Yoga for Absolute Beginners

My intent is to allow yoga to encourage and deepen mastery of self (awareness) so I may reach my highest human potential. ~Yogi Marlon

Many Yoga workouts are too advanced for beginners, so I was excited to find a workout that stated: "for absolute beginners." I imagined it would contain all the basic and easy yoga moves I first learned when I started yoga.

This Yoga DVD has interesting aspects, but also has some issues that should be dealt with by the producers. Fortunately there is enough on this DVD to still make it worth purchasing.

For one, you get 7 sections:

1. Meet Yogi Marlon - An interesting section about how yoga changed Marlon Braccia's life. She appears in a silky crimson blouse and it looks similar to an interview where sections have been fused together to form a quick introduction to Marlon's life and philosophy. I'd like to see this type of section on all workout videos. You really get to know the instructor and I enjoy watching interviews. She recommends that we all do yoga for 30 minutes a day. I was impressed by her personality, her pleasant voice and her inner radiance. Yes, she looks like a young Elizabeth Taylor and is a natural beauty.

2. Ideas on Practice - Marlon has a great personality and is very comfortable with her body, her life and her practice. She gives advice while sitting on a carpet surrounded by plants. I like that she wears jewelry while doing yoga, it is pretty unique and emphasizes her femininity. Red is definitely her color. I really like the way she connects with the viewer.

3. Ujjayi Pranayama - Loved how she is by the ocean as waves are crashing behind her. She explains how breathing is similar to waves. Creative!

4. Beginner Practice 1 - My first experience working out with Marlon. This seems to be one of the Yoga Time shows from her instructional TV series. (I noticed that her name kept appearing as it would on TV.) This is one of the first times you can actually hear the yoga breathing. Marlon sits on a violet mat set on a beautiful Persian-style carpet. Peach or very light purple (depending on the light) curtains flow gently down to the carpet and sometimes move as if there is a breeze.
During this section you will learn breathing, cat pose, down dog, child's pose, sun salutations, warrior, inverted poses (with advanced versions) and a spinal twist. Except for the inverted pose, I think anyone who has been exercising moderately will be able to do these exercises. The inverted pose may take a while to learn. It took me a while! The first practice ends with a calming meditation.

5. Beginner Practice II - Marlon explains Yoga history and explains why Yoga works so well. While she says it is not a religion, she seems to be comparing it to a more freeing religion and also talks about universal consciousness. This is the first Yoga DVD I've done that explains some of the spiritual aspects of the practice. Although, you don't have to change your religion to practice yoga. The spirituality might just be that you feel more connected to your soul.

This section has many of the same exercises as the first Beginner Practice. Cat, child's pose, down dog, leg stretches and meditation are all included.

6. Basic Flexiblity - Lots of bending forward, awkward chair pose, moving cat, leg stretches. A calming workout.

7. Strengthen 1 - OK, I'm not sure what happened to the sound quality in this section. The yoga mat also seems to get more crumpled up and I'm imagining that the placement of the microphone is the problem. As Marlon bends over in various poses, you can hear a scratchy sound that is not her breathing. It sounds like the microphone is not in the correct position. Her jewelry might be hitting the microphone. Anyway, this happens at the start. A breathing section and a few more challenging poses complete this section. A few sound problems also occur. I wonder why this was not addressed, but hopefully it doesn't occur in the future DVDs.

Marlon is a woman of many interests. She enjoys doing research in the areas of nutrituion, herbology, aroma therapy, Bach flower remedies, gardening, fashion, feng shui and interior design. Her show Yoga Time with Marlon Braccia can be seen in LA, SF and NY.

While doing these workouts, I have to giggle, because my yoga mat is just about as wrinkled as hers. I mean, when are they going to invent a mat that stays put! At times she falls out of poses (very few times) or gets shaky, so that might be interesting because it is so realistic. It is more like actually being in a real yoga class. The music is very subtle and I wish it was a bit louder.

I'm going to give this a three for personality and for getting my interest, but the technical aspects of this DVD are about a two. If "sound" is a major issue for you, it is something to consider.

~The Rebecca Review

I read all of the reviews, and felt compelled to write a review in defense of this video. Granted, it's not a high-dollar studio; however, that's not the point! If you listen to what she's saying, and have studied yoga at all, the practice of yoga is NOT about a fancy studio and high quality sound-- it's about learning the proper technique for poses, and the breathing associated with those poses. Besides, look at what you paid for the video!

My husband and I purchased this video because he was told by his physicians that if he would like to keep running as he does (and having the bad back and tight hamstrings that he does) that he would need to incorporate yoga into his exercise regime. I have been practicing yoga for years; however, the videos that I have are too advanced and move too quickly for him. Seeing the title of this video, we thought, "Perfect!"

I LOVE this video. Yes, it IS slow... and that's the point. To learn the poses and breathing properly. It allows my husband to learn the moves, yet I can tailor the poses to my needs as well, being more advanced. Yogi Marlon shows you what you CAN achieve, and gives you the tools to get there.

This video will absolutely give you a great workout-- both physically and mentally. If you're looking for a more fast-paced workout, go for a run or join a gym. If you would like to learn about yoga, and yourself in the process, this one is for you-- beginner or not.

Her DVD contains immense information about yoga, spirituality, getting in touch with your body & spirit & proper breathing in other menu options & in the beginning of the 4 25-min workouts.

She has a great voice, very patient, she tells you in the begining of each pose the proper form, what to watch out for to avoid injury, some modifcations & when to breathe, but during the poses thre's a lot of silence & some moving postures, you don't know if she moved or not. wish she would also tell you benefits during, but does not.

The way she teaches is like a classroom, each pose is like a new lesson, no fluidity. The music is very soft, barely hear it though it's beautiful. What bothered me pesonally is that they are the same songs from a favotire mind/body workout "Tantric Toning."

This is great for beginners who like precise instruction & silence during each pose.

There's trailers at askyogimarlon com

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 15 reviews  3.9 out of 5 stars