Customer Reviews

Lower Body Yoga For Beginners

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Though I agree with other reviewers that this DVD seemed more "advanced" or "intermediate" and also that the voiceover is off at times from the action, I really LOVE this DVD. I really feel like it works--I've noticed a big difference in the muscles in my legs after using this program regularly. Also, the program is a nice length. It also stretches my capacities just enough to be challenging, but not so much that I can't do it. I really recommend this DVD to anyone who is looking for a yoga program that pushes them a little harder and is more of a "workout" than some others. I also recommend it to people who have some practice with yoga already, not people who are just starting out.

I have a lot of Gaiam videos and this is the only one that I have been disappointed in. This video is not for beginners. I consider myself to be an advanced beginner and I had a hard time with this one. Most beginners could not do half of what she does. She only shows modifications at the end which doesn't do much good. She does the half moon, warrior 3 and another balancing pose that I am sorry but I do not know the name of. (Looks like a tea pot pouring tea). They aren't advanced poses, but they aren't real easy either. She also moves into them rather quickly, I couldn't keep up. I kept up better with Rodney Yees Power Yoga (not for beginners)! Even the stretches she does in the end are impossible for someone who is not extremely flexible. Better know some modifications to do this one. I was really frustated, almost gave up. The reason I gave it a two and not a one is because I think it would be great for someone more advanced(but it says for beginners). As always with Gaiam, the scenery is beautiful. I may pull it out again in a year or so.

I am a yoga teacher and this sequence is most certainly not for beginners.

Most practices begin with deep breathing and connecting to the inner self, to take the student into the body and out of the mind. Next a beginner might want to be introduced to some warm up poses like cat/cow, kneeling lunge, etc. to warm the body up. In this video the first sequence begins with downward facing dog, that's held for much too long.

As the model transitions into lunges, her body moves fluidly, like that of a dancer or one who has practiced yoga for many years. Most new students cannot lift the back leg in downdog and then smoothly transition it into a lunge. Often the students uses his/her hand is used to grasp the ankle to bring it up to the front of the mat, to place it between the hands. This modification should be mentioned if indeed this sequence is for beginners. It's these type of errors that make this a poor dvd for beginners. The poses are correctly shown, but perhaps a "beginner model" should be used to present the pose with modifications.

I will admit that the verbal cues such as "broaden across your back" while in downdog and keep the front leg vertical while in the lunge are the type of cues that help a new student. The instructions on breathing are also very helpful.

Overall, I can a see beginner becoming very frustrated with this DVD and thinking that he/she cannot do yoga.

I've been using this tape on VHS for years and finally had to upgrade to the DVD. I'd say it's on the advanced side of the Beginner's category, which was great because it kept me challenged at first and is something I still keep in the rotation. It should be noted, however, that it's mostly flowing yoga (often referred to now as Power Yoga), so compared to other Beginner's titles, this may be more challenging and will definitely get your heart rate up.

I also like that it's only about 30 minutes, so I can almost always fit it in.

Fantastic quick moving, flowing practice! This program got my body heat up and my heart rate up. I felt GREAT afterwards. I felt like I worked my entire body, but yet felt limber at the same time.

I would agree with other reviewers that this is probably not a program for beginners. I would recommend this program to people who:

1. like a fast moving, flowing workout
2. are looking for a more physical practice
3. have some experience with yoga (intermediate beginner, or intermediate)
4. are fairly flexible

I also would agree with other reviewers that the audio dubbing is off some, but this happens in a lot of yoga DVDs and it doesn't bother me too much. If that is something that bothers you - the dubbing not always being EXACTLY on queue with the movement - you may get annoyed by this DVD. But I find that you can either watch the screen and ignore the dubbing (and only move when she moves), OR listen to the dubbing and just not watch it.

I've done yoga off and on in the past, both via video and also live classes. This video is definitely not for beginniners. Some of the poses are intermediate (at least in the live class they were) and in that class we moved into these poses much more slowly and used props to help us. 10 minutes into the DVD, she has you doing the triangle pose and another one (whose name I forget) where you stand on one leg with one arm touching the ground and the other arm and leg in the air. And this moves alone at a fast clip.

I'm also taking away another star because there's no warm up and her verbal cues do not always match what she's doing. You have to be able to watch the DVD to follow her prompts - not an easy thing to do when you're in down dog! Otherwise I liked this DVD and would recommend it for intermediates. It has beautiful scenery and Suzanne Deason herself is a pleasant and likable teacher to spend some time with. It just seems to be mislabeled as "beginner."

this video is very addicting. i am not one for working out, and i do not have alot of time either. i felt better and more relaxed after doing the yoga. i have tried others but this one is far the best. i did feel more toned up, but i wasn't looking to go down a few sizes either. my clothes were just a little bit loser after a month. but i felt great and i looked foward to doing the yoga.

is the backdrop for this 25-minute yoga DVD. It's called lower body, but this vinyasa practice addresses more than just the lower body. After a brief 3-minute introduction Suzanne, who is alone, guides us through a series of postures using a voice-over. She does not use any Sanskrit terms, and anyone who is bothered by some of the more mystical practices will feel very comfortable with this one. It is labeled beginner, but the poses she shows are not modified. Fortunately, there is a segment at the end which demonstrates modifications using a strap or a block. There is quiet, pleasant music in the background, similar to that heard in other Gaiam yoga DVDs.

As many have said, this workout is challenging and not for beginners. It makes no effort to make a first time practitioner comfortable with yoga, and indeed is so intimidating in parts that I can see a true beginner simply shutting it off and finding another workout. Knowledge of yoga poses is assumed and transitions may look simple on screen, but a beginner would struggle with moving from downward dog to lunge.

I enjoy the workout, and it does get your heart rate going a bit, and your body feels great when you are done, but this video is not at all for beginners. I am only giving two stars because the workout is decent.

I have done Yoga before, so I am not a true beginner. I purchased this, though, since it said "lower body" and that is where I need to focus. I love the scenery of this DVD, love the fluid movements, and love how she explains moves. However, this goes by too fast. There is barely enough time to get into one pose before she moves on to another. If you're a beginner, this can be difficult (or if you're overweight like me and need time to get into positions). I think this would have been perfect had they allowed a smidge more time in between movements while still keeping the fluidity.