557 of 569 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent, verstatile DVD will help those new to their yoga journey
I've been enjoying yoga instructor Barbara Benagh's other recent DVD release, Yoga for Stress Relief, so I decided to take a look at this one as well. This DVD, released by Body+Soul magazine, is intended for those new to yoga. There are a total of 5 shorter (<30 minutes), targeted routines which provide detailed instruction in basic yoga postures. These sequences...
130 of 137 people found the following review helpful:
A Little Too Fast
I went online to search for a supplemental video to use once a week at home, since I was only able to take one class at the wellness center and I wanted to keep my practice up. After reading great reviews about this video, and because the price was right, I bought this one.
I cant say that I "hate" the video, but I also cant say that I "love" it. I think I...
I've been enjoying yoga instructor Barbara Benagh's other recent DVD release, Yoga for Stress Relief, so I decided to take a look at this one as well. This DVD, released by Body+Soul magazine, is intended for those new to yoga. There are a total of 5 shorter (<30 minutes), targeted routines which provide detailed instruction in basic yoga postures. These sequences allow the beginning yoga practitioner to build a solid foundation by learning proper alignment and taking the time to focus on form. In the second part of the DVD, Barbara combines the targeted practices to form five extended routines. These longer (30-70 minutes) practices utilize mostly the same footage (warm-up and relaxation sequences are added) to provide a more comprehensive, in-depth yoga experience. Barbara uses a yoga mat and occasionally makes use of a blanket as well.
A breakdown of the DVD is listed below; I've first listed the main menu items and then have broken down the two submenus, "Getting Started" and "As You Progress." The times for each practice are given as they appear on-screen, but I've added adjusted times in parentheses based on my own review. I've also included brief summaries of the composition of each segment; these summaries are meant to provide an overview rather than to be all-inclusive.
Main Menu
Contents
* Learn: Interview (8)
* Getting Started: Targeted Routines
* As You Progress: Extended Routines
And More...
* About Body+Soul: Meet the Editor (2)
* Articles: Articles and Advice - five PDF file reprints of Body+Soul magazine articles on yoga and related topics
* Credits
Getting Started: Targeted Routines
* Backbends, 10m (22.5)- locust, seated backbend/shoulder stretch, cobra, bow; slow but building intensity
* Standing Poses, 20m (22.5) - tree, triangle (long, slow setup process), side angle, standing side stretch, warrior 1, wide leg standing forward bend
* Strength and Balance, 20m (20.5) - teaches
"core strength breathing" used with boat prep work, half boat, modified side plank, and plank pose; finish in child's pose
* Sun Salutations, 20m (22) - very slow flow; begins with 2 sun breaths, 2 half salutes, and then a total of only 2 rounds of sun salutations, the first more modified than the second
* Seated Hip Openers, 30m (28) - performed entirely on the floor (seems to target hamstrings more than hips): reclined cobbler's, lying shoulder stretch, reclined leg stretch, thread the needle, seated easy pose twist, cobbler's, head-to-knee, wide legged seated forward bend, finish in cobbler's
As You Progress: Extended Routines
There are three new sequences included in the below practices. The first is Breathing and Centering (12.5 minutes), which includes breathing deep and centering the mind while lying on your back, breathing in rhythm with pulling the knees in and out, and breathing during a simple lying twist (revolved stomach pose). The second is a Restorative sequence 11.5 minutes) made up of three separate segments: supported reclined cobbler's pose, upper back opener reclining over bolster, and legs up the wall pose. Finally, there is a 5.5 closing Relaxation sequence.
* Basics: Wonderful Place to Start, 70m (68.5) - Breathing and Centering (12.5), Standing Poses (22.5), Seated Hip Openers (28), and Relaxation (5.5)
* Energizing: Wake Up Your Body and Mind, 40m (40) - Sun Salutations (22), Backbends (12), and Relaxation (5.5)
* Strength: Challenging Extended Routine, 70m (71) - Sun Salutations (22), Standing Poses (22.5), Strength and Balance (20.5), Relaxation (5.5)
* Rejuvenate: When You Need to Catch Your Breath, 30m (30) - Breathing and Centering (12.5), Restorative (11.5), Relaxation (5.5)
* Quieting: Great for the Evening, 55m (56) - Standing Poses (22.5), Seated Hip Openers (28), Relaxation (5.5)
Overall, this is an extremely well-done DVD. Although it's definitely appropriate for those new to yoga, I'm not sure if I'd recommend it as a very first yoga video; because Barbara is practicing alone (on a beautiful beach at Half Moon Bay Resort in Antigua), she is unable to show modifications, although she certainly does offer plenty of suggestions for going at your own pace. I am not new to yoga myself: I started dabbling about 6 years ago, have been practicing regularly for the past 3, and would rate myself at about an intermediate level. While Barbara's detailed teaching certainly provides me with an excellent opportunity to achieve a greater level of proficiency, I do find that the practices move a bit slow for where I am at present. In addition, given that I usually have less than an hour at a time to devote to yoga, I'm not sure I'll get much use from the extended sequences. Regardless, I can see myself mixing and matching to create my own practices, and thus I believe that most beginning and intermediate yogis will be able to find value in this excellent video.
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I am a little confused by the folks who say that there isn't enough instruction and that there are not enough cautions at the beginning of the program. If you watch the first section, you get a clear overview of ways to focus, and the instructor says very clearly that as a beginner, a person should only challenge themselves as far as they feel a stretch, but that this should not be painful, and that beginners should not expect to be able to fully achieve the poses yet. Furthermore, as you watch, she continually suggests modifications for beginners, and gives instructions that are so clear and explicit that yesterday I found myself altering the position of my big toe. It is THAT clear.
I love the short workouts that isolate areas to strengthen as supplements to the longer workouts. As a beginner, having those short chunks has really helped me, and with several weeks of this program, and doing the backbend segment every other day, I have noticed that my lower back doesn't hurt in the morning anymore. I can't wait for the evening each day so that I can go home and do my yoga! I tried taking yoga classes at my gym, and disliked how fast and advanced the programs were. This really is perfect for beginners!
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I had never done Yoga before and I was afraid to go to the gym and look like an idiot. I picked up this DVD and it is awesome. There are a ton of workouts and I haven't even gotten to all the routines yet. I'm never going to get bored and I even think at some point I will do a class at the gym. Definitely a good one.
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I went online to search for a supplemental video to use once a week at home, since I was only able to take one class at the wellness center and I wanted to keep my practice up. After reading great reviews about this video, and because the price was right, I bought this one.
I cant say that I "hate" the video, but I also cant say that I "love" it. I think I might just be spoiled because in my class, the instructor very thoroughly describes each posture, why we do each one, the benefits, lets us do each one a minimum of three times, etc. This video just seems to move a little fast for someone that is a true beginner. By the time I would finally get my body into the best posture that I could, she was on to the next one!
I reccommend this video if you have been practicing for at least a year. If not, I would choose another one.
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Whether you're preparing for a class or learning yoga on your own, a DVD really helps to ground you in the basics. I found Yoga for Beginners a great, relaxing way to get a handle on core positions.
You start out by watching the basic area. This area has short segments that help you understand the starting moves. The aim here is to watch each short segment - and practice the moves - until they start to make sense to you.
They have 10 minute backbends, 20 minute standing poses, 20 minute strength / balance, 20 minute sun salutations, 30 minute seated hip openers. You'll find some of these might be challenging for your current strength and bend ability - but this is actually great! It means you have something to look forward to as you improve and grow. If everything was super easy at the beginning, the DVD wouldn't be much help! So you practice these moves for a while, figuring out which you can do and which you need to work on.
Then you go on to the actual full workout sessions. There is 70 minute basics, 40 minute energizing, 70 minute strength, 30 minute rejuvinate, and 55 minute quieting. Each segment has its own focus, so you can easily pick and choose which one you're going to work on. You might find some easy and relaxing. Others might be a bit challenging at the beginning.
So for example the quieting session was really relaxing, lovely, stretchy. On the other hand, the strength session involves some moves that I had to just watch. My arm strength wasn't up there yet. However, I could do much of it and it definitely was building up strength - and I look forward to when I can do it all start to finish.
The background is simply gorgeous, with the gentle ocean, the sands and the blue skies. It really helps me to feel peaceful and relaxed. The woman's voice is peaceful, calm, and provides a lot of great pointers for adjusting poses based on your current skill level.
Highly recommended for beginners - and the DVD will "grow with you" to allow you to keep enjoying it even as you improve.
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I have never done yoga before and wanted to learn, so I picked up this DVD. All I can say is that is it done extremely well and Barbara really explains things to you. It is very easy to follow and understand. If you want to learn yoga from a great instructor, I would definitely pick this one up!
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I've been using "Yoga for Beginners" for almost 6 months and really like it.
All I wanted out of yoga was to be more flexible and not feel so tight and sore all the time.
This DVD has helped me so much. It's not only helped me increase my flexibility but I'm also getting stronger and seeing muscles. I didn't expect that from a yoga tape and especially not a beginner programs.
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As a yoga teacher, I'm always interested in videos/dvds to recommend to beginner students. I borrowed this dvd from a friend and thought it was very useful and informative for a beginner. The instruction is clear and very slow. I especially liked how the practice was broken down into smaller sections so a practitioner can do as little or as much of the sequence as they like. I would recommend this video to an absolute beginner or to some one who's looking for a very slow quiet home practice.
Enjoy & Namaste.
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I am a total beginner, and I am pleased with this video. I bought Power Yoga - Total Body Workout Starring Rodney Yee, but it was too advanced. Then I bought GAIAM's Yoga for Beginners, but it was awful. I guess the instruction was OK, but it had this ugly pink and blue background and looks like something from the 70's, not filmed on a beach as a photo on the DVD box implies.
The only think I don't like about this DVD is something I've noticed in several yoga videos - the instructor saying very odd things without explaining them, like "pull your navel through your spine" or "expand your heart through your hands" or "root yourself". I try not to stress when I hear things like that that I totally don't get, but my husband gets really bugged by it.
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This is tough to follow as a beginner, but it is broken down well and the encouragement is there as well as the information to go at your own pace and to be patient. The setting is great and the speaker easy to listen to.
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