Customer Reviews

Yoga Journal and Lamaze present: Yoga for your pregnancy

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I was excited about this new DVD from Yoga Journal but was very disappointed. While nicely produced and with a very pleasant instructor, I found this routine to be way too basic for me, a regular yoga practitioner. It would be great for someone who has never done any yoga before.

There is too much time spent explaining each pose, and not enough actually holding the pose. There were also a couple of things that did not seem right to me at all, such as bouncing one's legs up and down in Baddha Konanasana (Cobbler's pose). This is a very short routine, with a paucity of asanas represented. I wish there were more good prenatal yoga tape options available. But over this one I'd recommend the one by Shiva Rea. It flows much better and feels more like a real prenatal yoga class. After the YJ tape, I felt more like I had been to a basic stretching class, and not even a very good, thorough one.

Before doing pre-natal yoga, I had such stiffness from sciatica that by about 18 weeks into my pregnancy, I had quit walking. Doing yoga really helped me so now I am 33 weeks and still moving fine. I would recommend it for all pregnant women, no matter what pains or stiffness you may have, if any.

I must be honest and tell you I am writing this review w/ a bias -- Krysten teaches the pre-natal class I go to 2x a week so I knew I would love this DVD before I bought it. That being said -- this really is the best pre-natal yoga DVD. Before I started going to Krysten's class, I had 2 other pre-natal yoga DVD's and this one is so much better because it is not just "regular yoga that happens to be safe for a pregnant woman" but it focuses on yoga positions and breathing practices that a pregnant woman really needs. For example, there are a lot of hip-opening positions which are great for relieving common pregnancy pains like sciatica.

The program is shorter then I would like, so I just hit pause a lot and hold the position for a bit longer. I love that the DVD is divided into chapters for energizing and relaxing. Often I just do the relaxing session before bed and that is perfect for stretching and calming my tense, sore, 7-month pregnant body before bed.

Also -- as "extras" there are breathing techniques and birthing positions and an interview/conversation between a Lamaze expert and the instructor. I do the breathing techniques almost every time I do the DVD and the interview was very calming and helpful too.

I admit, I am biased toward Yoga Journal products because I think they are just simply among some of the most comprehensive, safest and easiest to understand out there. But, I searched high and low for the perfect prenatal yoga video, looking at all sorts of options, and came back to this one every time.

This DVD is just great, spiritual yet not New Agey at all and very, very relaxing. I particularly like the breathing technique section and I've always wondered about yoga techniques I could use in the delivery room. It's all in there.

My only whine is that I am used to a 90-minute practice. So, this video is a little short for me right now in my first tri-mester. But, as I get bigger, I'm expecting that 30 minutes will be more than adequate.

I bought this video around 24 weeks when I started needed a little variety (had been using Shiva Rea's video). This video is a little less contemplative, and tends to involve more motion, and less holding of poses. There have been days when I craved one approach over another, so I recommend getting both videos. (Although neither one would be likely to satisfy a yoga purist or someone looking to really sweat). Despite the names of the segments - "relaxing" and "energizing" - I found both appropriate for morning or bedtime use and just picked the one that I had time for or that contained a stretch I really needed. I enjoyed the segment that described how to use these now-familiar motions during labor and delivery. I am still using this video in my 38th week and have not become sick of the instructor's voice or the music, in fact I still smile every time she says "...and this should feel really, REALLY good." Oh yeah!!

Postnatal note: After five weeks of nursing and carrying around a new baby, my shoulders, neck and lower back felt like they'd never be the same again. I had forgotten this video has a postnatal segment, but popped it in thinking that the prenatal routine might be helpful. The postnatal routine is short and has too much yakking at the start of it, but the stretches really hit the spot. There is a little ab work also. Very good video - I am recommending it even more highly now.

Let's get one thing out of the way. I have a good amount of experience at yoga. In fact, I am still working out with other pre-natal DVDs as well as taking classes at our local yoga studio. For whatever reason, the range and speed of motion was unclear in this video and as a result, I pulled my intercostal muscle. As anyone who has ever pulled this muscle can attest, I takes several weeks to heal. My slow recovery has mounted my anger towards this video. The exercise that I was doing when it happened was the one where you place your hands on your shoulders and very swiftly twist from side to side. I have done variations of this stretch, but never at this speed and intensity. It seems totally unecessary and unsafe. BE CAREFUL!

I liked this Yoga video over a few others that I have (mainly Shiva Rea's) because you do not need a lot of "props." The video is nicely broken into different workouts and you can easily pick and choose what you want to do based on time constraints, etc. I am 25 wks. pregnant with my second baby so I don't always have a lot of time to do videos - I like to do the 30 min. energizing routine in the morning, it is a good start to the day. I would not call this an intense workout, but it feels good and is easy to follow. I have been doing Yoga for years and sometimes have to remember that these are pregnancy videos, your body is changing and they are geared towards those changes; I am definetly getting some relief from sciatica and lower back pain. Also, the instructor and music are non-irritating, as in some of the other videos. I also like the Crunch video.

I am not a regular yoga practitioner and I found this DVD to be great! I agree with some of the other previous reviewers that the butterfly pose is a "recipe for pulled muscles" and I just didn't do that one. I did a regular butterfly stretch without the bouncing part. But that was the only con I really have about it. I guess the post-natal workout could be a little longer too.

PROS:I got a great stretch out of it and it was very relaxing. It wasn't long, so it was easy to fit into a busy day where you are already tired. The breathing exercise and guided meditation were good. They do help you relax. The other nice thing is this one includes a post natal workout, which I did do as a warm-up. It is too fast (only 15 min) to have that be your whole workout, but it works nicely to get you back in the routine of working-out and is a great warm-up for a full workout.

Overall, I do recommend this DVD.

I love using this dvd to keep stretched and toned in between regular prenatal yoga classes. It's a good amount of time - 30 minutes - to do great stretching and muscle building and to relax a bit at the end. Easy to fit into the day. Also, there are other shorter program for relaxation, meditation and post-natal yoga. I am 25 weeks and think I will use those as I get closer to my due date. I'm really glad I got this dvd.

I purchased this DVD in the middle of my second trimester to stay fit and because I like yoga. I'm not a big expert but I was really satisfied with the content of the DVD. I like that there are modified poses. You don't have to force them. It's a calming energizing dvd. I like it a lot. It has some special additional features for example postnatal yoga or birthing room yoga.
Although I'm planning a hospital birth I hope I can use a bit of yoga for labor.
It was really a good choice to buy this product. I'm satisfied.:-)

I was hoping for something a bit more challenging. This is a very basic yoga DVD. Great for relaxing, but definitely not what I consider a work-out. I didn't break a sweat or even raise my heart beat. The poses are not repeated, nor do you hold a pose long enough to really benefit from the stretch. If you are looking for something that focuses on relaxation and breathing, then buy it; otherwise look elsewhere.