AM/PM Yoga for Beginners This yoga set is perfect for busy people who need to work in a way to relax. On the a.m. tape, Rodney Yee takes you through a 15-minute morning yoga set, while Patricia Walden leads a 20-minute evening routine on the p.m. tape. The a.m. tape was filmed on a beach on Maui at sunrise, providing a soothing background for this gentle workout. In the morning, Rodney tells us, "the body is rested but stiff from inactivity." The stretches he demonstrates are designed to increase circulation, improve mobility, and bring clarity to your mind. The movements are easy to follow (they include a conscious relaxation, the a.m. workout, and a guided meditation), and the set is short enough that it can be squeezed into the most hectic of morning schedules. The p.m. video was filmed at sunset in Death Valley. Patricia's yoga set is designed to quiet the mind after the stress of the day and to help you make the transition from active to quiet. She uses a combination of a centering series, standing poses, forward bends, and restorative poses to help you ease into night. You will need some firm blankets to sit on and a yoga strap (although a belt or scarf will serve the same purpose) to perform these movements. Perfect for the beginner and for the overworked. --Jenny Brown

Prenatal Yoga The best thing about this prenatal yoga tape is that there is a model for each trimester. Instructor Shiva Rea demonstrates each of the stretches and exercises for the first trimester, and two pregnant women show modifications for the second and third trimesters (they're even dressed in different colors for easy reference). This removes the self-doubt home-exercisers often have about the safety of certain moves--especially in that cumbersome final stage of pregnancy. Using gentle voice-over instruction, Shea and her assistants take viewers through a half hour of meditational stretches using blocks and chairs for support. She follows that up with 16 minutes of floor work: lunge pose, bridge pose, child's pose, plank pose--all with the necessary adjustments. She winds things up with a four-minute guided relaxation on her back--the traditional position--with the second-trimester woman on her side and the third on her side with one leg up on a chair. By including the different adaptations, Shea has made a tape with the flexibility to carry an expectant mom through her entire pregnancy--and beyond, if she wishes. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Healing Yoga for Aches and Pains No description

Ali MacGraw - Yoga Mind & Body Clean white sand and a cool predawn sky are the backdrops for this stunningly produced video, complete with an upbeat New Age soundtrack. Don't be put off by the MTV-like camera work, as this video constitutes an excellent, well-balanced workout. Ali MacGraw and a supporting cast of something-for-everyone models work through this 50-minute routine, overseen by yoga master Erich Schiffman. The first minutes focus on ujjayi breathing, then MacGraw leads us through a complete practice of shoulder stretches, sun salutations, back bends and twists, and standing poses. No equipment is required, but a sticky mat is recommended. Unlike other videos targeted for beginners, Yoga Mind & Body does not offer modifications for difficult poses and so is best suited for practitioners with some previous experience. --Jhana Bach

Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies A workout that balances both the body and the mind can be found in the Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies. Fundamental postures are explained and demonstrated slowly with an emphasis on breathing and motion. Sara Ivanhoe teaches 12 basic poses that are termed the "daily dozen" and offers challenges and modifications to each of these moves. Ivanhoe presents these concepts in an approachable and calming manner that adds to the overall relaxed feeling that this session exudes. Newcomers to the practice of yoga will learn jargon, essential postures, and focusing techniques. Experienced participants may find some information redundant, but Ivanhoe offers such thorough explanations about each posture that you can't help but expand your existing knowledge of yoga. As the mountain pose, standing forward bend, and downward facing dog are explained (not to mention the nine other poses within the "daily dozen"), proper body alignment becomes the focus. Meticulous attention is given to the connection between breathing and body movement with several reminders to keep the spine in "neutral alignment." This session ranks great for safety and content and makes yoga accessible to anyone who "always wanted to, but never did." This is a substantial program that can introduce the basics and build your understanding of yoga. --Olivia Voigts

Total Yoga While this is certainly an excellent video for those schooled in some of the moves and positions of yoga, it may prove somewhat intimidating to the novice. Tracey Rich and Ganga White demonstrate the poses in this 68-minute hatha workout, Tracey showing the simpler steps and Ganga the more complex. Yet even the simple poses require quite a bit of flexibility. If, however, you are on an intermediate to advanced level, Total Yoga will give you a satisfying stretch, increase your relaxation, improve your circulation and flexibility, and build strength. Not much time is spent on explanation, so the tape will hold your interest on repeat viewings. Breath work is emphasized in the beginning of the tape, which segues nicely into a balanced workout using flow series. A perfect video for continuing your yoga experience once one of the more basic ones (such as Stephanie Foster's Yoga: Beginner's Level or A.M./P.M. Yoga for Beginners) becomes too easy. --Jenny Brown

Living Yoga - Abs Yoga for Beginners Rodney Yee leads Abs Yoga for Beginners from the serene Death Valley. The gentle sands of the desert lend to the calming mood of Yee's supple movements, which are designed to firm and strengthen your abs while providing a soothing respite from your hectic lifestyle. Beginning with 4 minutes of conscious breathing, moving into 13 minutes of abs yoga workout, and ending with 3 minutes of deep relaxation, the tape is an introduction to yoga for those who would like the added benefit of targeting their abdominal regions. The poses are, for the most part, simple to follow, although the beginner may need to ease into some of the positions; lowering straight legs to the ground is challenging, but of course, as in all of Living Arts yoga tapes, you are encouraged to move at your own speed. A blanket to sit on is required. --Jenny Brown

Jane Fonda's Yoga Exercise Workout It was probably inevitable that Jane Fonda, who played such a defining role in the aerobics boom of the 1980s, would be on the yoga train as well when it started rolling in the 1990s. And on this tape (recorded in 1993), she does a good job of it. The focus is on the "sun salutation," a connected series of poses that builds strength, flexibility, and balance, and with repeated practice this offers what Fonda calls "an excellent full-body workout." The program is divided into three sections, any one of which can be practiced on its own. The first breaks down the various poses comprising the sun salute, while the second is devoted to several repetitions of the salute itself; three variations are offered, two incorporating some of Fonda's own techniques and one that's closer to the "classical" or "Series C" salutation. The final section (which might actually be a better place to prepare for your practice than to finish it) focuses on relaxation and breathing. Fonda's manner is brisk, but her instructions are clear and concise, and while the tape isn't especially difficult, it should prove challenging enough for beginners and most intermediates. --Kelly Welldon

Crunch Yoga Mama - Prenatal Yoga Crunch, a New York-based gym, keeps bringing innovative and hip exercise videos to VCRs across the country. You don't have to be in a metropolitan area to experience cutting-edge fitness trends and formats because Crunch: Yoga Mama delivers an effective (and chic) pre-natal workout that can be done in the comfort of your living room. Instructor (and pregnant woman) Sue Elkind leads this 40-minute workout with concise descriptions and a healthy knowledge of yoga as it relates to pregnancy. The content here provides a workout that is both safe and efficient, with great attention to participants' individual fitness levels. This session is presented with a backdrop class (consisting of women in various stages of their pregnancies) that demonstrates modified and more challenging options to each pose. Pregnant participants may find it more appropriate (and less annoying) to take direction from another pregnant woman rather than an ultra flexible, ultra thin (non-pregnant) instructor. Basic postures within yoga are taught with intensive focus on breathing, flexibility, and the constant connection between mind/body (and mother/child). Some poses are altered to accommodate the roundness of the midsection with constant awareness of spine alignment. Elkind gives special attention to balance as she slowly increases the intensity of postures. After a series of basic poses are performed, Kegels are practiced (which strengthen the pelvic floor), and meditation closes out the workout. This basic format is friendly for beginners, pre- and post-natal women, or anyone who requires modifications. This safety-conscious video offers a simple, straightforward workout with real potential for increased strength and flexibility. Props needed: a blanket or pillow, a mat, and (especially if you are expecting) a chair. --Olivia Voigts

Yoga Journal's Yoga Practice for Relaxation You can't help but let stress slide away if you unwind with this video of restorative yoga poses that replenish your body's energy and rejuvenate your spirit. Restorative means you're not working your body, but "undoing, allowing nature to restore you ...[and] the healing powers of yoga to reveal themselves to you," explains Patricia Walden, who teaches the first 30-minute session of resting poses. Your body is supported by props, such as folded blankets, a bolster, or a wall, so the stretches are not intense. The poses are taught slowly and quietly, with plenty of time to sink into each pose, open the joints, and relax the muscles. The second 30-minute session, taught by Rodney Yee, emphasizes forward bends, often sitting on the floor in various positions, with your forehead and arms resting on a chair for support. The instruction throughout the video is clear, complete, and patient. The whole experience is relaxing: with the instructors' soothing voices and the gentle music in the background, there's no rush to leave each pose. --Joan Price

Living Yoga: Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners "Today our world moves more quickly than ever, with greater responsibilities and expectations," says instructor Suzanne Deason. "When we experience stress, it's held in our muscles as tension." This 20-minute yoga practice, filmed at sunset on the beach at Maui, will help relax your mind and muscles--especially those of the neck, shoulders, and lower back, where tension accumulates--and let stress drift away. The yoga practice includes 4 minutes of gentle stretch, a 13-minute stress-relief workout that increases circulation and flexibility, and 3 minutes of deep relaxation to leave you calmed and balanced. You'll need a foam brick (or other object suitable for resting your forehead) and a strap or towel for some of the moves. Deason glides from one pose to another, her instruction clear and relaxed. This video is appropriate for all fitness levels and all ages--as long as you realize that you're not trying to match the suppleness of the instructor. Beautifully produced. --Joan Price

Yoga Journal: Yoga Practice for Beginners Yoga Journal's excellent series of videos offers a thorough beginner's guide to yoga stretching and breathing practices. Patricia Walden's soothing voice and gentle approach to teaching eases the viewer through several stretching techniques, never rushing and often repeating exercises "so that the body can learn." Walden's slow approach is also "permission giving"; she talks the beginner through each stretch, suggesting ways to breathe and enhance even the most seemingly static pose, yet never pushing the viewer beyond his or her comfort level. Who would have thought the classic standing mountain pose could wear a person out? The tape is a good hour long, and may leave the viewer feeling refreshed and more aware of his or her body. One can't help but be a little inspired by Walden's fantastic, and realistic, body. She is easy on the eyes, yet not intimidatingly so. The production value on this video is excellent and consistent; the music is pleasant, even, and subtle. The exercises synthesize into one hour-long routine ending with a relaxation pose, so breaking it down into shorter segments is not as easy as with other Yoga Journal tapes. All in all an excellent and accessible beginner's guide to yoga. --Gilia Angell

Yoga Conditioning for Athletes The fact that basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a serious yogi, played professionally for two decades without once suffering the kind of shoulder, knee, hamstring, or other injuries that hamper so many other athletes' careers is no coincidence. Instructor Rodney Yee is therefore clearly on to something with Yoga Conditioning for Athletes, a yoga practice designed to promote overall balance, diminish the likelihood of injury, and enhance athletes' physical conditioning and "focused concentration." With two assistants demonstrating modifications for the various poses, Yee leads the user through a three-part, hour-long program. The first section, "Opening," requires the use of a folding chair and includes several bends and twists for the spine, hips, and hamstrings. "Conditioning," the second and most vigorous section, alternates basic standing asanas (triangle, warrior I and II, extended right angle) with balancing poses (tree, eagle) and several sustained forward bends; "Integration," the third section, combines seated and reclining backbends, lunges, twists, and hip work. All in all, this is a solid, reasonably complete (but not overly taxing) program that should deliver what it promises. That said, it's also true that almost any yoga workout is a good thing for an athlete. --Kelly Welldon

Living Yoga - A.M. Yoga for Beginners "The morning is a precious time," says the narrator of A.M. Yoga for Beginners. "Just as the sun rises and falls, so do our natural rhythms. The morning is perfect time to open our bodies and center our minds." This 20-minute yoga practice with supple instructor Rodney Yee is the perfect way to start your day by energizing your body and calming your mind. Filmed on the beach at Maui at sunrise, the video starts with a 4-minute Conscious Relaxation focusing on breathing, then glides into a 14-minute series of yoga poses that are simultaneously relaxing and energizing. It ends with a 2-minute seated Guided Meditation to center your body and mind. Yee's instruction is detailed and gentle. The video is beautifully filmed: you watch the waves roll in as Yee demonstrates yoga poses on a sandy beach. The yoga practice awakens and stretches your muscles gently, leaving you balanced and focused. "Yoga is the foundation of my day," says Yee. "A few minutes in the morning will help give meaning to your day." --Joan Price

Denise Austin - Fat-Blasting Yoga: 21 Days to a Yoga Body This well-designed program combines fast-paced yoga moves for fat-burning, hatha yoga poses for strength and flexibility, and stability ball exercises for core conditioning in three segments that can be done in one 60-minute session, or separately. Segment 1 builds patterns based on strong yoga poses such as the Warrior and Balancing Stick, adding lifts and lunges at a fast pace so that you're breathing faster and working the muscles simultaneously. Segment 2 is strength training by holding poses. Segment 3 focuses on core strength with a stability ball. Some familiarity with yoga is helpful--Austin doesn't give much instruction about breathing or the fine points of the poses--but not required. Although Austin talks nonstop, as always, her voice is quieter than usual and more fitting for this workout. (The repetitive, rhythmic music, however, is distracting rather than supportive.) Recommended for intermediate exercisers because no modifications are shown, and many of the poses are challenging. --Joan Price

Yoga Journal's Yoga for Meditation "Meditation is a time-honored practice that reduces stress and revitalizes the body, mind, and spirit," explains Rodney Yee, instructor for Yoga Journal's Yoga Practice for Meditation. "Meditation is awareness of posture, ease of breath, and attentiveness of the mind." In this beautiful video, Yee quietly and expertly leads you through five yoga practices that release bodily tension, improve posture, and open up breathing. The setting is grand and gorgeous Yosemite National Park, where Yee demonstrates poses in a meadow flanked by trees and cliffs, or at the edge of a lake or waterfall. The rewards of meditation are "living more calmly, more fully, with strength and grace," promises Yee. The practice is divided into five segments: Mountain, a series that moves from pose to pose, used for making the transition from daily activities to a sitting meditation (12 minutes); Garden, gentle movements done in a chair that open the hips and stretch the back (10 minutes); Tree, four sitting poses, using props to modify the poses to your personal flexibility level (10 minutes); Wind, with the focus on the movement of breath, releasing tension, and relaxing deeply (10 minutes); Sky, a meditation focusing on posture and breath, and "inviting the mind into the present moment, time and time again" (8 minutes). --Joan Price

Balance Ball Fitness - Upper Body Workout Yoga and Pilates instructor Suzanne Deason combines moves inspired by both disciplines and adds the extra balance challenges of a stability ball in this 40-minute video. The exercises target the chest, arms, shoulders, back, and abdominals, with special attention to the core postural muscles. (Whenever you're balancing on the ball, you're working your abdominals and back together with the other muscles you're targeting.) You'll need a BalanceBall or other stability ball for this workout. Deason shows you first how to use and feel comfortable with it, then she progresses through a selection of exercises: ball squeezes with the forearms for the chest, upper-body lifts from a draped-over position for the back, pushups (legs are on the ball, hands on the floor, midbody in the air, abs tightly contracted), and more. You'll feel long, lean, and strong after this workout. Deason is a soft-voiced, patient instructor, explaining clearly and demonstrating beautifully. The scene is a wood deck overlooking a woods and stream. Quiet music plays in the background. --Joan Price

Bryan Kest - Power Yoga, Vol. 2 - Tone Bryan Kest's yoga classes in Santa Monica, California, have become wildly popular among celebs and noncelebs alike, and this tape, one of three available outlining slightly different workouts, gives a glimpse into why. Kest's approach to yoga is part Tony Robbins, part Mother Teresa ("we must approach life with equanimity"), and part Harvey Keitel--but his irresistible tough-guy accent is blessedly eclipsed by his true attention to the body and the spirit. In this volume, Kest turns up the intensity, holding a variety of twisting poses for long stretches of time. It's OK to take it easy, rest, or modify the routines to your ability, which is part of the reason the tape is so useful. You won't be turned off as a beginner-to-intermediate practitioner, but there's plenty of room to challenge yourself as an advanced athlete, too. --Anne Hurley

Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss Title notwithstanding, Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss isn't likely to promote weight loss any more than lots of other videos will. But that's not a knock--it merely reflects the fact that anyone who practices yoga regularly and conscientiously can both shave off some extra pounds and significantly reshape his or her body. With four different instructors simultaneously demonstrating a single program, each providing different modifications of the same poses, Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss delivers a thorough, well-organized practice that can be undertaken by users at all levels of experience, fitness, and flexibility. After a gradual warm-up sequence, Suzanne Deason and her fellow instructors lead you through a series of standing asanas, back and forward bends, twists, and so on, with the proper technique and function of each pose explained clearly and concisely. The result is a workout that's challenging but not overwhelming and that should stand up to plenty of repeated use. All in all, another good offering from Living Arts. --Kelly Welldon

Denise Austin - Power Yoga Plus If you're one-stop shopping for the hottest exercises, Denise Austin: Power Plus Yoga is the trendiest video around, containing a 20-minute yoga workout and a 20-minute Pilates workout. Designed to be done separately, each workout is a self-contained program. "Power Yoga" is a beginners workout, using familiar poses such as sun salutations and downward-facing dog. The movements are fluid, although Austin doesn't always provide enough information on proper body alignment and modifications. This workout is not meant as meditative--while the poses may be soothing, Austin's constant patter prevents the relaxation one associates with yoga. "Power Pilates" is a more challenging workout, although still meant for beginners, and Austin's commentary is more useful here, helping the viewer to keep the abs firm and the exercises challenging. This workout combines non-Pilates weight work (three- to five-pound dumbbells are required) and ballet moves to help tone the entire body. This video will provide a solid foundation in yoga and Pilates, helping you improve flexibility and feel stronger. --Jenny Brown

More Yoga for the Rest of Us with Peggy Cappy Instructor Peggy Cappy's More Yoga for the Rest of Us takes up where the first volume (released in 2002) left off, with a gentle, easy-to-follow series of yoga poses recommended for novices, those who are older and less active, or anyone dealing with injuries or recovering from illness. Unlike so many yoga video programs, which emphasize the athletic aspects of the practice (certainly a part of yoga, but hardly the most important part) and feature beautiful young people with perfect bodies, Cappy takes a "do what you can do" approach, stressing yoga's noncompetitive side and suggesting simply that the more often you try it, the better you're likely to feel; there's no New Age music, no exotic locations or groovy outfits, and the students who demonstrate the poses with her include a couple of senior citizens. The practice itself consists of a series of floor poses (including hamstring and hip openers, twists, and the bridge, a mild backbend), followed by standing stretches, forward bends, the crucial downward-facing dog asana, a couple of reasonably challenging balancing poses like eagle and dancer's, and a lengthy final relaxation. Cappy's instruction is good (although she falls a bit short when it comes to explaining specifically how to use the breath), multiple variations are demonstrated (including many using a chair, which makes them considerably easier), and many poses are repeated. The 20-minute infomercial at the end is basically extraneous, as the virtues of More Yoga for the Rest of Us speak for themselves. --Sam Graham

Bryan Kest - Power Yoga, Vol. 3 - Sweat Bryan Kest, teacher of some of Southern California's most popular yoga classes, pulls out all the stops in this slightly shorter version of the challenging class he teaches in person. There are still all the gentle, firm admonitions to listen to your body, not to feel competitive with anyone else in how you do the pose (and as long as you heed them, you'll do fine). But Kest combines the classic warm-ups and longer-hold poses with a rapid succession of sun salutes, which will be gratifying to the advanced yoga student, but may make a first timer feel as though he dropped in to a Rockettes rehearsal by mistake. But if you keep at it, the tape is very easy to follow, and Kest's gentle, gruff voice is so soothing you find yourself relaxing even as you're pushing your body to its limits. And you can't ask for any more from a yoga tape than that. --Anne Hurley

Denise Austin - Xtralite:Beginner's Yoga Essentials Yoga has become wildly popular among many age groups because of its immense benefits to the skeletal and muscular structure (not to mention the meditative calm that can be achieved through practice). Denise Austin: Xtralite, Beginner's Yoga Essentials delivers a basic workout that explains the core postures and functions of yoga. If Denise Austin is one of your favorites, this format and approach will suit you well. Austin exhibits the energy and enthusiasm that she is known for while teaching this session in an approachable and uncomplicated manner. The 40-minute workout comprises four sections that range in difficulty and focal points. The first of these sets spotlights floor postures with a range of movements from back bends to forward bends. These poses lengthen and limber the hamstring and lower back muscles while putting minimal strain on the joints of the legs. The second segment works on standing postures to increase strength, stamina, and balance. The mountain, triangle, and tree poses are demonstrated here and concentration is essential to keep steady grounding. Cueing lacks some important safety info here (example: not extending the knee over the toe while in lunge position), but with some attention to Austin's body alignment, even the true beginner should be able to pick up the correct form. The sun salutation combines 12 successive movements within the third set and will make you sweat with the constant motion and deep poses. The final portion teaches relaxation and breathing techniques that are central to any yoga practice. Terminology throughout this workout may differ slightly from other yoga classes, but the basics of the practice are provided with that straightforward Denise Austin energy. You will need a mat or towel and a strap. --Olivia Voigts

Yoga Journal: Yoga Practice for Energy Yoga Journal's approach to instructional yoga tapes is always innovative, but their hour-long Yoga Practice for Energy is truly different. Filmed at the beach on Maui, the sessions Awakening, Centering, Creativity, Reflection, and Surrender offer movements that follow the cycle of the sun through the course of a day. Viewers are encouraged to first try the entire tape several times, and then use the sessions that correspond to their needs at any particular time. For example, if you've just trudged in the door from a hectic day, you may want to use the Reflection session, in which "a cooling, tranquil series of forward bends and hip openers let all activities of the day seep in like watercolors setting into paper." There is almost no narrative accompanying the five practice sessions, and if you are a beginner you may feel lost at first viewing. Have no fear: there is a wonderful appendix of poses at the end of the tape to which you can refer for tips on technique and variations. --Jhana Bach

Living Yoga - Power Stamina Yoga for Beginners Power Stamina Yoga for Beginners will make you sweat--and that's the idea! Muscles stretch better when they're warm--and when you follow this demanding sequence of yoga positions, you will be. Power yoga is the rage among athletes such as runners, cyclists, and climbers, who find that it protects them from injury, promotes flexibility, and increases muscle strength and endurance. Based on the classical astanga system, it combines breath control with movement to bring body and mind into harmony. In only 20 minutes, this tape takes you through several sun salutations, standing strength poses, and even 4 minutes' worth of conscious relaxation, leaving you feeling strong, energized, and centered. Plus, the background scenery is terrific--not just Rodney Yee himself, but also the pounding Maui surf behind him. A word of caution: though this tape says it's "for beginners," it's most helpful for those who know some basic yoga positions already. The sequence moves quickly, and there's not a lot of time for learning a pose that's new to you or even for paying attention to form. --Mary Park

Power Yoga for Beginners - Flexibility No description

Living Yoga: P.M. Yoga for Beginners "The evening is the perfect time to calmly transition between being active and being quiet," says Patricia Walden, instructor of P.M. Yoga for Beginners. "One of the greatest gifts yoga has to offer is deep relaxation." This 20-minute program is designed to balance, calm, and revitalize you at the end of the day. It starts with centering poses: gentle stretches bringing awareness and quiet to your senses. Next are standing poses to release tension, increase circulation, expand the lungs, and help you breathe more deeply. Next, forward bends cool the body and bring quiet to the nervous system. The final restorative poses are so relaxing that you may fall asleep. Walden tells you not only how to do the poses, but what you should feel, and how to quiet your body and your mind. Instruction is soothing and explicit. Although this video is aimed at beginners, seldom are modifications given for the less flexible novice, so if any pose causes discomfort or seems impossible, don't push beyond your personal comfort level. The video was filmed on the windswept sands of Death Valley. --Joan Price

Yoga Zone: Conditioning & Stress Release Some people take up yoga to build strength and flexibility; others are primarily looking to reduce stress and tension. This 55-minute program, while purporting to address both groups, is actually much more appropriate for the latter. Yoga Zone founder Alan Finger does an excellent job not merely emphasizing the importance of the breath--the single most vital element of any yoga practice--but also explaining yoga breathing techniques, followed by a series of easy stretches (for the neck, shoulders, arms, and such) and a variety of standing, sitting, and lying poses beneficial to yogis of all levels. The pace is gentle, the sequence of poses logical, the instruction clear and constant; beginners will be challenged but not intimidated, while more advanced types might find it a welcome alternative to sweaty, aerobic yoga workouts. --Sam Graham

Balance Ball Fitness - Lower Body Workout This should be called the Abs, Back, and Lower Body Workout, because the core abdominal and back muscles get a more vigorous workout than the hips, thighs, and buttocks that this video aims to target. Instructor Suzanne Deason--a yoga and Pilates instructor--blends moves inspired by both disciplines with the added abdominal challenge of balancing on the stability ball in this 40-minute video. If this is your first time using a BalanceBall or other stability ball, pay attention as Deason gets you familiar with the ball first. She then shows you different ways to position yourself on the ball while working your buttocks, hips, and thighs. This isn't the best workout available for those muscles specifically, but if you want a routine that also works the abs and strengthens the back, you'll appreciate it. Deason is a soft-voiced, patient instructor, explaining clearly and demonstrating beautifully. The scene is a wood deck overlooking a woods and stream. Quiet music plays in the background. --Joan Price

Yoga Journal's Yoga Practice for Intermediates with Rodney Yee Yoga for Intermediates with Rodney Yee offers an intensive workout that is full of challenges. This session contains greater posture detail with a focus on perfecting the accuracy of each pose. Yee's control and flexibility are inspiring and his in-depth explanations are demonstrated both verbally and visually. Participants are asked to imagine their bodies sinking into the earth, or to think of their eyes as soft. These specific cues are conducive to relaxation and focus while simultaneously reminding participants that every part of their bodies (and minds) are involved in the practice of yoga. These cues come quickly and an understanding of terminology and poses should be present in order to keep pace with this workout. Yee expands on some basic moves like sun salutations and forward bends while introducing inverted and standing poses. The latter of these postures are presented slowly, with modifications offered if you are unable to hold (or even get into) these poses. This format is great for aspiring yoga beginners or participants that are well in their comfort zone while standing on their heads. No matter what level of yoga proficiency you have, Yee offers a substantial workout that can increase flexibility, stamina, and strength while building the fundamentals of body awareness. The scenery is beautiful and the music is not invasive or loud. You will need a sticky mat (or towel), a block, and a strap. --Olivia Voigts

Lilias! Yoga Workout for Beginners No description