Customer Reviews

A.M. and P.M. Yoga

5 star:		(153)
4 star:		(71)
3 star:		(29)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I purchased this DVD shortly after beginning a regular Yoga class, so that I would be able to practice at home in my spare time. At first, I found this DVD to be a little too easy, in contrast with the class, but over time have grown to love it. I usually skip the relaxation part (at the beginning) and go right into the A.M. Yoga with Rodney Yee. Not only is the music soothing to the ear, but Rodney's voice is very calming and his nearly-naked body is in perfect shape. The A.M. portion features several stretches that really "wake up" the body and prepare it for the day ahead. His focus on the lower body (especially the part where he uses the strap) really works wonders. The P.M. section, with Patricia Walden is a little more difficult, but just as effective.
The beauty of this DVD is, that the workouts are short, and therefore much easier to fit in to a busy schedule than some of the other 70 minute Yoga DVDs out there. If you have never done Yoga before, I believe that this would be the perfect place to start. Warning: It can be addictive. I now almost suffer from withdrawl if I go too long without doing some kind of Yoga on a regular basis.
This DVD is considered a beginner's workout, which means the poses are not too complicated and are held for very short periods of time. Once you have mastered a DVD like this, try Rodney Yee's intermediate DVDs. Then you will explore much more difficult poses, held for longer periods of time, which can be very challenging. With both intermediate & beginner's Yoga, it is very rewarding to find that poses that seem initially impossible become easy with continued practice (and patience).
I have since purchased several other Yoga DVDs and Videos, and must admit that the A.M. Yoga workout is still the one I do the most. If your life is full of stress, pop in A.M. and P.M. Yoga for Beginners and melt the tension away. Namaste.

I've got about half a dozen yoga DVDs and I find that this is the one I use the most often because it is not physically demanding, but is really effective.

The Rodney Yee program (AM) is shorter and focuses mainly on stretching out the back; I find it really helps when I've got any kind of lower back problem or just at stretching me out and getting me ready for the day.

The Patricia Walden program (PM) is slightly longer and focuses more on standing poses; it also has a very good deep relaxation at the end.

The only disadvantage to these Gaim DVDs is that they are programmed so that you have to play a longish commercial for all of their other products (what exacly is "organic clothing" anyway?) before you can start your workout. If you use the DVD regularly, the commercial gets really annoying after you've seen it about 20 times.

But all in all, this is a very useful DVD. It's accessible for beginners but also useful for people who've been doing yoga for a while but are looking for a short, focused, effective workout.

This DVD contains two excellent yoga practices which are perfect for virtually all levels of yoga practitioners, particularly advanced beginners to intermediates. Although both practices are labelled as being 20 minutes long, the actual time varies a bit: AM Yoga has a 4-minute breathing exercise followed by a 12-minute yoga program, and PM Yoga is approximately 24 minutes. Although both of these programs are probably doable to those new to yoga, they do assume some prior familiarity with the poses (total yoga newbies will find Yoga Journal's Yoga Practice for Beginners to be an excellent place to start). I have been practicing yoga for several years and am now at an intermediate level, but I continue to use both of these practices on a regular basis.

AM Yoga provides a practice so gentle that I've frequently performed it upon first waking up and while still in my pajamas. The simple breathing exercise helps your mind to focus, and then the basic twists and other poses which follow help your body to awaken. The practice is led by Rodney Yee, an excellent instructor who provides flawless cuing and who has an extremely calm, soothing voice--ideal for anyone who is not a morning person! PM Yoga is a very nice practice for winding down, relaxing, and stretching. It also begins with a short focus on breathing, encouraging you to turn your attention inward "where it's quiet." The practice moves from a seated to a kneeling position and also includes traditional standing poses such as a warrior and lunges. This is a great end-of-day workout or a quick practice to fit in anytime you need to relax. Patricia Walden is also a very good instructor, but her cuing is not quite as accurate as Rodney's.

Overall, I highly recommended this DVD as an essential component of your yoga home practice collection.

I never understood the appeal of yoga before. I bought this DVD, and now I see why people love yoga so much. I had tried another yoga tape and other exercise tapes before, but most were not nearly as good as this one. I am now hooked. There are two 20 minute yoga segments. The first is called "AM Yoga" with Rodney Yee, and the second segment, called "PM Yoga", is with Patricia Walden. Both segments were terrific, but I especially enjoyed the "AM" segment with Rodney Yee. I found that during his section I could listen to Yee peacefully talk me through the poses without being glued to the tv screen. It allowed me to really enjoy the DVD more. When I was finished with his 20 minute segment, I felt so relaxed - it was surprising...I am looking now for other Yee DVD's. On the second segment, it wasn't as easy to follow the instructor. I imagine it would be easier to follow after a week of sessions to get used to it. Still, this is an excellent DVD for anyone curious about the appeal of yoga and looking for an excellent intro. You won't be doing any moves that are too advanced or aerobic in this DVD, but it is extremely relaxing. Also, the 20 minute segments are great for busy people who don't have endless amounts of time to fit in exercise. This is a great investment overall.

I practice yoga every morning and evening, so I'm always looking for new practices. This one has beautiful scenery and music, but I didn't care for the AM practice. In the AM practice Rodney Yee barely hold the poses and it ends up being a very short. It would be a much better if he held the poses, even for a couple of seconds. This would also extend the length of the practice. He also starts with lying down relaxation, which I think is not necessary in the morning (I just wanted to go back to sleep). On one of the other reviews the person suggests switching the AM and PM practice, so maybe that would work better.

The PM practice is very good and you could do this one either in the morning or the evening. The poses are held for a bit longer than the AM routine.

You also get a short instruction on the DVD on how to use props and again a very short practice with the props. Also, the DVD has very good menu interface, so that's a plus. You can pick and choose which workout and which segment you'd like to use.

If you're looking for a really good AM practice, I would suggest Yoga for Surfers. It's my favorite! If you're looking for a good all around Yoga DVD, try Yoga of Urban Living. See my other reviews on yoga DVDs for more information. Namaste.

Years ago someone suggested that I try yoga as a stress reliever, and I've not been able to shake the idea since then. Recently I`ve taken two one hour Yoga classes at a local gym (of which I`m no longer a member.) Then I bought this DVD. Currently, I`m a beginner of questionable fitness. Yet I can see myself one day agreeing wholeheartedly with the following statement by A.M. instructor Rodney Lee: "Yoga is the foundation of my day. A few minutes in the morning will help give meaning to your day."

This DVD contains two 20 minute yoga programs, a segment on the proper use of props, and interviews with both instructors.

The A.M. segment with Rodney Lee is truly for beginners, and I find it a very relaxing way to start the day. The poses are easy enough for the beginner to focus on breathing. There is ample time for transition between poses.

The P.M. segment with Patricia Walden, on the other hand, may not be for people of all levels of fitness--contrary to what it reads on the back of the DVD case. The P.M. segment requires much more flexibility than many beginners may possess. In fairness, there are attempts to make accommodations for those with less flexibility, namely using a folded blanket or brick. Yet it is difficult to focus on the breathing and relaxation that are at the core of Yoga when most of your attention is focused on the act of stretching itself. Furthermore, Ms. Walden moves through poses quickly, making it difficult for beginners to follow the PM workout without constantly watching the television and scrambling to catch up. Yet her commentary regarding what to do while in a position is very clear , helpful, and precise. Although my leg muscles quiver after a P.M. workout, I do feel more calm and centered with less tension in my other muscles.

In conclusion, I recommend this DVD for the beginner with the caution that the P.M. section may be a welcome challenge and opportunity to improve one's flexibility.

Whenever I have reached a lull in my yoga practice, I come back to this DVD. It is a wonderful way to connect with your body through yoga in a gentle practice that is mildly challenging for beginners, and very simple and "back-to-basics" for other more advanced practitioners. Rodney Yee is especially wonderful in the a.m. yoga portion, and I love waking up to his calming voice and excellent instruction.

You may find that the poses are not held very long, and that the transitions can be a bit quick at times, but these two series are meant to be short, and easily fit into daily life. Anyone can make room for 15 or 20 minutes of yoga practice, and these are a great way to get started until you find yourself wanting to make room for even longer sessions.

I had been experiencing nauseating anxiety for months. My doctor had me try anti-depressants and I had very little success with those. I wanted to find a more holistic approach and many people recommended yoga as an anxiety-relieving alternative to prescription drugs. It has been two months and I'm now completely off medication thanks to this yoga series. My doctor is perplexed that a person could find such relief without medication, but it has worked! I'll admit, I like the AM Yoga better than the PM. The PM is a bit more difficult, but after three weeks of doing this yoga DVD almost daily, I was able to perform the PM yoga with ease. The PM yoga also nearly puts me to sleep. I find that I fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly when I perform it before bedtime. The AM yoga is super easy to do in the mornings. Rodney Yee gradually wakes you up and you feel ready to take on the world after completing his AM program. I highly recommend this yoga DVD to anyone suffering from stress and anxiety. It has worked wonders for me and might do the same for you.

I am a true beginner - I have never done yoga before. I am also quite inflexible. I've been using this DVD for a few weeks now. I quite enjoy the AM yoga, but the PM yoga stinks. Even after a few weeks, with some additional in-the-moment tips and pointers from people more experienced with yoga, I still can barely follow Patricia's routine. She races through each pose, and even her concessions for less flexible people are unattainable for me. Who is she kidding that I can sit on the floor, put my legs out in front of me and put my head on my shins?!?! If I could do that, I wouldn't be watching beginner's yoga. I enjoy the opportunity to try to increase my flexibility - don't get me wrong - and for this reason alone, I keep trying to follow her along. But her other poses - and the transitions between the poses - are just too hard for a true beginner to follow and execute. This session is, in my opinion, really for an intermediate audience. At the end of her routine, I am wound up and stressed because I have been confused and frustrated throughout.

The AM session is much better. The poses are easier and yet accomplish the task of helping me to transition out of sleep and into a productive day. Rodney's instructions are clear, well-paced, and complete (for example, whenever Rodney tells you to inhale, he tells you to exhale a few seconds later. If you try to follow Patricia's breathing instructions, however, you would end up blue and in the hospital).

Considering that the only real value I get out of this DVD is the 20-minute morning session, I cannot rate this DVD higher than 2 stars.

I'm new to yoga. I always wanted to do it, but was very intimidated by the whole process. Rodney Yee's morning workout (the A.M.) is great to get you going in the morning by easing you into activity instead of jumping into it. However, the reason for the tapes 4 star review, instead of a perfect 5 is that Rodney does seem to have a tendancy to speed through. From the little reading I have done, it seems that you are to hold a yoga pose for much longer then Mr. Yee istructs us to do so.

Then there's the Patricia Walden portion (the P.M.) is perfection. She is consistently instructive in helping us maintain and achieve better posture and correct positioning. Not to mention that, in my opinion, her routine is better paced for us beginners. Lovely experience. In fact, I enjoyed her workout so much that I went on to order more DVDs of just Ms. Walden's.