Question
what is the best yoga dvd for beginners?
I'm more interested in regaining flexibility rather than weight loss (only 10-15lbs to go).
I'm 5'11", mother of 3 (2 babies in 2 years) and my muscles are shot- need to reconnect with the body as well as the brain~
Is there a certain type of yoga that is the best?
Thanks!
Answer
Different people connect to different types of yoga. Although both of the practices recommended by Simone above are good, I don't think either would be appropriate to someone new to yoga. Rather, I would recommend beginning with Suzanne Deason's Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss (definitely NOT just for weight loss) or, if you have some familiarity with yoga postures, Rodney Yee's Yoga Conditioning for Athletes with Rodney Yee Deluxe Edition. The great thing about BOTH of these practices is that different levels of modifications are shown for differing levels of flexibility.
Some people enjoy the more active nature of Kundalini yoga. Ana Brett & Ravi Singh's videos are very popular. Their beginners DVD is Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond NEW! Now with the **MATRIX** MENU OPTION!!!, and they also have a newer version that is a bit more challenging, Yoga for Beginners & Beyond: Stretch, Strengthen, Be Stress Free! - Ana Brett & Ravi Singh.
I also like Classical Stretch workouts for helping with flexibility.
Erich's Beginning Yoga is an excellent beginner's video (I like his Lotus too, but it is intended for intermediate/advanced students). However, some people don't like Erich's hippie-type style. Also, his DVDs are DVD-R that were just filmed in his own backyard; I think that they are very well-done, but some may expect higher production values. These videos can also be downloaded as mpeg files from the web site ihanuman(dot)com.
Regarding two other DVDs that have been mentioned, Patricia Waldon's Yoga for Flexibility and Rodney Yee's DVD by that same name. Again, both are very good, but I wouldn't recommend either for beginners--the Walden practice is more intermediate, and the Yee moves quite quickly, not providing the level of instruction that most beginners would require.
people have to find how they best connect with yoga and make a decision based on this. Watching clips first can help; you can view clips on iHanuman and also on Collage Video (which also has reviews). Another great site for reviews and other information is videofitness(dot)com.
