Customer Reviews

YOGA SHORT FORMS The Practice Ashtanga Yoga David Swenson

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a challenging program that consists of 3 choices:
15 Min: Quick practice, but I haven't used a whole lot
30 Min: Geared towards beginners, this is a great, quick practice.
45 Min: Intermediate practice, I love this one...quite challenging!
10 Min Relaxation: Add to any of the practices above, very nice!

I love the 45 min practice. Each of the shorter practices are very similar, but less postures are performed. Doug Swenson is a soft spoken, very clear instructor. He reminds you to breath and 5 breaths are counted at each posture. He also reminds you that this is your practice and don't go beyond your limit. In most of the postures he uses the Sanskrit name :o)

This practice is not for a newbie to yoga; it will definitely help the advanced beginners and intermediate level build rhythm, flow, and grace! He has many postures and variations that you will not see on other DVDs. I like to pace of the class and you'll feel like you got a great workout in a short amount of time. I would recommend practicing in a warm room to help with flexibility.

It is filmed at Mercer Arboretum in Seattle on a beautiful wetland boardwalk with bright green foliage and beautiful blue flowers covering the landscape.

The 35 min practice includes:
Standing Postures:
3 rounds each of sun salutation A & B (down dog is held for 5 full breaths)
Forward Bending
Triangle
Side Angle
Wide Leg Forward Bend
Standing Forward Leg Extension
Tree (with optional forward bend)
Vinyasa with Warrior I & II
Seated Postures (with optional Vinyasa between postures):
Forward Bending ...several lovely variations :o)
Twists
Boat
Butterfly
Wide Leg Forward Bend
Bridge
Optional Backbend
Forward Bend
Shoulderstand, Plough ....long hold, great!
Fish
Headstand ...I love this posture, rarely found on DVDs!
Child Pose
Lotus Forward Bend
Lotus Raise ...difficult
Savasana

10 Min. Relaxation
Lovely tense/release sequence of each body part.
Flute music by Jesse Kalu ("One in Spirit" CD) 2 min relax
Sitting, rubbing hands to warm and hold on your eyes.
This is a lovely relaxation

I also recommend his relax DVD which include an even better, longer version of this relaxation on the island of Maui

I love this video! I first owned it on VHS and did it at least once a week in addition to cardio and traditional strength training. I never got sick of it and it got me to love yoga, especially ujjayi breathing. This is just pure ashtanga with no fluff. David Swenson is a no-nonsense instructor who shows great modifications for beginners and gives tips for proper form. You won't hear any New Age-y talk if that turns you off from some yoga videos. The demo at the beginning of the video showcases the flexibility and strength he has gained from years of practice. There is no music during the main routine, but the 10 minute guided relaxation has soothing music.

The set is outdoors, at a beautiful garden in Washington state.

If you like this video, you should also try Eoin Finn's Power Yoga Vol 1 or Yoga for Happiness.

Quick is a relative term. Normally the Primary Series takes about 1.5-2 hrs to complete, so 15-45 minutes is fast considering. In David Swenson's Practice Manual there are 3 of what Swenson refers to as Short Forms. These Short Forms are 15, 30, and 45 minutes respectively. They are geared for people who either don't have the 90 minutes required to complete the entire Primary Series, or people who are not ready for the entire Primary Series. Swenson's instruction is awesome. He guides you through the modified versions of the Primary Series in very reassuring and expert manner. Swenson also offers some modifications for some of the more difficult poses. This DVD makes the Primary Series more approachable. I would suggest watching the DVD (or at least the practice time you select) all the way through before doing it (unless you are familar with Swenson's book and have some experience with Short Forms already). Swenson has a great demo at the beginning of the DVD, very inspiring. To truly get the benefit of the DVD, order his book along with the DVD to get the best of both worlds. I think almost anyone could benefit from this DVD, as long as the person keeps in mind that this is a very physical style of yoga, and will make most (novice to intermediate especially) practioners sweat.

David Swenson is my yoga DVD instructor of choice. these Short Form routines is a perfect match to ensure you get your practice in each day, which is the best way to benefit from yoga. there's no charka talk or music. good cueing for movements and breath with modifications. great beginner routines, and for those familiar with yoga. honestly, it should be in everyone's collection.

This DVD is an excellent tool for those interested in beginning Ashtanga yoga, but who don't have access to an Ashtanga teacher (like me) or just feel more comfortable practicing at home. It is a very basic, beginner-level DVD. When I write "beginner-level" I am refering to a beginner in Ashtanga yoga. I practiced yoga on-and-off for a couple of years at a yoga studio before I got this DVD and still found it moderately challenging.

The DVD is broken-up into three different routines (15 minute, 30 minute, 45 minute) with an additional guided relaxation. The 15 minute routine is okay. I watched it once, but have never done it. I suppose it would be useful for someone who didn't have much time, but I recommend that you make a point of doing at least the 30 minute routine.

The 30 minute routine is perfect for those just starting. For me, it's perfect for those mornings when I can't motivate to do a full practice. It goes very quickly! I did this routine exclusively for a couple of months (2-3 times per week) when I first got the DVD.

The 45 minute routine is challenging without being overwhelming. I did this routine for a couple of months before I ventured into the full Ashtanga Primary Series (I also used Mr. Swenson's DVD for that).

This DVD is a great choice and I recommend it highly. I also recommend that you take your time building up to a full Ashtanga practice. Spending a few months or even a year doing these modified "beginner" routines is fine. Don't push yourself into the full Primary Series until you are ready. There are no awards for completing the Primary Series in the shortest possible time. You have your whole life to do yoga. Take it easy.

I bought this DVD after reviewing other people recommendations. It is true, that this DVD is great for those who has busy schedule and that what "Yoga Short Forms" stands for. I thought it could be good for me too. However, when I have time to do a whole one hour session, the 45 min practice seems too jammed to me. After its completion, I didn't feel as stretched as I normally do after the yoga class. I think the reason behind it is that he was trying to put all the postures into the 45 minutes program, and didn't hold them long enough to really make your muscles work. Same program but with postures held longer would make good 1 hr practice. But still it is my favorite among other yoga practice DVDs I've tried. Right level of difficulcy.

This dvd helps tremendously if you live a busy lifestyle. You get a workout, and David's voice is very pleasant. He doesn't get in to a lot of perfectionistic details of poses, but rather, gives you the basics and lets you move into it at your level and ability. You have room for your own interpretation in a pose. The setting is beautiful, and you will feel like you've had a good workout in very little time. Great intro to more advanced ashtanga.

This set of short yoga classes is a compromise. It could be more or less useful if you have been practising yoga for a considerable period of time, but for beginners it is not that great.

I found that the 45 minute program does not provide enough warm-up and, naturally, skips some postures, so I was not prepared for some asanas, my muscles were still somewhat tight and not warm enough to do the asanas comfortably. I still was able to do all the postures, it just did not feel quite right.
You can use this DVD when there is no time and a short form would be better than no form at all, but, in my opinion, yoga likes long forms.

I'm not a newbie to yoga, but certainly still a novice. This DVD is most best used by someone who has attended a few instructor-led classes...it's more of a source of cues and coaching than specific instruction. Don't expect precise technique of the postures. Swenson helps you keep a good pace, emphasizes your breathing over your postures, and reminds you that this is always practice. Straight-forward production, clear visuals, good narration, no over-done music, and an intro demo that'll make your jaw drop.

I have a library of over a dozen yoga videos. This is by far my favorite. In fact I have been practicing with it exclusively. David is awesome, very charming and cute!