(GAIAM)
1998
What is it?
A 20-minute, gentle but energizing Yoga routine to prepare you for your day.
Who is it for?
While the poses are beginner's level, you do need to be familiar with them already to get the most out of this session. You will also need a strap and a blanket along with the requisite Yoga mat.
What to expect:
Yoga doesn't have to offer a challenge or last for an hour to be effective. This is the gentlest of the Rodney Yee-hosted Yoga series, and it's a very pleasant way to begin the day. This routine is certainly appropriate for beginning Yoga enthusiasts, but keep in mind it's not an instructional tape (for a session with more direction, try either Yoga Zone's Introduction to Yoga, Kathy Smith's New Yoga, or for just the basics, Yoga Journal: Yoga Practice for Beginners). Yee leads you through a quick routine - good for those who can't afford a lot of time. He starts it very, very gently with four minutes of relaxation and body awareness. Next up is 12 minutes of Asana work that is not very taxing - it's meant to wake your body up, not twist it into new shapes. This is exactly what a 12-minute A.M. Yoga session should do - early morning bodies are generally stiff, and most people would need much more time to warm up enough to make serious demands on their joints when they've just recently rolled out of bed. The session ends rather quickly with two minutes of seated meditation. If you have really paid attention during this course of this routine, you may want to linger a bit longer to let the good feelings settle in. A.M. Yoga for Beginners makes a very nice addition to a beginner's, or advanced beginner's Yoga library.