Product Details

• Actors: Berly Bender Birch, Thom Birch, Donald Hauser
• Directors: Berly Bender Birch, Donald Hauser
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Number of tapes: 1
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 2001
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0971338701
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #496,504 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This powerful yoga practice will no doubt be of great benefit to runners--and pretty much anyone else, for that matter--but beginners beware: the material presented here is neither easy nor intended for the very inexperienced. Thom and Beryl Bender Birch have shortened and adapted the ashtanga yoga series, a "high heat, high energy" workout that incorporates sun salutations, standing poses, seated positions, and more, with a good deal of vinyasa work (i.e., flowing series of poses). The pace is brisk, the practice strenuous, and while the instruction is good, there is little or no warm-up provided. Newer users are definitely advised to view the program in its entirety before trying it; especially valuable are the detailed explications of the poses and yoga breathing method that follow the practice itself. This is strong stuff, highly recommended to those who know what they're doing. --Sam Graham

Product Description

POWER YOGA FOR RUNNERS with Thom and Beryl Bender Birch is an energetic and completely unique yoga video, developed by a world-class runner for runners. Hundreds of runners have studied Power Yoga with Thom and his wife Beryl at the prestigious New York Road Runners Club. Where it has been the official yoga program of the club since 1980. Combining a 20-year career as a world-class runner with his many years as a nationally renowned yoga teacher Thom Birch is uniquely qualified to instruct runners.

The video shows how to incorporate this ancient and healing oga form into a daily workout designed especially for runners. This high-heat and high-energy workout makes it possible to safely realign and biomechanically balance the body, thus helping to prevent and also recover from injuries. The video combines, innovative vigorous warm-up, strengthening standing postures, seated stretches and twisting, a meditative cool down with a powerful yoga breathing method

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some flaws . . ., March 2, 2003

By 

L. L. Stallings (Acworth, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Power Yoga for Runners (DVD)

Yoga for runners is important because inflexibility for runners means injuries. Although the series of moves is useful, I find myself distracted by three flaws in the video. Little warm-up precedes the quick, strenuous moves. The sound quality in few places is poor. Most annoying, at the end, Thom disappears right before Birch leads a relaxation segment. I'm supposed to be relaxing and find myself wondering where he had to go. Everything else is done professionally and well, so these flaws mystify me and, unfortunately, distract me.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice 30 minute routine, January 12, 2003

By 

drariadne (Earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Power Yoga for Runners (DVD)

This DVD is well chaptered and filmed nicely. Beryl and her husband Thom Birch perform a 30 minute routine inside a sparse room with a wooden floor. Not much to look at, but I find that really doesn't matter with yoga anyway, as there isn't much chance to look at the screen.

This is a modifed Ashtanga sequence that is about 30 minutes long. Very nice for short practice days. The DVD is very well chaptered and has more instruction as a separate chaptere after the workout. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in a shorter routine. They did a great job putting together a good sequence of postures that flows, and also discuss someof the more cerebral aspects of yoga (which can be avoided if that is your choice).

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A joke to even call this yoga, September 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Power Yoga for Runners (DVD)

This routine is rushed and awkward -- the poses aren't held more than a few seconds, so there's little opportunity to properly stretch or work that muscle group much. If you've done even basic yoga before, you know that "flow" -- the progression and grouping of poses to work muscles, heart, and breathing in well-constructed sequences -- is a big part of yoga. Ain't no flow here, folks. This is just a calisthenic routine, and not a very good one at that. It's laughably short. If you're already a runner, this will increase neither your flexibility nor your stamina. It plays like a Yoga for Seniors workout at doublespeed. Save your time and money; you're better off investing in a Bryan Kest yoga vid instead.