Customer Reviews

Yoga Zone (Yoga for Abs / Total Body Conditioning / Intro to Power Yoga)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I totally disagree with the reviewer that said these dvd's aren't really for beginners! I just started doing yoga and first I tried the CRUNCH brand dvd's for beginners and they were IMPOSSIBLE! I almost decided against yoga after that, but figured I'd try one more different brand. I chose yoga zone on a whim and am SOOOOO happy with them. The instructors start you from the very beginning and always tell you what you can do to make it easier if youre struggling. I would recommend these tapes to anyone!

I have just begun studying yoga in recent months at a local fitness center. With classes filling up almost as soon as they're being posted, it's harder to get into more than one class per week. While DVDs or videos never comes close to being a clear trade-off from the traditional class setting, this boxed set has helped me to study yoga on days when I can not join a class.

The instructors in each segment truly emphasize the importance of breathing. The breathing in these segments are slightly different that the method that I have learned in the classroom, but the general principles remain the same: inhilation and exhilation are essential in energizing the body's cells, so properly performing breathing exercises are not just important to yoga study, but to all daily activities.

The boxed set is a good value and allows the individual to pick and choose which workouts to perform. My only disappointment with the DVDs is that there are not a lot of different camera angles, and some poses require better visual aids to be performed properly by the individual.

I have been practicing yoga for about a year now and Yoga Zone is what lured me in. These dvds are a wonderful way to begin learning, or if you already have some introduction to yoga, they are a perfect way to continue your practice. I would have to disagree with the reviewer who seemed to think this wasn't for beginners. It is set up in such a way that you only push yourself as far as you feel comfortable. The instructors stress proper breathing and creating a foundation that you can build on. This series will take you from beginner to intermediate in no time with regular practice. I highly recommend. I only wish there were more than 2 sessions per dvd.

I really enjoyed the 6 gentle workouts given in this 3 DVD set. I think it's great, clear instruction for people just starting out in yoga, with good attention to proper alignment and to the breath/movement connection. I especially liked the ab workout led by Jennifer and find her to be the best instructor. Because the workouts are short and gentle, they serve as great warm ups for more strenuous routines and/or high cardio workouts!

I am completely new to yoga and thought this would be a good set to try based on the other reviews. I've been doing it about three days and plan on moving on to other yoga dvd's once I feel I have more strength and flexibility. Overall these dvd's are okay although I have nothing to compare them to. The one thing I can't stand is Lisa Bennett's voice, one of the instructors. I would rather listen to someone who sounds more real and genuine, and not like they've spent hours with a tape recorder trying to get their voice just right. Doesn't seem like she's being herself. I don't know why it bothers me but it does. I'm hoping to get to the point that I don't have to have the sound on while doing the sessions.
I think beginner yoga instruction should have a segment where they demonstrate all the postures and explain the breathing technique before you go into the actual sessions. It's too hard to keep looking at the screen when your head is supposed to be down, sometimes they don't tell you they're coming out of a pose and you have to look up to see what they're doing. Even though I'm sure I will use these again I will definitely be getting other dvd's to alternate with.

I bought this DVD set several years ago on a whim. Before buying it I had enjoyed Ali McGraw's Yoga Mind and Body VHS, but I found it very difficult to carve out an hour for the full (and very challenging) workout. One of my favorite things about these DVDs is the 20-minute time frame for each session, which is much more do-able with my busy schedule.

When I started to do these workouts regularly several times each week, I noticed some subtle changes in my body. My arms, abs, and legs gained definition and I felt longer and leaner and more energized. Even better, I started to look forward to these workouts for their calming effects. They help me to release tension and regain focus, so I'm no longer burdened by the stresses of the day and I can even sleep better. This is the first workout that I've ever truly craved at the end of a long day!

I have purchased many other DVDs - many of them Yoga Zone - since I bought this original set. These workouts are straightforward, positive, and enjoyable. I would highly recommend this set for anyone seeking a good introduction to yoga or a stress-reducing workout that will fit into any time frame.

Also recommended: The All-Day Yoga Workout: A.M., Stress Relief, and P.M. Yoga for Beginners (Living Yoga). I wouldn't call it beginner, but the 20-minute P.M. yoga session with Patricia Walden is the one I gravitate towards at the end of my most stressful days.

Each of the DVDs included in this set are labeled "For Beginners". Unfortunately, none of the workouts are completely for beginners. I have been doing yoga off and on for a year now, and I still was not able to get into some of the poses included in the workouts. Was quite frustrating because I was following along pretty well, then all of a sudden there came a pose in each of the workouts that I was completely unable to do, with no instruction on how a beginner might perform a modified pose. Also, no instruction included on how to breathe, or get into poses correctly. Each workout is 20 minutes or less, which was also discouraging. NOT a good buy.

This series is an outstanding beginning to Yoga, or any other exercise routine. Yoga Zone gracefully overcame a paradox, which is to market teachings of a method that is so deeply against aggression and competition. They make mind-body awareness accessible to an audience who at best has seen bumper-stickers, posters, and flyers on the topic.

At the risk of enormous generalities, they are mainstream north-Americans, who do not appear to be rooted in ideological wars, neither on political, religious nor ethnic fronts. They tease out the essence of the yogic approach to spirituality and physiology, and present it, in a manner that is relevant to the experiences and needs of the secularly-minded western audience. They also, remarkably, use the routine to compensate for the casualties of our hyper-technical, cushy lifestyle, and the pressures of our rigid work-ethic.

Personally, these videos alone introduced me to Yoga and to physiology in general. I have fibromyalgia, and I began to feel a lot better when I started following their stretches, and listening to their advice. Those who are master yoga practitioners might take an interest in their delicate approach. For those who are not interested in Yoga, it offers an excellent model, of how to incorporate awareness into a physical fitness routine. The dynamic stretches presented would make great 20 minute warm-ups for a more strenuous cardio or resistance routine. Wonderful, inspiring work

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Yoga Zone: Total Body Conditioning
Yoga Zone: Abs for Beginners
Yoga Zone: Introduction to Power Yoga

There is no annoying music in the background and the yoga teachers were very well spoken and clean and precise in what they wanted to convey the viewer. It really helped me improve confidence in my health. I practice everyday and now I feel more energy and positive thoughts. Overall I love this product.

I've actually have a TON of these Yoga Zone DVDs AND Yoga Zone music! This box set is a great addition to anyone's library of yoga dvd's. You don't have to be just a beginner. In fact, I'm a teacher and I've used a lot of their ques in my own classes! Yoga Zone takes out some of the traditional rigidity of some forms of yoga and focuses on proper alignment and a good workout. Yoga Zone is a great way for a beginner to ease into yoga. I also suggest TAMARA'S YOGA FUSION