Yoga Over 50

At the current age of 47, I am just short of the "over 50" target audience for this video. However, a friend of mine lent me this DVD to try, as I own and enjoy several of instructor Barbara Benagh's other videos. Her Yoga for Stress Relief is one of my all-time favorite yoga DVDs, as it provides a wonderful variety of practices, but I also really like her AM/PM Yoga for Beginners, and I have found her Yoga for Back Care to be useful as well.

Like Benagh's prior releases, Yoga Over 50 offers multiple practices. The DVD case says that these routines vary from 20-60 minutes, but to my disappointment, the shortest was actually 25 minutes--too long for a quick practice--and the longest is 50 minutes, so not a full hour, although Benagh provides tips on combining the routines.

Here is the Main Menu along with times for each practice:

How to Use this DVD
Interview with the Instructor
Sun Salutation (25 minutes)
General Practice (45 minutes)
Seated Poses (50 minutes)
Flexibility & Strength (40 minutes)
Yoga on a Chair (50 minutes)
Guided Relaxation (25 minutes)
Osteoarthritis (35 minutes)
Osteoporosis (40 minutes)
Credits

Selecting some (but not all) of the routines brings up a submenu with an option for a brief introduction by Benagh specifically about that practice. I found her discussions somewhat confusing. For example, in her intro to the "Flexibility & Strength" practice, she talks about this being a 2-part routine and how half of it can be combined with one of the other practices. However, there is no natural break at the halfway part through this practice; there are a few internal chapter breaks, but they do not seem to be at stopping points consistent with Benagh's explanation.

I also had some issues with how the practices were described. The "Seated" practice began lying on the floor, and it wound up consisting of approximately half lying postures, half seated poses. "Yoga on a Chair" would have been more appropriately named "Yoga WITH a Chair." Benagh did start seated on the chair, but she also performed approximately 10 minutes of the practice standing behind or beside the chair, using the chair as an accessory.

I think Benagh is an excellent instructor, and I do think that there are worthwhile aspects of his DVD--so long as one knows what to expect. It would probably be best suited to older adults who have had some experience with yoga and would like to continue practicing regardless of age or injury.

Instructor Comments:
As noted, I really like Barbara Benagh--her Yoga for Stress Relief is one of my favorites. However, I think it would be easier for me to adapt that DVD as I get older than to try to practice with this one, which I mostly found frustrating.

Beth C (aka toaster)