JJ, I hope you don't mind if I add my thoughts and recommendations and ask you some questions.
First, some questions for you:
- What is your yoga experience so far?
- Do you want to do full (e.g., 45-60) min practices, shorter add-ons to your regular workouts, or both?
- How flexible are you?
- What is your fitness level?
I have SHORT FORMS and like it very much. I think David's a wonderful instructor without being overly chatty. However, I don't find myself reaching for it all that often because the poses aren't held very long. It is a very well-done practice, but if flexibility is your main reason for doing yoga, you might be better off with some other DVD's.
I try to fit in one full power yoga workout each week and, in addition, I add 15-30 min (usually 15) of yoga to my Cathe strength/cardio workouts, subbing them for her stretch segments. I've often read it's better to do even a little yoga every day than just one longer practice a week. Yoga has done wonders for my flexibility.
For my "full" practices, I use and recommend:
- EOIN FINN, POWER YOGA: Contains 46 and 75 min routines
- EOIN FINN, POWER YOGA FOR HAPPINESS: Contains 30, 40, 53, 55, and 80 min routines. I like this even better than his PY but they're both fabulous.
- BRYAN KEST, 1995 POWER YOGA SERIES: Energize, Tone and Sweat (3 VHS tapes only) If you're a complete beginner, even if you're fit, I wouldn't recommend starting with these. The practices are wonderful, but I don't love Bryan's personality.
- DAVID SWENSON, SHORT FORMS: As you know, contains 15, 30, 45 min routines. I think he's awesome, but like I said, I wish the poses were held longer.
- BARON BAPTISTE, SOUL OF STRENGTH: Actually, I've only done this once because I don't own it, but I thought it was great! It's being released separately on DVD on 30 March and I plan to buy it then. (It's currently part of his LIVE! DVD which contains 3 routines.) Probably not great for a beginner.
Favorite Add-Ons:
- PATRICIA WALDEN, YOGA JOURNAL'S YOGA FOR FLEXIBILITY: This was released in 1992 but is now a bonus on YOGA JOURNAL'S YOGA FOR BEGINNERS DVD. It has two 30 min segments, backbends and forward bends. The poses are held nice and long and the instruction is very clear. I recommend this if you're fairly flexible already, but if you're a beginner, you'd have the main beginner's routine on the same DVD and you could work your way up to the bonus. I've never done the main routine; I bought it for the bonus. It has improved my flexibility more than any other practice. I don't always have 30 min to add to another workout, though.
- GAIAM, YOGA CONDITIONING FOR ATHLETES W/RODNEY YEE: Contains three 15-20 min segments as well as five 5-10 min bonus segments. All are good add-ons.
- SONIC YOGA, TURBO FLOW: Contains four segments. I just got this DVD and have only used the last segment ("Dissolve"). At about 15 min, it's my current favorite add-on.
- BARON BAPTISTE, POWER & PRECISION YOGA: Contains four 15-20 min segments. I very often use the last segment ("Wind") as an add-on.
I hope I didn't inundate you with too much information! If you do a search on VF, they have some very helpful yoginis over there!
