This set, available from Jill Miller's web site (www.jillmilleryoga.com) is the first release in her "Tension Tune Down" series. It consists of two hard, slightly squishy rubber balls and a practice CD focused on the areas of the lower neck, shoulders, and back.

I have chronic tightness in my neck and shoulders, and so I had been wanting this set for some time before I finally purchased it. I must say, I was not at all disappointed--I was in love from the moment that those balls first touched my back!!! I had previously tried the Petrone Method, but unlike the Petrone balls, Jill's balls are significantly smaller and firmer, and I could really feel them working at the tension in my muscles. Although I've never had a trigger point massage, I have done deep tissue work, and this felt very similar. Jill describes it as a "comfortable amount of discomfort;" another way to put it is that it "hurts so good!" It feels amazing, like a great massage that you give to yourself. :)

Anyway, as reviewer KathAL79 already mentioned, the entire practice is performed lying in a reclined position in half savasana (on your back, knees up). You start with the balls at the very tops of your shoulders and slowly make your way down your spine with each track; there are a total of seven positions. Also unlike the Petrone Method, Jill doesn't just have you lie there in each position; rather, she incorporates different types of movement to allow you to really feel the balls working. Some of these movements were very small and simple, such as rocking gently from side to side or up and down, whereas other of the movements were larger, such as moving the arms up and down as in "snow angels." Several of the motions reminded me of work I had done in other therapeutic DVDs, including Viniyoga Therapy for Upper Body and Fitness Fix Intermediate.

Also as Kath mentioned in her review, this practice does not really do much to address the neck, as only the very first position targets the lower neck muscles. However, in addition to hitting the upper back and shoulders, it also ends with some brief abdominal work. Because there are nine separate tracks on the CD, it is easy to just skip to those which are most relevant for you at any particular time. Jill includes a basic chart illustrating the exercise for each track, which is helpful. Although it can be difficult to know exactly where to position the balls, Jill's instruction is very detailed, and I found that I derived benefits no matter where the balls seemed to be.

One final note: at the start of the practice, Jill asks you to just feel how much of your upper back is touching the floor, simply as an awareness exercise. When I did this, I could basically feel my shoulder blades, but not much of my upper back itself. After doing the entire 23-minute practice (or even after just doing Tracks 1-5, which I've also done to save a little time), I've noticed that my entire upper back is perfectly flat against the floor, and I can't feel my shoulder blades poking out at all!

So, I can't say enough about this set--I absolutely love it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. No prior yoga experience is required, although some basic familiarity with common anatomical terms would be helpful.

Instructor Comments:
I think Jill is one of the best instructors out there! She has a great personality that is both warm and humorous, and she has an incredible knowledge of anatomy. She would be my #1 choice as a personal trainer. :)

Btw, if you order from Jill, expect to receive a personal email confirmation and personal note with your order! I had an email exchange with Jill, and she told me that she is making other products in the Tension Tune Down series, including one for rotator cuff.

Beth C (aka toaster)