Yoga for Inflexible People

Judi Rice
Year Released: 2002

Categories: Yoga


General workout breakdown: This DVD offers a variety of general and focused yoga routines for the serious yoga student who may be flexibility-impaired. The yoga practiced here is based on the Iyengar method, which focuses on precise movement and alignment, often using props to help move deeper into poses. This is deceptively challenging brand of yoga that is held for quite some time (i.e. it’s s l o w paced) and is by no means fast-moving, sweaty power yoga.
The wide variety of programs allows you to choose your practice based on how you feel each day. There are a total of 37 programs, which range from 15 to 75 minutes long. They are divided into the following categories: 8 general, 7 hips & lower back, 5 legs, 5 shoulders, 6 energizing, and 6 quieting. The shorter programs are generally easier than longer ones, with the “basics” programs aimed at beginners. The programs are actually made up of pre-programmed exercises routines, so there is a little pause between segments while the DVD starts the next chapter, which begins with the pose’s name and mentions the props you’ll need—the latter feature is not always correct.

Level: I’d recommend this to beginner to intermediate yogi(ni)s. While prior yoga experience is helpful, a beginner (or someone restarting a yoga program) will probably find the routines doable. Anyone past the intermediate stage will most likely find the poses too basic and/or too modified. I have well over two years of yoga experience but am working on improving my strength and especially my flexibility. I have recently begun practicing at an intermediate level. I’m finding the shorter routines too easy, but a number of the longer routines are still useful to me.

Class: one woman (Tara Cary, a yoga teacher) only

Music / Set / Production Notes: The instrumental music is soft. The minimal interior set has lightly painted walls and floor and nothing else. The picture and sound quality are good but the production is definitely no frills. There are the pauses between poses, and sometimes there’s a volume or tone change as well. In addition, the voice over is not always in synch with visuals (e.g. you’ll come out of a pose as instructed and find Tara’s still in it).

Equipment Needed: sticky mat (or equivalent). You will also want a chair, yoga strap (or use a tie, belt, or towel), 2 yoga blocks, 2 folded blankets, and an additional rolled up mat (or towel) for some segments. Access to a clear wall is needed for other segments.

Comments: There isn’t usually a “warm up” or breathing / centering / focusing section before each routine, so add one if you need it.
You don’t need much space; you should be able to move around on your mat freely.

DVD Notes: I believe this is only available on DVD. The safety precautions appear at the beginning of every routine, but you can skip them.

Conclusion: I don’t usually do this DVD. The pace is too slow for my taste, the props create too much clutter for my neat freak ways (especially since you can’t always tell what you’ll need next, so you either have to have everything out or jump up and grab it), and the routines are hard to judge in difficulty until one has done them all the way through. So why do I keep it? It has a fabulous menstruation series (one 15 minute series and an expanded 30 minute series) which is perfect for cramps during that time of the month. I swear my cramps are reduced dramatically by practicing this sequence. Besides, I personally only feel like flopping on the floor for that day or two anyway.
Of the three Body Wisdom Media yoga series I’ve owned (Yoga (Complete) for Every Body and Power Yoga for Every Body), this is least well produced, particularly in the match up between the instructions spoken and the movements performed. I know many people prefer Y4IP, but I personally prefer the Y(C)4EB because the pace suits me a little better.

Instructor Comments:
Judi instructs via voice over. She is very focused on technique in general, offering a lot of pointers for each pose. I particularly like her tips on how to come out of poses safely. She has a soft southern accent.

KathAL79

08/23/2005