Sarah Ivanhoe
I've just done this
tape
once and keep in mind that I'm the zone out kind of exerciser -- don't take
notes or
analyze much. But here goes:
At first I thought Ivanhoe was a tad less relaxed on this tape than she was
on my
much-used Joy of Yoga , but she loosens up as she goes. I really
like the tape,
at least on the first go-round. It's tougher than JOY and would actually
make a nice
intro into Baptiste or Kest in an intermediate kind of way.
The warm-up is similar to JOY (although more heat-inducing) and then we
proceed to
vinyasa-type sequences with slower introductions to the major movements. I
especially liked the prayer twist sequence and the boat/table stuff. In
between is a
reclining back-bend sequence that's reminiscent of the one on Schiffmann's
tape (I
seem to remember VFer information that Ivanhoe studied with him at one
point), but easier, and I didn't
mind that at all.
Ivanhoe is great with her cues and form pointers as you might expect.
Perhaps too
many references to weight loss (well, take the title -- please!). The flow
of movement
is great. The modifications are referred to often and demonstrated in this
tape by
Natasha (not Sue).
Also, there are many downward facing dogs -- which I love.
My most major quibble is that I would have liked more seated forward bends
at the
end, but I can always add them on my own -- or tack on Yoga for
Energy ,
seg. 4. I think I'll be doing this tape often.
The music is acoustic classical-type guitar for the most part. The set is
Crunch but
looks less cluttered.
Oh -- it clocks in at 5 seconds short of 40 minutes, more or less.
My fitness level: At-home exerciser for 20 yrs. Can do advanced tapes,
but try to keep my level high-intermediate. Have done yoga videos for 5 or so yrs.
No Ashtanga (yet) and a little dip into Power Yoga here and there. I'm 56
years old.
Sharon NYC
8/18/01
Power Yoga Volume 3: Sweat
Bryan Kest
This is a tough 54-minute power yoga workout, that's worth every minute. You'll definitely sweat, as the title suggests, and when you're done, you won't have a single muscle that went un-worked. I call this an advanced workout, but Bryan says it's intermediate. Um, maybe for him. But for a "normal" person who's reasonably experienced with power yoga but not a Rodney Yee-type, it's advanced. Grade A.
Annie S.
8-18-2001
People who liked Sara Ivanhoe's previous Crunch yoga tape will like this one for the same reasons---it's well-cued, fast-moving and overall, a fun workout. But people who disliked Joy of Yoga will dislike this one for equally familiar reasons: it's repetitive, somewhat clinical, and very hard on the wrists (and knees).
The video opens with a nice sun salute sequence that flows smoothly and warms up the body. This was my favourite part of the tape---it begins with the standard sun salutation sequence, then moves into a chair sequence that was pleasantly challenging, yet easy to follow.
Next up is a lunge/down dog bit that, although well-instructed, was a bit too repetitive for my taste. The down dog was repeated endlessly, and the lunges involved long periods of resting the body weight on one knee at a time. Even in sweats, on a pillow, on a mat on a carpeted floor, I found it uncomfortable. By the time Sara moves on to the balance lunge/twist combo, I was more than ready for a break from all the kneeling.
The final standing section is a series of twists and triangles that was a bit harder to follow than the previous sections, especially is this sort of move is something you need to modify. She held the twists a bit too long for the fast-paced Power Yoga vibe she was going for here, and in spite of her generally careful cueing, she lost me when she tried to go into the triangle from the floor.
The workout concludes with some boat/table stuff on the floor that, while effective, will be quite challenging for the less flexible. You need a good yoga background so you can modify here: her "advanced" table with the feet stretched out will probably be easier for a beginner to get into than the standard arch kind, but she does not even offer this variation until the second time through.
Overall, I did enjoy the tape, in spite of its quirks. It is often the tape I pull out first when I feel like doing yoga, because it is easy to learn and does not require a lot of mental concentration. But it is seldom a tape I finish all the way through. If you are reasonably flexible, have well-cushioned knees and really like balancing on your knees and wrists, you'll enjoy this. The less strong/flexible can still work with this tape, but you'll need enough background to modify accordingly.
Joanna
ficbot@usa.net
03/27/02
I absolutely *love* this video. It's a nice length for daily use (approx 30 min I think) and I really like the way it flows. It's what I would think of as beginner's power yoga. Most of the workout involves going through a series of poses, taking a little time to hold them, and to work on form and detail - and then combining them into a flowing series where you move through them more quickly paying more attention to breathing and flowing than to perfect form. It's really fun and makes me feel sleek and graceful.
There is one person doing slight modifications for beginners or less flexible people.
I don't know how much "fat burning" you'll do (I wish this had a different title - but who can argue with marketing), but this video does get my heart rate up a bit, breathing heavier and I work up a good sweat. (I am quite overweight (approx 60lbs above an ideal healthy wgt) but I'm reasonably fit - do Firms, ride bike.)
I think this is wonderful and I'd recommend it for anyone.
Instructor comments:
I've got several of the Crunch Yoga videos with Sara and I really like her style. She's very down to earth, manages to keep some of the spititual quality in her directions without being very new agey. ("..bend forward...then offer up your heart...now arms to the side, and straighten up"). She also gives you a bit of time to scootch around and get into the pose, and encourages you to help yourself out (by pulling your foot a little more forward if you didn't get it where you wanted the first time) which I like because it makes me feel much better about not always being able to just gracefully step from pose to pose the way other people can.
Sassy
3/25/2003
This is a good workout for those who find themselves easily bored by yoga and are interested in a more active practice. While not at the pace of power yoga, this workout moves quickly through the use of sequences: several poses are combined together in a flowing sequence, and rather than holding each individual pose for any length of time, the entire sequence is performed and then repeated several times.
The workout begins with instruction on breathing using the simple mountain pose. The first sequence involves mountain pose, standing forward bends, and chair pose. After this warm up, a longer sequence follows, containing lunges, push-up pose, simple backbends, and many repetitions of downward dog. For each repeated sequence, a slightly more difficult variation is introduced, and by the end of this series, your arms and shoulders have gotten an intense workout. A series of twisting lunges comes next, followed by some basic standing poses such as proud warrior, triangle, and side angle pose. Again, these are done in a sequence that flows quickly from one move to the next. A short abs section caps off the workout: after a few boat poses and seated backbends, there are also two Pilates-like exercises for the midsection. Finally, the practice ends with some brief seated stretches and an even briefer relaxation pose.
Sara's cues are detailed enough for those new to yoga, and the program is appropriate for beginners, especially with the modifications provided. However, some prior familiarity with basic yoga postures might be beneficial, and it should also be noted that this is intended to be intense and energizing rather than a relaxing practice. At 45 minutes, this program provides a nice change from traditional weight-bearing strength workouts while still offering the opportunity to work on toning at a more moderate pace.
Instructor comments:
Instructor Sara Ivanhoe is completely non-intimidating; she uses language such as "wiggle your fingers and toes" and "you might want to take it up a notch." She places strong emphasis on breathing and enjoying the workout and de-emphasizes perfect form. Her yoga instruction is completely Westernized, with little evidence of the more mystical/mindful aspects of yoga practice.
Beth (aka toaster)
December 15, 2003
