisp pace and I have worn a heart rate monitor and have found that my heart has no problem getting into the fat burning target zone. That having been said please note that if you need to go slower you should that's what yoga is all about, go at your own pace. The tape is in 3 distinct sections. The first one is essentially a core warmup and stretching segment that is awesome for everyday use. The second section is more about stabilization and balance and the third section is about building strong abs and back.

When I first started doing this video I couldn't touch my toes, I couldn't hold the downward dog pose (you are an inverted V with hands and feet on the floor) for more than 15 seconds because of weak arms and shoulders and I couldn't do one pushup on my toes and I don't even want to talk about core strength. Within a week I was touching my toes and feeling flexibility in my hamstrings that I had never felt before.

I often just do one of the three 15 minute segments when I get busy and that does me good. I now have six other yoga tapes and I keep going back to this one because it is so effective. By now I have memorized the first 15 minute segment and often incorporate it into my routine while traveling for work or on vacation. If nothing else you will feel quite energized afterwards and it will keep you limber.

So if you want straight forward yoga, to build strength and balance this tape in a series of 3 will do the trick. Oh by the way did I mention the awesome job it did in reshaping my waistline.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Repetitive and too much talking, October 15, 2002

By 

Martine Davis (the Midwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hot Yoga - The Power yoga Method: The Initail Challenge/ Level 1 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I was disapointed in this video for several reasons. Maybe the problem was that I had never done a Baron Baptiste video before and I didn't expect him to talk non-stop throughout the entire series. I mean he never comes up for air ! So if you use yoga strictly to exercise and you need someone to "pump you up and motivate you" he tries to do that. Personally, I use yoga routines to not only get a workout but also to relax and de-stress and someone yakking through the entire session is not my idea of relaxing. I much prefer Wai Lana's videos where she softly tells you the moves and then lets you experience it in silence. I also didn't care for the endless repetitions of the same moves, it got quite boring. I didn't count them but it seems some asanas were done 15 times, a bit much for me. Otherwise, the sessions were invigorating and effective.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and educating!, February 16, 2003

By 

Rizzo (Nowhere) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hot Yoga - The Power yoga Method: The Initail Challenge/ Level 1 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

To anybody embarking on yoga challenge as a way to a toner, flexible, fit body, start with this tape. Baptiste divides it into three segments and stresses that you can do one or all three.

Repetition on some forms helps that YOU learn the form and you become advanced; remember this is a beginner's workout. I like repetition on some moves; you just become better, you do them smoother. He then focuses on lower body strength and toning or to correct imbalances in the lower body. The third section concentrates on the abs and obliques. Excellent stretches of the spine.

Baptiste talks this way through, guiding you on proper form, he mingles throughout his group of perfect-body athletes who works with him, as he reinforces that they, too, do it correctly. This group of athletes takes this very serious.

He uses phrases to inspire and motive like: awaken the power, awaken your spirit, removing the blocks, hands to heaven.

For starters, this is good!....Rizzo