Customer Reviews

Lilias Yoga for Beginners: Flowing Postures Boxed Set [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Why is this video set so wonderful? 1. There are four tapes. One concentrates on the mind, the other two on specific parts of your body and the final on cardiovascular fitness. We all know if your mind isn't into it, sometimes you just can't push yourself to workout. It's true a run or vigorous workout does wonders for releasing stress, but you must get yourself to the workout! How many times do you decide to just sit and vegetate rather than make it to the gym or go for that run? With the "Serenity Now" video, you can calm your mind and also give your body a gentle workout that may precede the more intense three videos in the series. The "Legs and Buns" video and the "Arms and Abs" video both concentrate on specific muscle groups and parts of the body. They contain intense yet peaceful, flowing postures that really work muscles you don't even know you had! The "Cardio Challenge" video is much the same and concetrates on a series of repetitive postures, beginning slowly and quickening the pace so you're performing flowing exact movements that will definitely get that heart rate up and make the brow sweat a bit. The key here is that they're intense but they don't involve a lot of jumping around. You can obtain just as good a workout through the peacefulness and serenity of yoga than if you were to take an aerobics step class with loud pounding music and twenty or thirty others jumping around you. 2. Lilias is not concerned with fancy footwear or body baring leotards. She is a beautiful woman and not your average every day gym rat in your local workout meat market. She has a very calm presence and one that's soothing and encouraging as well. She speaks in a pleasant, calm voice and warns you of problems you might encounter while going through the combinations of poses. Her demeanor belies the tremendous strength, agility and ability with which she performs the yoga poses. It's clear she's been doing this for years and years. In fact, when I was younger, I would watch her series on PBS as she had a yoga workout program on there for quite some time. 3. You don't need 1000 square feet of shining hardwood floors to use these videos. In fact, the exercises are completed barefoot and in comfortable clothes that allow movement, not restrict it. The postures are completed in a small space so you don't have to move that coffee table! 4. You don't need yoga mats or a block although you may find these things nice to have as you advance in your practice. Lilias suggests using pillows or a belt in place of the former and these work just as well. 5. The videos appeal to a wide range of people. I am a housewife and freelance writer. I am not athletic but manage to stay fit with my daily routine and by eating sensibly. My husband, on the other hand, is an army officer who runs quite a bit. I would say he's in prime physical condition. We started doing the videos together and not only do they appeal to the both of us and they're something we can do together at the end of a long day, they get his heart rate up as well, and they're much less taxing on the joints compared to running three or so miles a day as he's done. 6. The videos are short but provide the necessary daily workout time period. Each video is around 35 minutes in length so you're not saying, "I have no time to do an hour video." Just 35 minutes works wonders. They're such fun and I feel so good after doing one, I often do another and sometimes another. 7. They really do work! I'm not going to fib here. I don't enjoy exercise unless it has to do with swimming. I've never subscribed to high (or low for that matter!) impact aerobics, gym memberships or jogging. I've tried a few other workout videos but they were either too long or involved too much jumping around or were just plain boring. The day after I completed one of Lilias' videos, I could tell a difference in my body, and just this morning, after doing the "Cardio Challenge" with my husband last night, he awoke to pleasantly sore and taut muscles- a sure sign it's working! And, look how long yoga has been around. In my time in Nepal a couple summers ago, I never saw an out of shape yogi! 8. The pleasant background music, lovely postures with beautiful names AND a different "cool down" for each of the videos adds to the appeal of this series. Above all, if you find you need something different in your life in the way of exercise, and you're looking for a way to simplify your life (time to go to the gym...money for a membership or classes) and bring more peacefulness and serenity to your presence and being, these videos are definitely for you.

I began my yoga journey with another Lillias video, that I found both encouraging and a challenge, whetting my appetite for more. Things began to transform beautifully for me, inside and out, when I purchased her Flowing Yoga Series. Already a commited daily meditation practitioner, I find my time with Lillias another beneficial exercise in centering. The best part is, in just thirty minutes a day, I began to feel my strength, balance and muscle tone improving, while enjoying the endorphic joys of daily exercise. At 42 I made my first serious aquaintance with my abdominal muscles, and found what great supportive friends we can be for each other. Lillias teaches in a most encouraging way. She even offers gentle corrections for the mistakes she recognizes we all make as we learn a new practice, as if she is in the room with me, watching. I use the tapes in rotation, offering my attention to building strength and flexibility in different parts of my body each day, without becoming bored by the routines. I highly recommend this series to anyone seeking a warm and beneficial introduction to yoga practice.

I thoroughly enjoy the gentle diverse nature of this introduction to yoga. I have found that as I get older I dislike more and more the pounding, jumping and jarring of typical exercise videos. I have been doing this set of four videos almost daily and sometimes two a day for over a month. The frequency which I choose to do these is admirable considering I am a mom of three preschool children and I work from home full time. In fact my kids enjoy trying the postures with me. All in all this is both relaxing and revitilising and I recommend it highly!

I have enjoyed Lilias for over 30 years off & on (more off than on until recently) -- I used to exercise 'with' her when she had an AM show on PBS ages ago. Some of her videos that I have done over the last couple of months seemed a little too laid back & easy -- not so with these. After doing them I feel like I've gotten a real workout & have targetted the areas that I wanted to work on.

I never thought I'd be able to do yoga because of an old back injury. Most yoga videos have too much twisting and strain for beginners or the skittish folks like me. But Lilias Folan's yoga series is wonderful. The four tapes give me enough variety so I never get tired of these routines, and they have made a real difference in how good I look and feel. They're designed so I can make them more challenging as my conditioning improves. My wife, who is in good shape, also enjoys these tapes. It's truly Yoga for everyone! Lilias has a warm, non-intimidating manner, and unlike some of the popular yoga videos, it doesn't waste time on fancy settings and show-offy postures. Highly recommended!

After being sedentary for a couple of years (grad school combined with a full-time job will do that to you), I decided it was time to exercise again. I tried a few tapes but Lilias's were the ones that really hooked me. I love the variety of the tapes -- I do all four over the course of a week and feel that I'm getting a good all-over workout. I always feel completely de-stressed after doing the tapes, and I'm quite a high-strung person. If I have any complaints, it's that "Serenity Now" is perhaps the least relaxing of the four. I'd been hoping for something a bit more meditative.

I've been attending a yoga class once a week for awhile. Before I received this set, I was stiff at the beginning of each class. I couldn't remember all the positions or the order in which they should proceed. With this set and another Lilias 2 box set, I can practice 6 days a week and attend my class on the 7th day, fully prepared and flexible. Lilias is the WOMAN. I practiced with her in the 70s on a PBS station and feel that I've reunited with an old friend. I can only hope that I've aged as gracefully as this gentle woman. I love these tapes and hope you will also.

I just got this series and, while I've only tried two of the four segments, I have to say that I'm a little disappointed. Based on the segment titles ("Cardio Challenge", "Arms and Abs" and "Legs and Buns") I was expecting more of a strenuous workout that really got my heart pumping and worked my arms, abs, legs and butt...something that I could use as a substitute for a 2-mile jog, a Tae Bo video or an intense abs/arms video. This series is definitely not that. It is a soothing, slow-paced introduction to yoga and a low-intensity workout for those who are perhaps just starting to exercise, who want a break from their usual routine or who just want to try yoga. While the series does get your blood flowing and works your muscles it's not a substitute for extended aerobic exercise or endurance/strength training. Some of the poses are challenging if you're a newcomer to yoga (like me) but Lilis is a very good instructor. I'm planning to use the series as a cool-down after my usual workout or on my "off" workout days and I look forward to learning the different poses, reducing my stress and improving my balance and flexibility.

I started doing yoga 10 years ago, and Lilias Folan was the instructor that got me hooked. I purchased her tapes back then long before DVDs became available and loved them. She is an excellent instructor, who always goes into great explanation when she does a pose so you have guidelines for proper positioning and will not injure yourself.

If you read though the large detailed review, the content is the same as what is now in the DVD. The DVD is great because you can do the entire routine, or you can just break it down into sections. All routines are done to music.

The other thing I like is that Lilias always talks during her instruction, so it feels like you are in a yoga class.

I highly advise purchasing this DVD if you are a super beginner OR like me are getting back into it after 5 years. I recently purchased Yoga for Beginners with Desi Bartlett and I don't feel it is for beginners.. It is way to advanced and she does not go into any detail to explain the poses, plus her voice is taped over the segments... just not the same.

I recommend this DVD if you are a true beginner or getting back into yoga and you want a nice, quality DVD produced in a Studio, with no frills, just Lilias doing what she does best.

Ok, I do fancy Lilias and Do keep searching for other yoga dvds that I can enjoy with as much gusto. I started doing yoga with Lilias via PBS TV back in the 70's. She is an exceptional personality and teacher. What sets her off from others is explaining WHY you are positioning your body in the pose. For example, in downward facing dog you press through the arms, so that your head goes back and your body forms a V, but this also should open up the space between your shoulder blades. Love it, she makes you feel your body and muscles. This came as a two dvd set. I prefer the arms/abs - legs buns dvd to the cardio challenge dvd although I do enjoy the serenity portion of the cardio dvd. This is an exceptional set for any beginner and will develop the flexibity and strength for continuing with a yoga practice. I wish she had intermediate fitness dvds.