(GAIAM)
1999
What is it?
A 20-minute, flowing Yoga routine that mostly targets the lower body and abdominal muscles, filmed on tops of Maui's Haleakala volcano.
Who is it for?
Those who are already familiar with Yoga's poses and want to tone their lower body without any spiritual or new age-y input. You will need a blanket and, possibly, a block and a strap.
What to expect:
Nearly every Yoga video recommends that you view the session at least once before trying the poses. When it comes to this tape, take that advice to heart and maybe even watch it more than once before doing it all the way through. Suzanne Deason leads you through a fast-paced flow session that doesn't leave you room to ease into the poses or guess what's going to happen next. Starting with the four-minute warm-up, you're pausing only briefly in each posture to feel the stretch before moving into the next one. Beginners and advanced beginners will find this program somewhere between moderately challenging to intense. Another reason you'll want to see this video all the way through is because the modifications using a strap and a block are illustrated at the very end, and only the most flexible will be able to do all the poses with no props whatsoever. Is this an effective lower body workout? Yes, if you really work the poses, which is not hard to do once you're used to the quick pace. In fact, since you're in Downward Facing Dog for most of the warm-up, you get a little upper-body work thrown in. The session also works on balance and the lower abdominals, a good thing because it strengthens the stabilizing muscles - a necessity for a well-toned lower body. This is not a replacement for a regular strength training routine, although it makes a good supplement.