Customer Reviews

Kathy Smith - New Yoga Basics for Beginners [VHS]

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This video was my first real intro to yoga (after first purchasing, viewing and returning yoga Journal's Yoga for Flexibility - for beginners (not)- with Patricia Walden). I love this tape. Kathy is great explaining the moves, all moves are done slowly and deliberately, and one of the things I love about this video is she focuses on the individual pose and the pose is held, rather than flowing more quickly from one pose to the next. Kathy explains how the viewer should be breathing through the pose, and she keeps reminding you to do so. she has an obvious passion for yoga and for instructing yoga and introducing yoga to newbies. She is excellent. I purchased this and New Yoga at the same time thinking that this tape might be too easy for me (having been out of shape at the time and with no yoga experience, I know better now). You can probably guess, I was WRONG. Just because this tape is slow and relaxing does not mean it is not challenging. I'm still challenged, 3 months later, but I've also graduated to New Yoga. This tape now for me is extremely relaxing yet deliberate and solid. I think it will be in rotation for a long time to come.

The use of this tape will lead you to thoroughly enjoy yoga, as I do. Having both of Kathy Smith's introductory and intermediate versions, New Yoga Basics and New Yoga, the former is the choice for the beginner. Even with New Yoga Basics, there are a couple of difficult poses; however, with several months practice, you should be able to do with ease. Three aspects make this tape stand out from the others. First, you are given sufficient time in the pose to feel the stretch. Second, during the time holding the stance, Kathy gives suggestions on correct form. I felt she thoroughly covered how ones body should be aligned while in each posture. Third, she reminded throughout the video to take long, slow and deep breaths. Also when you should inhale during the movement and exhale. This video is most effective in teaching the beginning student, because Kathy gives you adequate time and tips about proper form. She also emphasizes the importances of breathing to induce relaxation and supply the muscles and brain with the necessary element for energy - oxygen.

I began practicing yoga a few weeks ago and this was the first video I tried; it is still my #1 choice for home yoga workouts. I felt the results of the workout immediately; after 2 days I saw small, but noticible improvements in balance and flexibility and I was slightly sore in all the right places. After each workout I feel refreshed, calm, and relaxed. Kathy has a soothing voice that interjects instruction on breathing and positions at all the perfect times. It seems like she knows exactly what you are doing wrong and tells you, making you concentrate on correcting it. She tells you what should be happening and what you should not be doing. It is also nice that she states the purpose of each pose is in regard to the parts of your body that are being exercised. The easy-to-follow poses are held for the right amount of time; as soon as you think you can't stay in the pose any longer, it is over. After doing the video two times, I was able to follow simply by listening to Kathy's instruction rather than looking at the screen. The workout time (approx. 50 minutes) is also perfect. I highly recommend this video for yoga basics, breathing, stretching, and toning. I'm 20, but my 14 year old sister and 50 year old mother are always jumping in to my home yoga workouts; they love this video too. Make sure you watch it a couple times before actually participating and it will be much more rewarding.

This is an excellent Yoga video. There is emphasis on proper breathing and form. Her calls and timing are right on the money so You can do the routine with just the audible cues after practicing the tape a few times. Easy enough for the beginner and hard enough to be challenging for people with some experience. I have taken Yoga from 4 different instructors and own over 20 tapes. I really like this video tape. When I do Yoga, I feel good and my back feels great.(after 3 auto accidents that is saying a lot) When I recently stopped practicing, my upper and lower back went into spasms for a week and my Dr. put me on medications. Within a day of practicing this tape, all back pain was gone. I can't promise you the same results, but it works for me. Thank You Kathy Smith!!!

If you are truly a beginner, as I am -- this is the video to start with. As a newbie to yoga, I've purchased 5 different "beginner" tapes. Most caused frustration and discouragement. The Rodney Yee and Suzanne Deason tapes by Living Arts were just too fast paced and challenging for me. But Kathy Smith's New Yoga Basics is perfect. The pace is slow enough so you have time to get into the pose...her instruction on alignment is very specific...and the poses are challenging without being impossible. After doing this workout only twice -- I think I'm already hooked on yoga. Thanks Kathy!!

If you are already in decent shape this is a good tape for beginners to Yoga. I tried Yoga about a year ago on a tape for "beginners" and it was soooo difficult and they used so many props that I was very discouraged and quit. I decided to try another tape since I can't afford Yoga lessons. This tape is not too difficult if you are already in good health and in shape from exercising and it stretches your muscles and relaxes you. Don't use this as a way to lose weight - this is basically just for reflection, relaxation, balance and stretch and is great to be used in combination with aerobic workouts. You will need a mat, a blanket, a chair, a towel and a belt. It lasts about 55 minutes but goes very quickly.

This 55 minute tape is a wonderful introduction to Yoga. Kathy Smith starts with breathing, moves on to floor poses, then to standing poses and then to relaxation. Some of the poses are challenging for a beginner and she warns you about that in advance so you don't feel discouraged. Her voice over instructions are calm and easy to follow. Best of all, she conveys that she really enjoys yoga and that enthusiasm is great. This is a real treat.

This is an amazing tape (if you can get past the first 5 minutes of commercials for her other workout videos!!). I found after 3 sessions, I was able to do some poses on the tape that I couldn't do the first time! I feel so relaxed during and after the workout. Soothing music, not-too-crazy poses, breathing etc. I really like how Kathy does the voiceover....i think she taped her voice while watching the video after she made it. It is really helpful because she is so descriptive that when you are in mid-pose you don't have to look at the video to know what to do next. She constantly reminds you not to overstretch and to breathe correctly. I've been doing it for 2 weeks now and probably in another month I will try the intermediate video. It's not just a workout, it's a way of life. The whole thing takes about 55 minutes, but you can't imagine how good you will feel when it's done....relaxed and centered. FYI, I got the same intense muscle workout doing this yoga tape that I did with the Body-for-Life program.

A beginner is someone with very little or no experience. I have not had formal yoga classes, having learned what little I know from an old Lilias Folan Yoga book. This is not a good video for the true beginner. Breathing and reflection are two of the most important parts of yoga and I don't feel Kathy goes into enough detail. I would not recommend this video to someone who wanted to give yoga a try to see what it was all about. Some of the positions are too difficult for beginners. It would be a good workout for someone with a little more experience in yoga, somewhere between beginner and intermediate.

I had used Kathy Smith's yoga tape years ago and found it easy to use, even for someone as uncoordinated as I am! So, when looking for a yoga DVD to relax and get toned after chasing my two-year-old son all day, this seemed like a good choice. I wasn't disappointed.

The instruction is clear and there are frequent reminders how to get into the pose and signs that you may be doing it incorrectly. I also like Kathy's comments about which poses may be more difficult for beginners. Helped to remind me it was alright not to be able to do them my first weeks at it.

My only complaint is that the DVD is so long -- about an hour to complete the program. However, I can also understand an ACCELERATED yoga program kind of defeats the point of learning to relax!

A good DVD for people who want an introduction to yoga or just want to learn to relax after a busy day while getting toned in the process.