Yoga for Inflexible People

As others have pointed out there are numerous routines in the DVD, and what some people perceive as "minuses" are in my opinion pluses. For instance:

- The introduction in sanskrit for each exercise is short and lasts no more than a few seconds. If you are new to yoga, it is an excellant way to learn the names of the exercises in english and sanskrit

- The use of chairs, walls and props is a benefit to to those of us who are inflexible, and are made as recommendations to assist inflexible people in performing the routines. These are sugestions by the intructor and not always needed if you do not feel you need assistance. The instructor makes that clear.

-There is an extensive variety of routines, and there are many shorter routines to build on. Out of the 30+ routines on the DVD, there are 7 routines or so of 15 - 20 minutes and about another 7 or so of 30 minutes. There is more then enough material to build on, and when you progess, there are many other routines on the DVD.

Perhaps there could be a bit more pep at points, and if you are a more advanced student you may be looking for different things in your workouts.

I was looking to learn yoga properly to increase my flexibility and this DVD is excellant. As the Yoga Journal said (which is above in the editorial reviews along with other publications that rated this DVD highly) this is an intelligent and useful DVD.

This workout is NOT "Yoga for Athletes" or "Power Yoga". It is exactly what it says it is. "Yoga for INflexible People". If you have found yourself here because that is you, then I highly recommend this workout.It is gentle and slow(as it should be) and yes, uses props such as chairs, blocks and a belt to help ease you into the positions.If you are like me and have days when you could tell 24 hours in advance that it will rain, or haven't worked out for a while or even if you just would like to learn the basic poses for yoga, this program will awaken your muscles and gently ease you into all the wonderful benefits this program has to offer. You should be in generally good health to start with,and don't think that you will not be getting a workout...you will!.

The program is a progressive one. It will take you through several levels of movements and you can progress with the program or return to a lower level depending on how flexible or strong you feel. There are dozens of workouts to choose from, and the interactive menu allows you to customize them in any way you want. The six main catagories are 'Gerneral 'Workouts','Shoulders', 'Hips and Back','Legs','Energizing' and 'Quieting'. In each of these catagories you will then find about 6 subcatorgies that range from the very beginning level to intermediate. Each of those programs also ranges in time... from 15 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes.The instructor's voice is soothing and the demonstrator makes it easy to follow. Of course it is always a good idea to view the movements before hand, and I would suggest starting with the general workouts to get the moves down.

On my better days, I incorporate other workouts, but I am happy to have this one to use and feel like I am getting in a good workout on those other days. I feel my heart rate go up, so I know I am still burning calories, and the effects of the workout help me with improving my strength and flexibilty.There is also the added benefits of increased energy and the quieting program for stress reduction. No matter how often you use this one, it will not be the same thing every time. Mix and match the routines in many different ways. You may even find after a while that you may not need the chair, or the belt to help you through!

A Yoga Mat is also highly recommended to help maintain your balance, and for keeping carpet fibers and dust away from your face. Oh...and about the chair...make sure it is stable and stationary(don't ask me to tell you how I know this, trust me on that one!)

The DVD is a nice quality, a good picture and the music serene.

Remember to breathe...Eat healthy..and enjoy...Laurie