This workout has already been broken down thoroughly, so I am just going to add my opinions on the workout.

I have and enjoy Baron Baptiste’s Soul of Strength workout, and this is in the same Live series. It is much shorter than Soul of Strength, clocking in at about 25 minutes instead of a full hour. I have had this DVD sitting in my to try list for a long while, and finally got to it this weekend. I was immediately in love because it has an exuberantly wonderful hip opener section. My hips and glutes felt great afterwards! I did it two days in a row (after strength, then cardio) as an add on to treat my muscles after hard work in other videos. I imagine this DVD will also feel great after a nice long jog, and can’t wait to find out!

If you are familiar with Soul of Strength, you will find the setting and large classroom cast to be very similar. I recognize some faces from the Soul of Strength class and the music is the same, a fluid and upbeat tribal mixture. For those new to Baron Baptiste, he does not do the workout with you but instead walks around the class to adjust his students’ postures and to remind you to focus and meditate at one point in a held pose. He is obviously very passionate and enthusiastic about yoga and that vibrant attitude passes through his instruction.

For the hip opener section alone (with the vinyasa section, about the first 15-20 minutes) the DVD is a keeper for me. I am an intermediate exerciser and enjoy yoga from Baron Baptiste, Rodney Yee, and Denise Austin (I did not click with Bryan Kest or Sarah Ivanhoe, the only others I have tried to date). I would recommend this to those with some yoga experience because there are tricky poses like crow pose intermixed with more standard poses. Grade A.

Instructor Comments:
I really enjoy Baron in both his Soul of Strength and Unlocking Athletic Power workouts. He is definitely “new agey,” so if that’s a problem, then don’t even bother with his workouts. I think he is a blast! He is enthusiastic and encouraging and I always feel good not just physically but also mentally after doing his workouts, like you not only work the kinks out of your muscles but also your emotions, thanks to his guided sessions.

Emily B.