Review of Yoga: Just My Size DVD

Megan Garcia's "Yoga: Just My Size" DVD is a well-rounded 30-minute yoga program appropriate for beginners and intermediate yoga students. It is specifically targeted at plus-sized women and contains modified poses with that group in mind. However, the DVD would be good for men and women of any size who are just getting started with yoga.

I have been practicing yoga, formally in classes or informally on my own, for more than 10 years. I tried the DVD with a friend who is also plus-sized but who had less than a year's experience of doing yoga. Also joining us was my average-sized husband. All of us enjoyed the DVD and were able to do all the poses. In this review, I'll highlight the features of the workout routine that I enjoyed and will explain some of the downsides of this DVD routine.

Positives:

1. The routine is good for beginners or more advanced students. My husband is of an "average to athletic" build and I'm plus-sized. We've both been practicing yoga on a semi-regular basis for about 10 or 11 years. Our friend is plus-sized and had been practicing yoga for a little less than a year. We all found the DVD to be a good workout without being too challenging. Holding some of the warrior poses for five deep breaths or downward dog for 10 deep breaths might be a challenge for a beginner, but with regular practice, the routine could become much easier to complete.

2. The routine is a good length. The DVD packaging says it's 45 minutes, but that includes special features. The actual workout is a few minutes shy of half an hour. It would be a good length for a morning session before going to work, or a nice cool down at the end of your day.

3. Each section has a "preview." Before each section, there's a short preview where the instructor goes through the sequence ahead so you know what's coming and what the pose should look like and how they flow.

4. The instructor, Megan, has an "average woman's" body. She is a great role model for bigger women about how to be comfortable in your body.

5. The DVD contains an "extra feature: with instructions on how to modify poses for beginners and some extra warm-ups and stretching specific to women with large chests. The "clock" warm up for shoulders and arms feels good if you are tight in that area.

Negatives:

1. The music is a little on the New-Agey side and gets a bit repetitive. You could always turn the sound down and play your own soundtrack after you get to know the routine, though.

2. The instructor doesn't tell you when the meditation at the end is over. The music just stops and the DVD goes back to the main menu. I am used to an instructor ending a meditation by saying something like, "When you're ready, open your eyes, roll over onto your right side, and sit up." It would be nice to have more closure for the meditation.

3. With regular practice, the routine might become a little too easy. It's always nice if you can mix things up by switching among a few different DVD yoga routines.