Customer Reviews

Fox;Molly Yoga Stretches and R

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

By way of background, I have been practicing Yoga daily for over 7 years, have over 70 yoga videos and study with a wonderful teacher. I'm definitely no stranger to Yoga or Yoga video/DVD programs.

I just did this program this morning and have mixed emotions.

The reason I have mixed emotions about this program by Molly Fox is because there are aspects of this program that I do like. One is that aside from the VERY fast Sun Salutations she does actually hold the poses for a long time, about 5 or so breaths.

The basic sequencing is okay but there are quite a few poses which many people are not going to be able to do without risking injury, particularly to their knees.

While Ms. Fox comes across as friendly and sincere and does say that one shouldn't go further than they can, she does not show modifications. In my opinion this is a big flaw in the program. If I didn't have years of experience with yoga and known how to modify I would've definitely gotten hurt doing this!

To compare with other programs out there:

If you ever get any of Baron Baptiste's live videos ("Soul Of Strength", "Core Power", "Unlocking Athletic Power" or in fact any of his videos), while they are quite intense, he has lots of students doing the class and he makes a point of always having at least one student showing a modified posture.

One of the best videos out there is by Sherri Baptiste Freeman and called "Baptise Power Of Yoga" which is a challenging intermediate video yet everything is explained in a way that keeps it very safe and realistic. In that video there isn't a second person doing modifications but Sherri is such an excellent teacher that makes it very clear how to work within one's own abilities. She has also been doing Yoga her whole life (born into a family of Yoga teachers) so she's the REAL DEAL, a true master teacher.

Other videos I would consider looking into are by teachers such as Suzanne Deason, Rodney Yee, The Total yoga videos (Ganga White/Tracy Rich) even fitness star Kathy Smith (who actually has excellent Yoga Videos ), much to my surprise.... I bought her 3 DVD set because I liked them so much after trying them at my library) are careful to include modified postures (these are all designed by Rod Stryker who is also a master teacher and in fact in the 3rd video he actually leads the session with Kathy being more in a student role).

Anyway, I think that it is so important for Yoga to be done in a way that respects the uniqueness of each person's body. There are some poses, that no matter how many years you practice will never look like another persons pose and that is fine. That respect for oneself is part of what makes it yoga and not a "no pain, no gain" fitness program.

Also, the relaxation segment is so short in this video it's ridiculous. It's as if they cut it down to nothing so that the video would fit into a certain time frame. While I didn't find this video to be very rigorous (just unsound in many respects), relaxation pose is an integral part of any Yoga practice and shouldn't be treated as an after thought. It was almost as if the attitude here was "Yoga is supposed to have relaxation pose so we'll just throw one in for a few seconds" so we can say we included it....

I really dislike having to write a negative review because I believe that Ms Fox has put forth a sincere effort. Still, I do feel it is important to people buying a program like this (especially folks new to yoga) to be aware of aspects of it that could be potentially risky.

I've used various yoga dvds but find this one the best. The instructor goes slowly and is very encouraging. She doesn't try to show off like some instructors. She tells you "this may be hard for you at first. Don't feel bad. Keep at it!" That's just what I need to hear! I personally ahve lower back problems and found this routine very good for stretching the back and hips. Give it a try!

After reading the previous reviews I decided to purchace this DVD. From the title and cover I thought that this was about stretching and relaxation. It was just another yoga program and was not specific to stretching or relaxation.

I love this tape. Very relaxing.

I use this video nearly every evening. I'm a beginner, so at first it was very challenging. However, she goes slowly enough and explains the moves really well, so with time I caught on. This video really helps my back, much more than another yoga video that I bought that was specifically labeled as a "back" strengthener.

This video is only for those who are already very flexible. There were many positions I found quite difficult and no modifications were suggested. Additionally, Molly Fox has a very grating instruction style, to the point of almost singing her instructions. I wish I could send this video back, because I will never use it again.

I watched this before actually doing this and thought it would be more difficult, but I was pleasantly surprised when I actually did it to find that it was manageable but with the capacity for further individual improvement. At the end (and the time seemed to pass very quickly), I felt relaxed and well stretched. Unlike many of the exercise videos I have tried, I think I will stick to this. A great combination of relaxation, great stretching and a feeling of physical achievement. The invigorating stretch gave me some relief from the niggles of a longstanding back problem.

This is my first yoga experience of any kind, and I love it! I'm 52, in good shape and have always been active. The tape is simple, easy to follow, and a great alternative to bouncy aerobics. An excellent stetch and very relaxing by the end.

This video allows the beginner through to the more advanced yoga-fan to unwind, relax, and tone up in the comfort of his/her own home. Molly Fox has a good teaching style that provides encouragement for those who are not 'fitness freaks' whilst allowing for development and improvement with each session. The nice thing is that you can do the exercises whenever you feel the need, without having to worry about whether or not there is a class on in your area - there is, any time you care to play the video.