Customer Reviews

Yoga Zone: Yoga Sculpting [VHS]

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

A REAL MUST HAVE FOR BEGINNERS. It is good to view the video before beginning so you can be familar with the poses. The instructor is wonderful, and perfect for beginners. Her body is beautifully toned and sculpted (REAL INSPIRATION). Some poses are demonstrated by the instructor and assistant and some by the assistant while the instructor explains and points out proper form. This video is very informative and at a pace you can follow. There are two 20 minute sessions and I PROMISE you will not believe 20 minutes has gone by when you are done. I will be purchasing other Yoga Zone videos and I hope they are as GREAT as this one. I found it very frustrating to pick a video after reading so many comflicting reviews. I searched and reviewed for days before making my decision. I am very glad I picked this one and I RECOMMEND YOU PURCHASE THIS TAPE.*******

After taking a brief yoga class at college, I had not done any yoga for 10years. Wanting once again to take advantage of yoga's stretching and conditioning aspect, I bought this DVD. To my surprise, this DVD showed me that yoga does a lot more than those things. This DVD, as it claims, aims to sculpt your body by doing a series of yoga poses that focus on strengthening. Two 20 minutes sessions are each for upper body and lower body sculpting, so you can just do one or both several times a week or combine this with other excercises. The instructor and the demonstrators are pleasant, and the Jamaican background is beautiful. Since starting this excersise a few months ago, both my upper and lower body have gotten stronger and firmer. I also have become more flexible. And boy, yoga can make you sweat!!! I recommend this DVD to anyone who has done some yoga in the past, and are in a intermediate physical fitness, as some of the poses can be challenging. Dispite what it says in the subtitle, this is NOT for the true beginners.

For any beginner, this is a great video to start to feel the stretch and isolation of the yoga movements. For intermediates, this may be a tad easy although still a good return to some basic positions and stretches - particularly for the upper body. The instructor (Jennifer) is quite good and the poses are shown from different angles which makes it ideal for confirmation that you are doing the stretch correctly. Also, the two 20-minute break-downs make it an ideal way to start your day with the choice of either an upper- or lower-body focus. All-in-all it is a great addition to a collection that I am sure you'll return to over and over in your yoga routine.

I really like this DVD and the Arm workout is fantastic! It is easy to follow but is challenging both for beginners and more advanced. The leg workout is really more focused on the rear and really requires an intermediate fitness level. I have been doing yoga for about 3 months and I had trouble maintaining a lot of the poses but it is a good one to work on and see your progression.

I purchased this DVD thinking it would be a good tape for my first venture into Yoga. NOT SO! I could not even begin to follow along with what they were doing. My wife, who has been doing Yoga for several years, described it as intermediate to somewhat advanced at best. There was no introduction to breathing, pacing, placement of hands, arms, legs, etc. which I assume to be an intregal part of Yoga. I would recommend this tape ONLY to more advanced Yoga practicioners.

Yoga Zone Yoga Sculpting is a 2-20 minute session program, one session focusing on upper body strength, the other lower body strength. Both sessions are led by Jen Monness, who is my favorite YZ instructor. The location as always is the Grand Lidos San Souci resort in Jamaica.

The first session is for upper body, Jen is assisted by Jean and the setting in on a beach which is quite nice. You start out with a pose called old dog which I have never seen before, it is basically a modified downward dog done on the knees. After that you will move into traditional downward dog then into plank pose. From there you will move into a side plank, starting on one knee and then straightening your legs if you choose, I was surprised at how challenging this was, my arm was shaking. Before repeating side plank on the other side you will do a downward facing dog, then you will move into chataranga which is repeated a few times before stretching in extended seal. Next is a chataranga variation where you will lifting and lowering one leg, then you will bring the knee in. This is repeated on the other side before moving into extended seal and cat stretch, then combining the two. Then you will stretch the back with a locust variation with the arms extended outward, then you will move into upward facing dog before moving into headstand prep which is followed by a combination of that and dolphin (plank done on elbows). Then you will move into table pose, which is my least favorite pose, and of course it is repeated several times with the option of extending one leg out then the other, I personally skip this. You will conclude this session with a well needed chest stretch before finishing out with side leans and a cross legged seat.

Session 2 focuses on lower body, Jen is joined by Suzanne this time who performs the poses nicely and is pretty flexible. You will start on your hands and knees extending your left leg behind you, flexing your foot, then bending knee and lifting it towards the sky. This is repeated on the other side then you will move into tricky cat, where one arm and the opposite leg is extended, which is done on both sides. Downward facing dog is next into forward bend, then chair pose, then forward bend again. Next my favorite pose returns, table pose again with the option of extending each leg out, this is done a few times therefore the pose is held for quite a while seems live eternity for me. After table you will stretch out in a forward bend, then move back on your elbows and knees extending one leg back then the other. Then you will stand for lunge pose, once in lunge you will lift and lower the knee, repeat other side, then you will do warrior 1 while lifting and lowering the heel, the repeat other side. Next is downward facing dog/three point pose, where you extend the leg backwards, then up. Suzanne demos this one nicely, then you repeat other side. To finish out you will move back to the floor for seal pose, then moving into a locust variation where you lift the chest, one leg then the other. Then you will do another seal pose before moving into bridge pose, again extending one leg out then the other before then resting pose.

Overall, I liked this program, aside from which seemed to be an overdose of table poses. I would say this is geared more towards intermediates, though some might disagree with me. Jen does a nice job as always, Jen also leads Yoga Zone's Strengthen and Tone, which is a program similar to this one which I like more, but it's also a bit easier than this one. While this isn't a favorite of mine, it is a solid effort by Yoga Zone.

I am at an intermediate stage of my yoga practice now. I know the postures and proper breathing methods and I was looking to get more of a workout - this is it! I love this tape & find that I usually do both 20 min. exercises back-to-back. This is clearly an intermediate exercise! This is not the calming, centering type of Yoga. There is no meditation, just movement that will help sculpt your body. I usually relax (center) myself 5 minutes before starting & I find meditating after these exercises is easier than usual for me.

As a beginner I cherished "The All-Day Yoga Workout - A.M., Stress Relief, and P.M. Yoga for Beginners" if you are beginning - start with All-Day. If & when you want a more vigorous workout move on to Yoga Sculpting.

When I did yoga the first time ... I could barely do downward facing dog without cringing. But the next day, I felt amazing ... happy, energized, with awesome posture.

I immediately went to amazon and got this DVD... Like with any exercise tape, don't over do it and don't do anything uncomfortable for you. Work in to it, and only go as far as you are comfortable. Even if you have to stop and just go in to the seal pose (yum!! How good does THAT feel!?) for a while, go ahead. You will be surprised how fast you will "work up" to it.
After all, even after that one foray in to yoga, I found doing downward facing dog to be like hanging out with an old friend. It felt so good.

The instructors are very accessible - fit, attractive - but not annoyingly perfect and perky. They seem centered and loving yoga. The music is so soothing, the Jamaica setting is very appropriate (and so much better than the inside of the Crunch gym!) and contrary to what other people said, they are good about the breathing. They break down the pose, lead you through it and then show you how to add the breathing. It's very effective.

Bottom line: It is tough - my first time, I couldn't do every single one - I tried and did modified versions (as in just staying in the "table pose" and not lifting my leg) and took my time. Yoga is not about competition and keeping up - it's about moving at your own pace and centering yourself. I would much rather have a DVD that's a little bit advanced so that I have something to work towards than one that's too simple and I conquer the first time. This DVD has me hooked on Yoga, you will be too!!

PS - With some work outs... With this DVD (and yoga in general), I never think that, it just feels so good.

I am fairly new to yoga (i tried it out at the gym) and this is the third video I have purchased (I also got basic yoga for dummies and beyond basic yoga for dummies). I tested it out for the first time last night and I am obsessed! I really like this DVD (although i don't have much to compare it too) and can't wait to buy more. I have done the basic yoga for dummies twice and realized that i knew more that i thought which is why i bought this. The first section was a bit difficult because i do not have that much upper body strenght and half way through the table pose my arms were shaking! The first section went by quick (fasted 20 minutes ever!) so I did the second half too. Again -- love it! I thought the second half was easier than the upper body section and after the full 40 mintes i felt wonderful. I definately reccommend this video and the price is unbelievable!

Yoga Zone Yoga Sculpting tests upper body strength and provides many challenges for the intermediate practitioner. If you are used to doing 60-minute workouts then these two 20-minute workouts should be easier. That would be the case if it wasn't for all the leg extensions. Once you get into a pose the instructor takes you to a new level by extending the leg so you get twice the workout.

The first workout is designed to sculpt and tone the upper body. The poses include Downward Facing Dog, Plank, Child's Pose/Seal, Yoga Pushups, Cat/Seal, Upward Facing Dog, Variation of Locust, Dolphin and Table pose. Side stretches are done last and complete the workout.

In the second workout you strengthen muscles of the lower body. Some of the exercises are more advanced but are repeats of poses you did in the first workout. The poses include Cat (with leg extensions), Tricky Cat (on all fours then with leg and arm extended), Downward Facing Dog, Forward Bend, Chair, Table (with leg extensions), headstand prep, lunge, warrior 1, Downward Facing Dog (with leg extensions), Locust, Bridge and Final Relaxation.

The workout is filmed in Jamaica and the beautiful beach setting makes this a favorite. Once you have finished the workouts you should feel invigorated and relaxed. The calming music clears the mind as you reach new levels of strength and endurance.

~The Rebecca Review