Hard Body Yoga

Tari Rose
Year Released: 2003

Categories: Yoga


A second opinion on hard-body yoga
I received my DVD yesterday and did this workout for the first time today.

There is an excellent breakdown of the workout on (thanks Dawn!):

*****
Review of Hard Body Yoga
I received my Hard Body Yoga DVD this morning and have already previewed it. I think I'm going to really love this workout. The DVD is divided into chapters:

Full Workout
Warm up
Body Work
Abs
Final Stretch

The workout isn't a flowing type of yoga workout. After each segment there is a pause and then you start with a new segment.

This workout starts with your basic yoga warm up with Sun Salutations. Here is a list of the exercises you do after the warm up:

1) Prayer Squat: You go into your basic chair pose and hold while pulsing your arms above your head for a count of 5 and you repeat this three times and then you drop into a chair pose slowly for a count of 10, hold and pulse the arms for a count of 10, then slowly raise back up for a count of 10. This is one sequence and you do this three times.

2). Downdog/Updog/Leg Lift: You go into a Downdog position, move into an updog and you repeat this three times, on the fourth time you lower down on a count of 10, hold for a count of 10, raise back up on a count of 10, hold the downdog pose and alternate leg lifts 10 times. Repeat this sequence a total of three times.

3). Warrior Lunges: This is more of a Side Angle series. You start standing and lower into a Side Angle pose and then raise back up, doing this three times, on the fourth time you go down on a count of 10, wrap your top arm around your back and reach your bottom arm underneath your leg and grab your wrist, hold for a count of 10, release and raise into standing position on a count of 10. Repeat this sequence a total of three times and then repeat it all on the other side.

4). Side Plank Series: You do alternating Side Planks slowly about 10 times, then you stop on one side and hold for a count of 10, switch sides and hold for a count of 10, go into a plank position and lower down for a count of 10, raise back up and repeat sequence for a total of three times through.

5). Plie Squats: Do three slow plie squats, on the fourth one you lower down on a count of 10, hold while you do alternating arm reaches to the ceiling, raise back up slowly on a count of 10. Do this sequence three times.

6). Wide Leg Forward Bend: Clasp hands and go into a forward bend, continue to raise and lower three times. On the fourth time you go down on a count of 10, place your hands on the floor and alternate raising each arm to the ceiling, clasp hands again and slowly raise back into standing on a count of 10. Do this sequence three times total.

7). Dolphin Push ups/ Leg Lifts: You start in a downdog position with elbows on the floor and you raise and lower your body from push up position into a downdog, on the fourth time through you lower down on a count of 10, hold for a count of 10, raise up on a count of 10 and then go into alternating leg lifts. Do this sequence three times total.

8). Forward Bending Squats: Stand in a forward position. Slowly lower into a squat position with knees together and heels off the floor then go back into a standing forward bend. Do this three times and on the fourth time you lower down on a count of 10 and go back up on a count of 10. Do this sequence three times total.

9). Downward Dog Peels: You start in a downdog position moving into an updog position and this is where the strength part starts. You raise into a cobra position, lower back down and repeat. On the fourth time you raise up on a count of 10, hold for a count of 10 and lower on a count of 10. Repeat for a total of three times.

10). Bridge work: Raise and lower three times and on the fourth time you go up on a count of 10, hold for a count of 10, lower on a count of 10. Next is single leg Bridge work. The first time through, one foot is on the floor and the other is up in the air and you raise and lower 5 times and then on the last time you raise up slowly for a count of 5, hold and slowly lower for a count of 5. Repeat this entire sequence on the other side.

11). Abs/ Inner Thighs: Laying on your back with your legs in the air in an L-position you lower your legs out into a V-position to work the inner thighs. Raise and lower three times and on the fourth time you slowly lower your legs out for a count of 10, hold and pulse your hands through your legs to work your abs for a count of 10, slowly raise your legs back together for a count of 10. Do this sequence three times.

12). Laying on your back, legs in the air, alternate raising and lowering the legs to the floor one at a time for a count of 10, hold the legs in the air on the last one and slowly lower both legs together for a count of 10. Repeat for a total of three times.

13). Ab work: Laying on your back, legs in the air and raised up on your elbows, you have your knees into your chest and you take both legs straight out in front of you keeping them off the floor, bring the knees back in towards the chest, take the legs back out but have them raised up about 12 inches off the floor, bring back into chest, take legs back out but have them close to your face, then you lower your legs back down to the floor for a count of 10. Do this three times total.

14). Abs: Laying on your back, raise your hands towards the ceiling and have your legs straight up in the air with feet up towards the ceiling, raise upper and lower body together and hold for a count of 10, release and repeat two more times.

15.) Final Stretch: Clasp your big toe with your fingers and straighten leg to the ceiling, bring nose to the knee and stretch, release and take the leg out to the side for an inner thigh stretch, release and take the leg across the body towards the floor on the opposite side, release and repeat on the other side.


There is music in the video and it's loud enough to hear without being too loud. Excellent production quality. Filmed in a room with a blue background with two background exercisers. Tari shows modifications for each of the exercises shown. Tari has a great personality and I really hope she continues to make workouts like this.

Dawn
***********
Thanks for turning me on to this. I wanted to add my thoughts about this workout for another opinion.

Dawn said that this workout was similar to Beth Shaw's yoga workouts. I would have to agree. It is what is referred to here at VF as "gym-style" yoga.

Background on me so you take my opinion with a grain of salt :

I'm an advanced exerciser (lifelong athlete) and do Cathe, The Firm, and lots and lots of yoga for years. I'm a certified aerobics instructor and personal trainer. I am really into yoga and have been slow to get on the Pilates bandwagon althogh you all at VF have helped me (I love Lotte vids and Ana Caban's intermediate Pilates, Kari Anderson ALC I and II). I still prefer yoga over Pilates and my favorites are anything by Shiva Rea, Bryan Kest (love his CDs), and I like Mark Blanchard's Progressive Power Yoga. I study Iyengar yoga once a week with a certified instructor.

The Good
========
- This workout is tough and very different from other yoga practicies
- As Dawn said, is it more focused on strength than flexibility although you do get flexibility training with the moves and there is a nice stretch at the end.
- For those of you who don't have the concentration to do traditional yoga, this workout is constantly moving and might be for you.
- The poses are held for a longer time than other gym-style videos but Bryan Kest holds his poses forever, especially the CDs.

The-Not-So-Good
=============
- The music was bad IMHO. It was MUSAK from a doctor's office - not yoga-like at all (I guess I'm used to Shiva Rea's music which is so relaxing). At least it wasn't too loud.
- No relaxation pose at the end! That is one of the main things I miss with Pilates so you can take this with a grain of salt.
- No instruction on breathing. I made up my own but I wasn't sure how she wanted the breathing done the exercises.

Since I'm not a huge fan of gym-style yoga, I'm not sure I like this. It reminded me more of a pilates workout than a yoga workout. I'll have to do it a few more times. You definitely work! And since I'm starting to really like Pilates, I may do this one more than I think right now.

Hope this helps.

Christine Miyachi

08/22/2003