Customer Reviews

Sacred Yoga Practice with Rainbeau Mars - Vinyasa Flow: Pure Sweat

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Pure sweat is an intense yoga practice which will test your strength, particularly in the lower body. Instructor Rainbeau Mars begins in chair pose, and for the first half of the video, she gradually introduces the poses from sun salutation B--including down dog, plank, push-up pose, and cobra--finally putting all of these poses together in a more flowing series. Next comes a series of standing poses, including warrior 2, side angle warrior, crescent lunge, and chair pose variations. You will also do a balance sequence (includes 3-legged dog pose and leg lifts while in standing forward bend) as well as several standing twists. In addition, short vinyasas from chair to plank to push-up to cobra to down dog are interspersed throughout the practice. At the end of the standing flow series, Rainbeau guides you down to the floor for child's pose and then leads you into a nice relaxation to end the practice at 35 minutes. If you are looking for an intermediate practice to challenge your lower body and leave your thighs burning, Pure Sweat will fit the bill perfectly.

I enjoyed working out to this dvd, looking at the cover, I expected more challenging poses, but the tape does live up to it's name in terms of sweating. The workout is roughly 30 minutes long, which is good, if you're starting out, or just want variety. I prefer longer workouts (60-90 minutes), but Rainbeau starts off very slowly, and progresses to get you sweating. Overall, I thought that this tape was good, but I would have enjoyed a longer workout, and maybe even an interview with the instuctor.

They call this "pure sweat" for a reason. This is an advanced Yoga workout for the advanced. Or at least, I felt this workout was a challenge for me and I've been doing yoga for years. Rainbeau Mars really likes "chair pose."

Let's just say you do a lot of push-ups without realizing it and I felt like I was upside down for a lot longer in many of the poses. The Vinyasa Flow consists of a lot of down dog and cobra poses. Your face will just be glowing from the increased blood flow/oxygen.

The Ashtanga method tends to produce internal heat and a purifying sweat to detoxify your muscles and organs. You will notice improved circulation and you might even feel a little nauseous or heady at first.

Yoga can heal you when other exercises can just make you stressed. It depends on the level. This workout will help you detoxify, listen to your body, send oxygen to all the body?s tissue and enhance a state of serenity. Yoga helps to clear your mind for days after you workout. You will learn to love this calm state in your mind. You will crave it.

After doing this video, I feel stronger and yet really, really tired. This is a complete all-over body workout. In fact, I think this is comparable to walking on your treadmill for 30 minutes although it is a lot more enjoyable to do yoga.

The setting is spectacular, so if you are looking for an outdoor setting by the ocean, this is one of the Natural Journeys Sacred Yoga videos you will want to own.

Advanced "Ashtanga-inspired" Yoga Workout. Great for the winter when you really want to warm your body. In the summer, find a fan!

~The Rebecca Review

Rainbow Mars is a great instructor who uses many positive affirmations in her practice. I like a more powerful and flowing workout, and hers is very focused on the Iyengar-style of pose perfecting. I was hoping for more of a challenge. But you will sweat with it!

This has been my favorite video so far. I've been practicing yoga for 6 months now, so I'm still relatively new at this. For me, this is a great morning routine. The poses are intense and that is what leads to sweating. It is not aerobic, like some other "fat burning" yoga videos that feel more like aerobics than yoga. The instructor is inspiring and soothing. She reminds you to move with your breath, something that is left out of many of the popular yoga videos.

"Uncoil yourself like a flower searching for sunlight." ~Rainbeau Mars

Rainbeau Mars presents a challenging practice for intermediate to advanced students who want to develop an additional dimension of strength and may I say, patience. The poses require not only strength, but a determination to hold the pose and see results. Downward dog now becomes an exercise where balance becomes a vital part of the exercise. By lifting a leg, you now must not only remain upside down, you must prevent yourself from falling over.

Intermediate and advanced students will love this challenge, but I don't recommend this DVD for beginners. The vigorous strengthening poses flow quickly and alignment and flexibility are assumed. Don't be surprised if suddenly you are crying or feeling an emotional release as some of the poses can help you let go of stored sadness or other negative emotions.

The flowing sequences of poses (moving from mountain pose, to plank, to cobra, to down dog, to warrior) purify and detox the body, so you may also notice nausea or dizziness and definite heat in your body. Breathing heavier should be expected and now and then if out of breath, take a rest in child's pose. Chair pose and deep squats are also part of this exercise session and I found it all very healing and deeply satisfying when I could hold the poses and deepen my awareness. The poses seem to be designed to teach patience and a sense of powerful calm.

~The Rebecca Review

I first rented this from Netflix ,& enjoyed it so much I purchased it. I'm an advanced exerciser & still got a good little workout. Rainbeau has a calm disposition & looks lovely doing the practice.

Loved the workout. Rainbeau is a great instructor and you feel better after doing this routine though it is a little faster paced and hard to keep up if you a)don't know the terminology she uses or b)are a beginner and don't really know the correct poses. I am fairly new to yoga but certainly not a beginner and it is still a little fast for me. I love the bonus section the with five moves or stretches for you to do. She has great instructions and explanations for what each one would do for you. Invigorating and revivng routine. love the pure sweat!

This DVD provides a nice lower body workout, and is not too short nor is too long. Rainbeau has a very soothing voice and the moves are easy enough to follow. So far my favorite Yoga DVD's have been Baron Baptiste, and I still enjoy him, however I think Baron's are better upper body and this DVD of Mars' is better for lower body. It is worth the money.

I've had this since it first came out in 2003. Since everyone already wrote all the great & different poses & variations she uses which is diff then most yoga dvds, I can add only that it also has the option of 5.1 surround sound so you can hear the Hawaiian ocean waves behind her.
Her personality is great, she's matter of fact with gentle optimism. Some lines are "stay conscious of the back, so you're not overreaching, the lower back houses the kidneys, maintain a fullness in your back to optimize good health & alignment," "You must sink to rise up," "extend strongly though the feet, the inner thighs will follow," "with strength in your arms, lower yourself to the floor," "remember to balance your effort w/surrender" "if you need to modify, it's perfectly ok, you will still build strength," "even the most beautiful lotus grows in dirtiest of ponds." She is great with cues to remind you to keep going such as what organs each pose helps, not to get discouraged, that certain postures to open up the hips will help detoxify you which can cause extra heat, etc. & to move through it. She's not fake happy, she tells you she understands it's tough, but it's worth it for your health to challenge yourself & do your best.