Stephanie Foster:Beginners Yog

Newcomers and seasoned yoga practitioners alike can find a good source for perfecting alignment and form in Stephanie Foster: Beginner's and Intermediate Level Yoga. This DVD format includes two sessions, with one workout geared toward beginners and the other formatted for intermediates. The beginners' set is taught very slowly with a variety of intensities demonstrated for each posture. Basic poses are explained with great attention to spine alignment and correct form. Foster uses chairs and walls to illustrate alternative moves as she points out focus areas of the body and accurate placement. Although Foster is a capable and knowledgeable instructor, the atmosphere here may be a little uninspiring. Scenes are shot in a gray hued room with little light or external elements in view. Once the fundamentals of these postures have been explained, a moving sequence is presented that utilizes all of these poses in succession. Detailed cues are given, but yoga terminology (like the specific name of a posture) is not used to prompt a transition. Rather, participants are told to move specific parts of their bodies to achieve a pose. This may prove great for a beginner because it speaks in simple terms, but if you are looking for a working knowledge of yoga (terminology, breathing techniques, and such) this set may fall short for yoga 101. The intermediate set offers greater difficulty along with segments that target specific body parts. The back and abdomen become the spotlight as breathing techniques are taught and a series of plies and deep lunges work the lower body throughout the standing and balance sequence. A greater amount of terminology is utilized in the intermediate portion and Foster presents some more difficult backbends and poses that require greater flexibility. A brief meditative set rounds out the intermediate workout. Participants will need a mat and a block (you may also want a chair and a strap). This 100-minute DVD includes a biography and other peripheral segments that contribute some interesting information. Overall this workout rates high for safety and detailed instruction on body alignment and correct form. Flexibility and endurance will be increased with regular use of this "how to" format, but if you are in search of the yoga experience, this presentation skips over many of the details about the practice. --Olivia Voigts