Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies

A little hard to get into, & the very end namaste is missing.

I had wanted to try Yoga, even tried another tape at one time and just didn't care for it. My hamstrings are really tight, and I've always felt that I just could not do the exercises-- the other tape I did confirmed that opinion because it just jumped into major stretching without much warm up, and did not show any modifications. It also was a little irritatingly "new age"-- and though I know that meditation is a crucial part of Yoga, I was not interested in turning it into a religion-- which the other tape seemed intent on doing.So this tape, with it's no nonsense approach, coaxed me into liking it. Some of the stretching is hard-- I can certainly see why people like Madonna are so buff in the arm muscles-- it takes effort to do the poses for the 6 breaths you have to hold them. The instructor is not too "simperingly" sweet, but clear, precise, and friendly. No annoying giggling, or over coaching like a cheeerleader ("come on, you can do it, you deserve to be fit cause you're a great person" blech) I feel I can continue doing this workout for a while, learn the basics, and maybe move into more complex work, which the later half of the DVD provides.You should have a chair handy when you start, and maybe one of those easy to find yoga mats (I got mine half price at a discount store). Also, maybe a towel, and some sort of band (a belt might work, but they sell special yoga bands too) for one of the poses. Try to clear your head as much as possible-- since you have to breathe through your nose, if you have any allergies (which I do) try to control the stuffiness if you can. (I know that sounds weird, but it will make it more pleasant if you can do the breathing). There is an option on the DVD for instructor cuing only-- so you can play your own music and still get the cues.Finally, for people worried about calorie burning. According to a website that I use to monitor calories burned vs. activities (it's free-- write to me if you want to learn the URL) the 51 minutes of stretching yoga that this DVD/video gives you burns a total of 165 calories. You burn approx. 3 calories per minute. It's not exactly boot camp, and it is not cardio, but combined with a cross-training sort of program, this is a good light calorie burning day stretch. It's important, when you're trying to sculpt those muscles, to stretch them out. This video/DVD will be a crucial step to doing that. This may not be the DVD/video for people who are into the more spiritual aspects of Yoga, but she does address them some, enough for those of us who don't want to go too far into it. But it's a great one for getting started.Good luck!

I recently began exercising regularly to lose weight and get fit. I was curious about yoga for a while, but never got around to trying it. I purchased the Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies thinking this would be perfect for me, because I had never done Yoga and was totally clueless as to where to start. Sara Ivanhoe is a great instructor. She starts off slowly and shows you how to do each move. She takes time to set up each pose correctly so that you get the most out of each one. Although the video is basically for beginners, there are also modifications you can work up to. I have to say, after using the video for about a month I feel more flexible and strong. I wasn't planning on using this video to lose weight, but I think it has helped me achieve my goal of becoming more flexible, which has been beneficial to my exercise routine. The reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is because after a few weeks I started fast forwarding the first part of the video where she explains breathing and how to set up each pose. Other than that, I think its a great start for beginners, and those who have never done Yoga in their life. I can't wait until I am able to work up to Sara's next Yoga video

This DVD is excellent for starting out in yoga. I have been interested in Yoga for years, but due to lack of funds and time have never been able to actually go to a yoga class. Instead I bought several videos, some better than others. The problem was that I always felt I was doing things wrong, and unfortunately non of the other videos ever took the time to really explain what I was supposed to be doing. This DVD is different. It explains in detail the correct way to perform each posture without being condesending, tedious or intimidating. It gives down-to-earth instruction for people who want to learn yoga, without necessarily getting deep into the spiritual aspect of yoga. The DVD allows you to skip to specific poses which you may want to review, and it includes a basic 12 posture workout and an intermediate workout which goes into 9 poses you can graduate to once you feel comfortable with the first 12. After watching this DVD I am able to go back and watch and follow my other yoga videos knowing that I am doing the postures correctly. I also feel much more confident about moving on to other yoga videos with more challenging postures. Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies has really helped me improve my yoga practice. I would recommend it highly to anybody who wants to start practicing yoga, as well as people who, like me, have had some experience with yoga but are still not quite sure they know what they are doing.

After being frustrated by Patricia Walden's "Yoga Practice for Beginners," I was concerned that I just couldn't do yoga. I felt confused and ungrounded. I bought Sara Ivanhoe's "Yoga for Dummies" and was gratified to find it a clear and friendly introduction to yoga practice.I found Sara to be an appealing and gentle instructor. She started out by covering breathing, something notably absent from Walden's tape. As Sara described the details of each pose, I felt confident that I was doing them as correctly as possible. She shows modified versions of postures using a split screen, something I appreciated. While I felt challenged in the workout, I didn't feel overwhelmed. I experienced each pose at a deeper level than I had with the previous tape. This was a great place for me to start.While the IDG standard icons (tip, myth, etc.) and their accompanying sound effects were a bit annoying, I felt I could block them out and focus on Sara's instruction. I know that I will probably move on to other yoga videos in the future, so I'm okay with having extra details on this tape. I do wish the relaxation post was held longer (I liked Patricia Walden's version) but Sara's execution fits with the pace of the rest of the tape.If you're new to yoga and unsure of your flexibility, I recommend you start here.

Perfect for beginners. Introduction first to some basic yoga poses then the Sun Salute which is a mild all over workout. Sara Ivanhoe, is a celebrity yoga instructor who created this DVD. She is pleasant in the DVD and introduces the poses to you gently. So if you follow her instructions, you'll avoid injury and enjoy your workout. This DVD is great if you're new to yoga, recovering from an injury e.g a back injury and looking to slowly strengthen your body. I have a back problem and suffer with flare ups from time to time. After a flare up with my back, i'm always feeling delicate but eager to exercise so this DVD is used until I feel stronger to do more challenging exercise. Great too if you're pressed for time and need a quick easy but effective workout.My friend who'd just had a baby, was worried about getting back in shape so I lent her this DVD and it motivated her back to fitness. She was not training for the Olympics just looking to get her figure back slowly at home and to relax as well. Once you've done this DVD a few times, you'll remember the poses and will do them quickly even without using the DVD. I do the DVD in about 10-15mins now. I know which poses come next so can breeze through them. This is a slow paced, relaxing DVD. Do it 2-3 times a week and you'll soon see the results on your body and health. Start slowly first! E.g once a week. I bought it 5yrs ago and would recommend it.

Way way too slow and far too much talking, by the time she had finished talking i had lost all interest, the excessive talking interferes with the flow of the exercise meaning that as the programme goes on you are not sufficently warmed up for the more strenuous exercise. On a positive note they do go into detail of each exercise meaning you would have to be a dummie to get it wrong and it increases understanding but the amount of talking is really excessive and patronising there is around 7 mins of teaching you to breathe......... i apprieciate that is a major part of it but unless your brain cell has to wave to the other to get its attention it is a bit much. i wish i had bought a different dvd, wasteof money.

I am a total yoga first-timer, with a strong background of various sports (sailing, cycling, distance running) - and lower back pain and inflexibility!1 week into this program I feel much better and will stick with it.The presentation is very clear and goes into good detail; the pace is pretty good. The criticism is that once you are familiar with the routine, some of the instructional stuff could become a bit dull...so l will probably look to commit the exercises to memory and dispense with the DVD. Isn't that what you'd want from a basic instructional program?

This 'Basic Yoga Workout' DVD is a great place to start when learning yoga. The explanations are clear and the instructor isn't 'cheesy' or patronising. The music isn't too off putting and the camera angles show each posture very well. My only criticism is the awful 'dummies' logos and voice over that pop up when you're doing each pose. The information they provide is great, but I found them off putting and took away from the relaxation of the overall practise. This is still one of the better yoga DVDs i've tried and one I'll definitely be using again. Worth a try.Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.

Now this is great. I am really really pleased with this DVD. I started yoga recently following a back injury and it has helped enormously. It is a very clear and soothing video to have on - again, the only criticism is the sound effects for the icons - they are always distracting but in this case, that distraction is acute. Imagine you are reaching a difficult stretch and breathing gently, then Police sirens come bursting out of the loud speaker!! Not exactly nirvana time, I can tell you! There is a secret bonus with this - Sara Ivanhoe the instructor is very well known on the Yoga circuit AND she's really calming and nice - very pretty too. Get this DVD if you want to start yoga - I can't recommend it highly enough!