Customer Reviews

The Power of Hatha Yoga: Ultimate Series

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is great!

I disagree with the other reviewer that this is faulty instruction, but I do agree that it lacks the menu and chaptering. You need to know that this is an intermediate practice, so the poses are not explained in detail. It also assumes you are able to determine your own level of practice and what your body can endure (definitely an intermediate practice)!

I love this practice and Naadar Shagagi will give you reminders about the postures and especially your breath. You will increase your will, concentration, strength, and flexibility by practicing this routine. I also would like to mention if you practice Bikram yoga that you will enjoy this DVD. It is somewhat similar, but will take you a level further than Bikram's beginner's class. The sun salutation, shoulderstand, fish, and many other posture are not in Bikram's routine. I would recommend practicing in a warm room for the most benefit. I love the music, especially at the end.

The first 40 min are standing postures, then a rest, then on to floor postures. Total practice is about 1.5 hours.

Here's the sequence of his practice:
Standing Paranayama (Breathing)
Sun Salutation (2 rounds)
Half Moon (2 variations)
Akward Pose (Naadar's performace is beautiful!)
Eagle
Triangle ( 4 variations)
Wide Leg forward bend
Warrior variations
Tree
Savasana (rest)
Leg Lifts
Knees to Chest (with forhead to knees to activate your thyroid gland)
Forward Bend
Cobra
Airplace
Lotus
Bow
Full Cobra
Half Tortoise
Knee Reclining
Rabbit
Camel
Inversion (should stand and plough with a great, long hold!)
Fish (advanced variation)
Bridge
Backbend (I love this!)
Alternating 1 leg forward bend
Forward Bend
Easy Pose (legs cross and forward bend)
Spinal Twist
Kalibati (Breath of fire)
Relaxation
Your own Meditation

The only thing I might mention is with some of the standing poses Naadar is not able to keep his knees together. You want to make sure you keep your knees together, but since this is intermediate you knew that already ;o)

Naadar is a beautiful, kind person and reminds you that Confidence = Courage = Strength :o)

Please see my other reviews on Amazon

I have purchased many, many DVDs and tapes for practicing yoga at home, and LOVE this one the best! Though the full practice is about an hour and 20 minutes, it's broken into three sections that allows you to do a short practice or longer one (I usually do the long one when I do it!). I have felt a strong progression in my strength from doing this series that blows away progress made from power yoga.

I wish there were more like it on the market, for variety!

Naader has been my yoga teacher for almost 3 years now. I am a certified yoga teacher. I have a large collection of yoga videos, but I keep coming back to Naader's video (and his classes). This is by far the best yoga video on the market. It is challenging enough for the experienced student and it is still something that even a beginner can work with. This series of poses is masterfully designed to develop a union between body, mind and spirit.

Ok, so generally, it's not so bad. The poses are fun, although there aren't very many that you don't find on most yoga dvds, and the speed of the flow is good, slow enough so you really get into the pose, but not so slow that it gets boring.

The main problem I have with this DVD is that some of the instructions are inadequate, and the poses shown are often done in a way that can lead to injury. For instance, in Warrior I and II, the knee is bent to a narrow angle, not a wide angle. It goes past the toes, wich is really hard on the knee. Even in standing forward bend, Naader makes you squat so you sit on your heals, then come up in the forward bend. If you have knee problems, you know this is a bad idea. Also, there are no modification suggested if you can't do the poses like he does (wich, for the post part, is almost impossible unless you have alot of practice). If you have done alot of yoga in the past, you can just ignore the faulty instructions and do it the safe way, but I definetly would not recommend this dvd to a beginner.

Other minor problems I have with this dvd are the ugly background (flashy pink and blue, 80s style)and the absence of a good menu (you can only select to do one workout, even though it is divided in different sections that should allow for choosing the ones you want to do on a particular day). He also does a little prayer at the beggining (that actually ends with "amen") wich I personnaly thought was uncalled for.

Basically, this isn't a great dvd. It's not horrible, but there's much better out there. I would recommend Ali MacGraw's Yoga Mind & Body or Shiva Rea's Yoga Shakti instead. They are both absolutely wonderfull. If you are a true beginner, I recommend Yoga Journal's Step-by-step 3 pack, which has the best instructions and great workouts.

Namaste.

This Dvd is phenomenal. Its purity and grace reflect the true art of Yoga. Naader Shagagi demonstrates his amazing skill and ability to reach out to all levels. His one on one approach with the practitioner works beautifully. Since he is the only one doing the postures I feel like I am experiencing a private lesson. No other students to contend with or copy. Just Naader and me. The gentle music in the backround flows perfectly with each posture. His detailed explanations of each pose and how they benefit the body are wonderful. His philosophy and gentle demeanor bring peace to the soul. This DVD is for everyone. Some postures are very difficult but as Naader says, "Maybe that is all you can do for now". He never puts on any pressure just encouragement. He is truly a master of this art. Thankyou Naader for a DVD that will never just sit on my shelf. The Power Of Hatha Yoga will leave you physically fit, mentally alert and spiritually awakened.

I am fortunate to be able to study yoga with Naader at his Pasadena, CA studio. I continue to be impressed with his well-rounded yoga instruction, including an emphasis on breath, will-power, and concentration. This video is the next best thing to being in Naader's class. His visual and verbal instruction is very clear. His calm voice and inspiring words encourage you throughout the workout. If you practice with this video I guarantee you will improve your strength, balance, and flexibility.

I first found this series when it came out on VHS and my husband and I began practicing. It was our first taste of hatha yaga and we were HOOKED! As a matter of fact we were so inspired we traveled to Pasadena, California from Montana to meet Naader Shagagi and take a class with him in person. Well, we were so inspired by this man's complete and balanced understanding of hatha yoga, breathing and focus that we decided to completely change our lives and open our own yoga studio in our hometown of Bigfork, Montana. The rest is history.
If you want to transform your lives and begin to study TRUE hatha yoga, buy this DVD!

I've tried many different yoga videos.

This is my favorite.

If you have done Bikrahm, the sequence will seem very familiar.

All of Naader's DVD's are stupendous. Just make sure and pick the one that's right for your level of practice, and you can't go wrong.

This is a great DVD. I have had this DVD now for a few months and the postures I have learned from the DVD are incredible. Practicing the Yoga techniques taught by Nadder has totally changed the way I practice yoga. I am able to concentrate more and my nervous system is much more relaxed and at ease.