Customer Reviews

Yoga for Beginners

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am slowly learning to like yoga. It's still not my absolute favourite workout, but this dvd is helping me even more to enjoy it better. It truly is for beginners and even I found it easy(ish) to do.
Desi is a great instructor and she has a clear, calm way of cuing and the camera work also allows you to see the moves better and practice them yourself and follow along well. There are two workouts, Solar and Lunar, which seem to be a trend now (doing an AM and PM workout). The Solar one is energy boosting and the Lunar routine is more stretchy and slower paced to be relaxing. It is meant to also lengthen your muscles which I feel it is probably doing.
I've done this three times now and I'm constantly getting a little better. I find it great to do on hectic days because it really is relaxing, and each workout is under a half hour so it's not too hard to fit into your day. I like this a lot and would highly recommend it to almost everyone. It is very do-able.

Ultimately, I think if you already have a decent understanding of basic yoga, this video would be a good work out... I hope to work up to it. But if you have really never done yoga before and do not know much about it, this video is too fast and does not spend time on basic poses and correct form. I need something slower, that spends time on getting the poses right. Eventually, I think this would be a good every day routine...

I just saw that Desiree had a new DVD out -- it is even better than the other one that i bought. I am trying to find out if she has more coming. If anyone knows, please leave a comment because I love having a variety.

I do yoga 4 days per week now.

When I first got this cd, I was 177 lbs and very out of shape. I started doing both Solar and Lunar every day and at first I could not keep up with the video, and would have to stop and start the dvd. But I kept trying and by the end of the first week, I was able to keep up with her (although dolphin pose is still a problem for me).

After using this video and adding 1 mile of jogging per day, I have lost 30 lbs in 4 months, and have never felt stronger. I highly recommend this dvd to people who are just starting out with yoga and want to see results quickly. I will keep using this video because I really like the production quality and Desi's instructions are greeat and her voice is very calming. It's like having yoga and meditation in one dvd.

Menu options: music only, music & instruction, in English, Spanish or Spanglish. All instruction is given in voice over.

Solar 25 min:
Sitting on thighs & then up to kneeling w/deep breathing up/down, hands/knees for cat/cow deep breathing several times, single hand opposite knee balance a couple of times, repeat cat/cow & balance again. Downward facing dog, plank, lower chaturanga, cobra, down dog, quick 3 legged dog to crescent (knee on ground) with torso up & down to knee w/deep breathing, plank, chaturanga, cobra, down dog, repeat on other side. Standing fwd bend/mountain 5x, chair pose, standing fwd bend. Plank, upward facing dog, down dog, warrior 1 (no instruction of back foot at all), plank, upward dog, down dog, warrior 1, warrior 2, plank, chaturanga, upward dog, down dog. Hands/knees to dolphin with whole forearm on ground & very tight V with legs close to arms. Sit down to half boat & then full boat, down dog, standing fwd bend, mountain. Chair pose, chair pose w/torso on thighs, repeat, standing fwd bend, chaturanga, upward dog, down dog, quick 3 legged down dog, warrior 1 & 2, exulted/reverse warrior, plank up & down dog, repeat on other side. Dolphin again, dolphin w/1 leg raised, boat w/slowly lowering legs ala pilates. Reclined rocking knees to chest, single straight leg to head stretch, then that leg to each side of body & repeat stretches on other leg. Knees to chest rocking, bridge pose & with one leg in ear, knees to chest rocking & reclined savasana for barely 1 minute.

Lunar 28 min:
Sitting cross legged & side torso stretches to left & right 3x each, then lift arms upward & down fwd stretch. Repeat side torso stretches 1x each & fwd stretch routine 2x more. Hands/knees cat/cow stretches & circular pelvic/torso fluid stretching for a nice time. Down dog, 3 legged down dog held for good stretch, crescent, crescent w/1 side to knee torso stretch, pyramid pose to half crescent back/forth stretching, twisted crescent, twisted crescent with top arm stretching in circular motions, forearms to floor inside legs for deeper hamstring stretch, down dog & repeat on other side & end to child's pose. Down dog/child's pose 3x. Seated single leg fwd bend, side stretch over extend leg single leg fwd bend, rise & twist torso facing away from extended leg for opposite good stretch, then seated both leg fwd bend, repeat on other side. Table pose with stomach toward ceiling, seated both leg fwd bend, table pose again w/1 leg up. Reclined straight leg to head, figure 4 leg stretch for piriformis to chest, twist legs at knee & ankle spinal twist, repeat on other side. Bridge pose, knees to chest rocking, spinal rocking, butterfly, reclined butterfly, 1-2 min savasana.

Production quality is great as the trailer shows. Desi has a sweet voice that is overall soothing & seems honestly earnest in helping. She says the Sanskrit names & mostly energetic analogies to help you get into the pose which I think shows the more spiritual side of yoga rather then as just a weight loss/muscular workout like other dvds do. Beginner might be a bit lost because for those she doesn't give enough basic body placement, like foot placement for beginners unless you watch to mimic her body placement. I found her solar session VERY repetitive, and speedy aerobic feel of doing a pose in/out many times instead of the 1-2x with time to feel the stretch with mindfulness which is what I look for. The lunar was much more relaxing, and she did some alternate stretches not found on most yoga dvds, though it still had some repetitiveness like the solar. Desi does have some great body awareness which I saw by some poses she chose after another which works to perfectly balance the body energy, and I hope in her future dvds she lets it shine through instead of this more aerobic style.

I am very happy with this yoga DVD. I am doing the lunar part and am able to perform all of the postures. Desiree's voice is very soothing and gives excellent cues so that sometimes I can do the postures with my eyes closed even though I just started doing it. EXCELLENT PRODUCT!

I took some time off of yoga, and this DVD was the perfect way to get back into my practice. I've practiced yoga for over 8 years and have had many teachers. Desi is fantastic. Her instructions are clear and, most importantly, encouraging. I could follow the steps easily and felt like I actually understood why I was doing them! I've recommended this to all of my friends, especially the guys -- if you're not ready to take a class, try this DVD first. It's a great introduction to yoga.

this is a great dvd; especially for beginners
the flow is perfect to bring one in deep communion
you really feel the connectedness desi has within.
her inner connection comes across in the tone, pace & energy of the yoga practice on the dvd.
as a yogi, spiritual life coach & meditation teacher i highly recommend this dvd for beginners as well as a "travel" accompaniment to keep in the flow of one's yoga practice while traveling.
Meditation for Everyday Living

Exhilirating practice in the SOLAR and LUNAR. Half hour duration for both, I have used it daily on an alternating basis. Satisfying addition to my regular rotation of short on time DVDs, I like Desi's sweet sounding voice (on the voiceover) crystal clear sound, she adds helpful info and sighs when she repeats "to exhale." Excellent production and direction. You'll be on the floor mat for SOLAR practice includes strengthening and re-energizing poses. But, you'll do the sun salutation (Vinyasa Flow) with other poses such as my newly found favorite, "dolphin pose" which goes into the boat pose plus challenges thrown into such moves as the bridge pose with leg lift. Continuing on the floor mat with LUNAR , it's all about stretch & the release of tension here. Included is a lunge series with side bends, front fold (forward bends) series, then alternating with backward bends such as the bridge pose. Honestly, I've been practicing yoga for some time, but only on occasion, and this was appropriate for my level. Not recommended for basic beginners, only because formal practice will give you the expert feedback on your poses.

I rented this from the library and have rented various other beginner yoga dvds from Shiva Rhea to Rodney Yee. I continue to come back to Yoga for Beginners with Desi Bartlett. The Solar/AM and Lunar/PM, both 25 minutes, workouts are perfect for me because they are simple, straight-forward, and easy to follow. There are no complicated sequences or awkward positions. What i like is that my whole body is getting a workout. It is definitely challenging but not too hard for those not looking to go crazy with yoga. It is definitely the dvd I use on a daily basis, either for the AM or the PM. Ideally, I'd love to incorporate both workouts daily.

There may be some cons for folks out there:
- in some instances, the instructor moves a little too fast
- this is definitely not for true beginners but for those that have been exposed to yoga already
- in some cases if you're not looking up at your tv, you might be missing a move (this might only happen in the beginning when you first trying to get a handle on the movements)
- no creative movements or expressions (which is good for me that just wants to be told what to do)

If you're like me and want to get it over with and get the results (toned body), this is the most likable yoga dvd that I have found so far.