14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow., April 24 2006
By DVD Workout Queen - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Yoga with Ateeka (DVD)
I felt incredibly well balanced after this video, mentally and physically (like I had worked my front and back equally). My whole body felt awakened. There is a great warm up before you start (this is in the "Introduction" chapter.) Then there are the usual sun salutations, and then a variety of other poses, such as back bend and balancing poses like dancer. Between pretty much every pose, you do a sun salute. Plow and a shoulder stand are at the end, as is yoga mudra.
The poses are pretty intermediate, and there is not much instruction beyond what is necessary to get into the pose. Thankfully, there is no unnecessary chatter either.
The other reviewer said this was challenging, and it is. The poses are held for the perfect amount of time to really get into them (I hate videos that go too fast, so you dont even warm up). With this video, I got very sweaty very fast. I left the video feeling totally stretched, strengthened, and energized.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic, Challenging Flowing Yoga, Dec 31 2004
By YogaKat "YogaKat" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Yoga with Ateeka (DVD)
I have the other version of this DVD with a different cover, but I believe this is the same practice. If I am wrong about that and this is a different practice, please let me know because I definetely buy this one two.
This is a challenging practice (not power yoga) that starts out with a short warm up with breathing and stretching, then moves into 4 rounds of sun salutations. Next is the challenging warrior series, balancing (dancer pose), then to floor poses. The floor poses include forward bends, hip openers/lunges, inversions, and finally yoga mudra. The practice ends with shivasana and Ateeka gives enough time unlike many of the yoga DVDs on the market. In fact this whole practice gives enough time to connect your mind and body in each pose. Akeeta does not move quickly through the poses, but it is not a beginner/intro-level instruction. It is quite challenging, yet relaxing and she includes a lot of creative, alternative poses that I have not seen on other yoga DVDs including backbends, plough, and shoulder stand (with alternatives for beginners).
The practice is almost 1 hour, but the DVD production includes menus so you can choose which poses you like. I would not recommend this for beginners, but if you're already somewhat familiar with yoga, I promise you will love this one! Akeeta holds the poses for a good amount of time and the flow speed is not too fast. She explains the pose, but doesn't talk too much. Her voice is very soothing. On top of all that the scenery is beautiful and the music is lovely (relaxing music, bells, and ocean sound included).
You can't go wrong with this DVD. The price is great and the experience is wonderful. Producers of yoga DVD's, please use this as a good example of what to strive for in producing your next yoga DVD.
Please note: I could not change my rating on this review with Amazon. Could not delete or change, but it should be rated a 5 star (I would give it a 10 if I could!!!)
Please check my other reviews on Amazon.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Calming, positive, energizing yoga flowing workout, May 1 2007
By Touch Remedy "TouchRemedy" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Yoga with Ateeka (DVD)
There are many more reviews on the other DVD product page & 19 more on the VHS version.
This is set in beautiful Maui on a hill overlooking the ocean & mountains behind & you can hear the waves. The music is new age sweet, calming, but never boring.
Ateeka has great form & grace. Her voice is lovely, calm, soothing voice that has no unnecessary chatter, she tells you both the Sanscrit & English name, the ORGAN/SYSTEM BENEFITS of each posture & great cues to remind you of good posture. She tells you she will start with 4 sun salutions 2 of each A & B but you can increase on your own to 10.
The workout starts seated comfortably with deep breathing. Then to downward dog, standing fwd bend & mountain. Next is sun salutations A 2x then B 2x with chair pose, warrior 1 & right into a hamstring stretch over your straight front leg.
Next is standing poses starting with warrior 1 & 2 then bring your arm around the bent knee & on the floor & other to floor & for intermediates, brining your hands behind your back in balance & then sun salutation & ending with dancer's pose.
Next is backbends & seated poses starting with sun salutation, modified boat, bridge & wheel. Next is seated postures of single fwd bends & double straight leg fwd bend. For hip openers she does cresent & pigeon with dwonward dog in between.
Next is inversions starting with rolling back for ab work from seated to laying down, legs 90degrees, plow, shoulder stand & straight leg spinal twist.
Yoga mudra in lotus with hands behind the back & ends in a 2 min corpse pose meditation.
Each pose except for sun salutations are held for 30 - 45 seconds.