Product Details

• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Megaforce
• DVD Release Date: February 7, 2006
• Run Time: 135 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000E1XOIU
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,256 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

This two disc set is the first in a series that features the inspired yoga of Max Strom. This practical and beautiful DVD presents an introduction to yoga that is easily accessible to the beginner-to-intermediate practitioner. It is easy to follow, yet also challenging. Too many people confuse yoga with simply being an exercise regime for the body, while others worry yoga is overly spiritual. The classes presented are a holistic practice for developing strength, grace, and healing, of the body, emotions, and mind. Although Yoga appears to be primarily physical, its benefits are far reaching.

This is the first yoga DVD to make full use of the most popular features offered by the DVD format, including: • Two separate lengths of a beginning level yoga practice – a 45 minute version and a 90 minute version. • A Workshop option allowing further instruction on difficult-to-master poses. • Special segments to help you practice meditation, and to get a deeper understanding of yoga. • Three audio options: Max’s voice alone, music, or both. Max Strom is known for his transformational classes and for inspiring and impacting the lives of his students with his soulful, gregarious nature, and profound integrity.

Over 400 students a week come to learn his unique Vinyasa-style yoga which integrates Yoga, Chi Gong, and Movement therapy. His rigorous and flowing classes purify and realign the body, while cultivating a feeling of deep inner peace.

Max Strom is the founder and director of Sacred Movement Yoga in Los Angeles, now merged with Exhale Mind/Body/Spa. He is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and registered with the Yoga Alliance. Max is known for his philosophical insights and has authored a forthcoming book on Yoga.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What yoga should be, June 17, 2006

By 

K. Bandhauer (Meridian, ID United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Strength, Grace, Healing (DVD)

I am an intermediate yoga devotee (can do unassisted headstands, but not handstands, etc.). I started in 1998 with Total Yoga (Tracey Rich & Ganga White). I have practiced yoga throughout my martial arts training, through 2 pregnancies & recoveries, and I remain devoted and inspired by what yoga does for my mind & body.

While I consider Total Yoga to be the ultimate workout for a true beginner, I now consider Max Strom's workout my ultimate yoga experience. This DVD would not be ideal for a beginner, as he does not explain yogic breathing at all (Total Yoga was perfect for this), and it is a challenging series of poses. I believe I found this DVD at the perfect time for me. After years with Rodney Yee, Bryan Kest, Shiva Rea, Yoga Zone, Kripalu, and various others, I now find it difficult to do any other workout besides Strom's. No other practice leaves me feeling strong, fluid, and peaceful. What a gift! There are variations of poses that I have not seen, and the flow of the class is effortless. Strom's voice is calming, and the meditation at the end of class is extraordinary. I cannot recommend this DVD highly enough to anyone who is at least somewhat experienced in their yoga practice.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Holy Grail of yoga DVDs. This will make you thin, without injury., May 27, 2007

By 

Lisa M. Mims (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Strength, Grace, Healing (DVD)

Beyond what has already been said about this DVD, the only thing I have to add is that this is the Holy Grail of yoga practices. This is the type of class that will make you thin.

I feel like a hypocrite for only talking about what this will do anatomically, but it's really all I have to add. This practice has a sequence of poses that will change your metabolism. It will also teach you how to avoid injury in any yoga class, and help you sleep at night.

First, let's talk about what this will do for the metabolic rate--the largest muscles in the body are in the back of the legs. The more muscle in the back of the legs, the more calories you burn. If you want to become slender and strong in the least amount of time, you have to do a yoga practice that is heavy on the leg exercises.

There is no problem with that here. The first ten minutes of the class are devoted to a kung fu horse stance that will leave you in tears because of the length of time the pose is held. The sequence continues with a lot of standing poses that will make you really sweat.

Second, this is a phenomenal practice because the instruction is incredibly clear. If you have even a basic knowledge of yoga, you could do most of the class without ever looking at the screen. The safety cues are superb--you will learn what you need to avoid injury in a more active practice. (The cuing is so good that, having watched this once, I think I figured out why I can't do backbends, after years of trying.)

Third, this really calming, in a good way. A lot of the more advanced power or vinyasa yoga dvds have practices that energize. That is great, if that is what you need. However, if you have a nervous or competitive personality, and you do a lot of energizing yoga, you are not going to sleep at night.

This practice, in contrast, is very slow and quiet, while being physically difficult. If what you need on a particular day is to calm down, I would do this practice before many of the others out there.

However, because it's so quiet, I can't honestly say it's all you need. It's about half of what you need: when you have done a day or two of more energizing practices--I like Shiva Rea and Rainbeau Mars--this is the best counterbalance practice I have found so far.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What really moves you?, January 11, 2006

By 

Thomas Rosen "TR" (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Strength, Grace, Healing (DVD)

I have to say that after several Yoga DVDs, I finally found and got what I was looking for. Max Strom has such a peaceful manner about him and his class took me to a level of comfort in my body that I am always trying to create. Technically, this is a really cool DVD that is different than others I have seen in at least one significant manner. When I want more instruction at any point in the class, I can simply click an icon that summons Max to provide more in-depth instruction as if he were with me in my living room. If i don't want too much information, then I let the class go on un-interrupted. This puts the choice in my hands and I found that to be very "friendly".
I consider myself to be an intermediate Yoga practitioner. Max's class was perfect for me in that it asked me to 'show up', but also reminded me of the crucial fundamentals and the way not to get hurt. I believe this DVD would be a perfect introduction for anyone who is starting out with Yoga. Something about Max's manner was very encouraging, special. Judging from the way I felt after following Max's class, I hope to make this a more regular part of my life.