Best 5 Yoga DVDs for Beginners

Are you a beginner interested in learning yoga from a DVD? If so, before you choose a yoga DVD, you should ask yourself what you hope to accomplish by practicing yoga.

There are many reasons to want to do yoga, and they are not necessarily mutually exclusive. You may want to learn yoga to reduce stress, to heal an injury, or to reshape and strengthen your body. You also may view yoga as part of a spiritual journey. Knowing why you want to learn yoga will help you to choose the yoga DVD that will help you to achieve your goals.

This article reviews five yoga DVDs for beginners, each with a slightly different focus. One is a somewhat general overview focused on easing beginners into a yoga routine; three aim to introduce the beginner to different yoga disciplines, Kundalini yoga, Ashtanga yoga and Kripalu yoga; and one features back-care yoga for beginners.

Wai Lana™'s Yoga, Easy Series, Beginners Workout. This yoga DVD is for beginners and for those who aren't used to active exercise. It is a gentle introduction to yoga and yoga poses (or asanas) that will help you to reduce stress, loosen joints, learn to stretch, and begin to strengthen abs and to firm buttocks. Wai Lana is an experienced yoga instructor with her own television show that is aired worldwide, including on many PBS stations in the U.S. Her approach is serene and peaceful, making this a good starter DVD for newcomers to yoga who want to develop a routine that they can fit into their daily lives. This yoga DVD can be purchased at www.wailana.com/yoga.

Kundalini Yoga for Beginners and Beyond by Ravi Singh and Ana Brett. Kundalini yoga is a physical and meditative discipline that incorporates a set of techniques, including poses, movements, and breathing exercises, aimed at achieving communication between body and mind. Kundalini yoga sometimes is called the yoga of awareness . This yoga DVD promises to help the user to use Kundalini yoga to strengthen and reshape the body. It consists of two 25 minute sets, the first focused on maintaining a healthy back and boosting energy, the second on improving suppleness and youthfulness. The DVD also includes meditation and relaxation exercises. Ravi Singh and Ana Brett and well-known yoga instructors whos client list reportedly includes such celebrities as Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Donna Karan and the Red Hot Chile Peppers. This DVD can be purchased at www.yoga.com/Kundalini Yoga for Beginners.

Ashtanga Yoga Introductory Poses with Nicki Doane. Ashtanga is sometimes called power yoga. Its emphasis is less on mediation and more on developing strength and stamina. As a result, the poses are more difficult than in some other yoga disciplines. Ashtanga often is preferred by athletes. This yoga DVD offers beginners an accessible approach to the physically demanding discipline of Ashtanga yoga. It focuses on flowing postures meant to link the body and the mind and breathing techniques. It can be purchased at www.yoga.com/Ashtanga Introductory Poses

Back Care Yoga for Beginners with Rodney Yee. Millions of Americans suffer with back pain every year. Experts say that one solution for many of them is exercise to strengthen the muscles of the back and improve posture. This yoga DVD is for those already experiencing back pain whose doctors recommend exercise and for those who want to avoid back problems in the future. Its two 20-minute workouts are designed to strengthen back muscles, reduce stress, improve posture, and enhance flexibility. It begins with breathing exercises to release tension, followed by strengthening exercises and concluding with deep relaxation techniques. This yoga DVD can be purchased at www.yoga.com, Back Care Yoga.

Kripalu Yoga Gentle DVD Staring Sudha Carolyn Lundeen. Kripalu yoga emphasizes meditation and breathing techniques and encourages an inward focus on the interplay between body, mind and energy. As the title of this DVD suggests, it features a gentle approach to Kripalu yoga for beginners, with an easy flow from one pose to the next. This yoga DVD can be purchased at www.amazon.com.

Sources:

www.wailana.com/yoga, Easy yoga for beginners series, DVDs and Videos

www.yoga.com/Kundalini Yoga for Beginners, Kundalini Yoga for Beginners and Beyond::Top DVDs for Beginners from Yoga.com

www.yoga.com/Ashtanga Introductory Poses, Ashtanga Introductory Poses with Nicki Doane::Top DVDs for Beginners from Yoga.com

www.yoga.com, Back Care Yoga, Back Care for Beginners with Rodney Yee::Top DVDs for Beginners from Yoga.com

www.amazon.com, Amazon.com: Kripalu Yoga Gentle DVD

www.yogajournal.com, Yoga Journal - Yoga Practice - Spotlight on Kripalu Yoga