Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome!!, April 8, 2006
This review is from: Yogatopia, The Art of Vinyasa Flow ~ Power (DVD)
I am so happy that I bought this video. It is a beautiful practice. I couldn't help smiling after I finished it. I felt like I had just fallen in love for the first hour after I had finished it.
You go through a very very wide variety of poses, which I am not going to begin to list. The best part is that you flow through them all, without explanatory breaks. This can also make it kind of confusing, because some of the poses were unfamiliar. But after doing the practice a few times, I am sure it will be much easier.
There is a breathing section in the beginning. (This is not part of the 60 minute workout.) There is also a warm up. The teacher is wonderful - soft spoken and soothing.
This is an intermediate workout. I wouldn't say that this is the most challenging workout in terms of strength, but you need strength to do it. This practice definitely challenges balance, endurance, and flexibility. It made me nice and sweaty. More importantly, it just made me feel ridiculously good, and I would recommend it to you whole-heartedly.
Edit: I did this workout another time watching form carefully, and it became even more challenging. I rescind what I said about not challenging strength that much - it challenges your legs and requires core strength to do it all gracefully. (Arm strength challenged through sun salutes mainly, and there aren't too many). Also, it is challenging aerobically, but not too fast (it is challenging because it doesn't really have resting poses - it is all active poses). And I still felt absolutely wonderful at the end - it is just a beautiful, graceful practice.
Also, here are some of the poses: warrior series, triangle series, sun salutation A (and B?), crow, dancer, pigeon (single and double leg), half moon... more and more
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Yogatopia is a VIGOROUS and DYNAMIC practice!, August 4, 2006
This review is from: Yogatopia, The Art of Vinyasa Flow ~ Power (DVD)
Yoga-Topia, The Art of Vinyasa Flow is an ADVANCED-BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE level yoga DVD, with nice, subtle background music. The practice requires some STRENGTH and ENDURANCE to complete the moves. Some poses include eagle, pigeon, wheel, extended side angle, side plank, plow...but no headstands or more advanced moves. There is one instructor in a very neutral inside studio, with a voice-over narrative for direction. The one hour continual vinyasa flow of Yogatopia is DYNAMIC AND VIGOROUS, helping to create lean, strong muscles and increased flexibility.
The DVD menu includes the choice of two options of practice... one with a narrator's voice, plus background music and the second is the same practice with no voice instruction, only the music. The DVD menu also includes the option of viewing a brief teaching on breathing, explaining the rhythmic breathing patterns and the breath of fire, which is done several times during the practice. There is also an option to see an interview with the instructor, Litsa Kapantais.
The instructor executes the CREATIVE AND PURPOSEFUL moves in the Yinyasa Flow with grace and artistry. Directional instruction is done well, with additional information on occasion as to the purpose of some moves. I also appreciate the instruction to do a move "to your degree", taking into consideration the different levels and abilities of those participating (although no alternative moves are shown).
OK...Here's my main negative to the DVD... I found a problem with the TIMING of the voice-overs. (Maybe this will not concern or bother you at all). Personally, I like instruction to be given slightly BEFORE a move is done, so that if the practitioner needs to look up at the screen for visual help, he/she can view the move AS the instructor is actually DOING it. MANY TIMES, I noticed that the instructor DID THE MOVE and the VOICE INSTRUCTION was heard at the same time... or WAY too many times, INSTRUCTION came AFTER the move was completed.... so the practitioner 'at home' could not visually SEE how the move was accomplished, if needing to look up quickly at the screen for visual assistance. When you are first starting this practice take into consideration that before you know the moves well, you may need to be patient with yourself, stopping and then re-starting the DVD a few times if needed. Even though I did find that little "glitch" with the TIMING of the voice over, I still found the practice beneficial, creative and very enjoyable.....it's an ENERGETIC, balanced CONTINUAL Flow with no breaks in the practice.
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18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Original & Creative Vinyasa Flow Yoga, June 19, 2006
This review is from: Yogatopia, The Art of Vinyasa Flow ~ Power (DVD)
This DVD is one of my favorite Yoga DVD's. It is a challenging vinyasa yoga practice that flows really well from one pose to another but this is not the same old boring power yoga routine , it is actually unique with poses I have not seen on other yoga tapes, like doing crunches in a supine eagle pose plus a lot of great transitions from one pose to another, even the sun salutations are a little bit different. This is definitely not for beginners , it's quite fast and there are poses like crow , side plank, shoulder stand and plow and there are no modifications, but there is no super advanced stuff. There is also a bonus pranayama section and an option to do the workout with no instruction.
If you like Shiva Rea's type of yoga you will probably like this one too. Highly recommended and worth the price.
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