Customer Reviews

Kathy Smith - Ultimate Yoga (New Yoga Basics / New Yoga / New Yoga Challenge)

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

 

 

I really enjoyed the yoga programs on this DVD, the advanced class is especially challenging and well explained, but the camera work is unfortunately a whole different story! FAR too much time is spent focusing on Kathy and not necessarily on the parts of her body which she is doing the yoga position with. The advanced program is actually led by a very knowledgeable man and is just wonderful, but part of the time he is explaining important positioning and proper alignment, what do we see but a close up of Kathy's face! What is UP with THAT? If one has a strong background in yoga, it may be best just to listen and not to watch the screen. Overall, this DVD provides a wonderful, well balanced workout and provides some of the best instructions of any of the Yoga DVDS I've used, but doesn't always provide the appropriate visuals to go along with the verbal instructions.

I have done an individual review of all three DVDs so I will keep this one relatively short :)

I've been doing Yoga daily for 9 years and have a great deal of Yoga Videos/DVD's by many different teachers (over 80 programs).

I will be the first to admit that I was extremely skeptical about what I initially perceived to be a fitness queen jumping on the Yoga bandwagon. After trying all three of them out from my local library I ordered them almost immediately to have in my home collection!

Kathy Smith explains (at the beginning of the program) that she had actually been doing Yoga for 20 or so years (at the time that she first recorded these programs). It is clear that though she is involved in many fitness pursuits, she obviously has a sincere interest in and commitment to Yoga at least as a physical practice.

She was also smart enough to get one of the best Yoga teachers in the world, Rod Stryker, to help her put this series together. They are each very different from each other so you can alternate them depending on your experience or energy level without them becoming redundant.

They are all very thorough and contain clear instruction as well as being beautifully demonstrated and filmed.

Highly recommended!

Namaste

Give her a break, guys! This is the first and only yoga program I have seen and while it is challenging it is by no means impossible or asking too much. I really appreciated her 'breaking it down' so much since I had never tried yoga before. If you can't follow her, and I couldn't at first, there are also a man and a woman behind her that are using simpler versions of the positions. The only problem I had was readying myself mentally, I was kind of self-conscious and giggly when I tried it with my friend, but when I tried it by myself something clicked. Now I am addicted, thanks to this set. And, the harder versions give me a goal to work toward! And, best of all the price is right!! Thanks Kathy, your fan, Susan

The instruction of the director is good. However, there is no obvious different between three tapes. The beginner DVD and advance DVD are very similar.
Actually I think it waste money too buy a series.

This video series is good for all, however, if you have already been doing yoga, you may find the beginner and even the intermediate levels to be a bit on the slow side. I really enjoyed the advanced level and felt that it was well paced and comprehensive of what a 35 -40 min. class would provide. Everything is explained well and you do not have to be a yogini to enjoy.

I have used this video for a few years now and needed to upgrade to a DVD set. Kathy Smith is easy to follow and has done wonders to relieve my back pain. This is a good start for someone beginning Yoga.

This is a good seties that takes one from a first time on up. Kathy Smith does a great job at explaining the basic positions and breathing. Something that I've found lacking in other dvds. My wife was a first timer and was able to follow everything. I'm not advanced enough to comment on the quality of the advanced routines, but recomment the series for people who are learning.

I have taken 2 Beginner yoga classes and asked my sister to get me a tape or CD to work with at home. The first so-called 'Beginner' CD is much too difficult for the average beginner. It takes you through poses we never even touched on in the classes I've taken. Kathy Smith has you hold the poses too long and you have to use some props which means you have to stop and get things. The 'Intermediate' CD isn't much better but incorporates some poses that could have been on the beginner CD. At this rate, there's no way I'm ever going to get to the 'Advanced' CD. Wouldn't recommend this series unless you're at least at the 'Intermediate' yoga level.