Search - Ashtanga Yoga - Introductory Poses - Master the Essentials on DVD

Simply the Best in Sun Salutations

11/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a beginner to Ashtanga yoga and I liked this video very much. The editorial review above says it all. Nicki Doane's slow, steady pace and her stern voice help me concentrate on breathing and work deeper into each pose in Sun Salutation A & B. I tried and liked Rodney Yee's "Power Yoga" before, but his pace was a little too fast for me.
With Nicki's instruction, I can inhale and exhale to my full lung capacity, and I can have the time to fully appreciate my body's reaction during the practice. My body is fully stretched, generating a lot of heat, and I feel very refreshed, peaceful and strong after every workout.
You shouldn't expect to get into other poses than in Sun Salutations, since this video is aimed to build up the foundation for further yoga practice through repetition of these basic movements. So, if you are already familiar with Sun Salutes, you might want to start with her "Ashtanga Yoga Beginner's Practice," which includes some standing poses in addition to Sun Salutations. Or, if you want more variety of poses packed in shorter time, David Swenson's "Yoga Short Forms" would be very helpful.
But personally, I believe that a serious beginner should try this Nicki Doane video first. She doesn't talk much about yoga's spirituality, but you'll find it through the practice yourself, which I think is the way it should be."

Best Ashtanga instruction I can imagine

Beanhauer | Bloomfield, MI | 01/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you don't know what Ashtanga Yoga is, this is not your DVD. If you understand that Ashtanga includes a very difficult, set series of poses and would like to get off to a careful and serious start, this is terrific. If you know you'll never be able to do the Ashtanga Primary Series, but would like to do what you can, this is a great DVD. It only includes the two Sun Salutations, building them up bit by bit. Each one is 20-25 minutes long, repeating the salutation by steps until it is complete.

This DVD will let you get a solid footing in the salutations. If you know them cold, you could probably skip to Nicki's other beginner's video.

The additional features are well worth watching. The sample of the full Ashtanga program is amazing, and the interview makes Nicki Doane very accessible. I love her straightforward, to the point tone."

Not for the novice....

02/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i had to give this dvd 5 stars because it really is good and just what the editorial review said it was...niki's voice is calm and soothing but a little stern almost as she takes you from one position into the next...however, it is not easy and if you are looking for a dvd to practice simple yoga this is not the one...this one will make your heart beat a lot faster and you might even break a sweat!! i have been doing yoga for about 18 months now and i am determined that i will get through this dvd...i have to say that when i finish what i am able to do (which is about 35 minutes) i feel exhilarated! i would also advise you not to do what i did and buy the two dvd's at the same time (the beginner's practice is the second dvd in the series) until you are sure this is a yoga practice that can work for you..."

This DVD was my introduction to yoga...

Christi Barr | 08/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...and yoga has changed my life.

OVERVIEW
This DVD is a great place to begin if you know nothing about Ashtanga yoga. Nicki Doane is a very thorough teacher with a soothing voice, and this disk contains a lot of information that you will need to absorb by watching/practicing it over and over. The actual practice runs one hour, and the rewards far outweigh the cost of fitting this routine into your busy schedule. I purchased this DVD (used from amazon) as an absolute beginner, and this was the start of a yoga practice that I believe has been one of the best things I could have done with my time. The key to success is consistency... with regular practice you will amaze yourself.

CONTENT
The routine itself consists of:
*opening invocation
*Sun Salutation A
*Sun Salutation B
(Sun Salutations are approached from a beginner level with step-by-step warm-up before doing each in its entirety.)
*half of the standing poses of the primary series
*relaxation in corpse pose

Other features include:
*pose guide: During the practice, you may receive additional instruction on the proper alignment for each posture by pressing when the pose guide icon appears on the screen. After this instruction, you will return automatically to the point from which you left the program.
*advanced Ashtanga yoga demonstration by Nicki Doane
*interview with Nicki Doane

I practiced this routine 4-6 times a week for about 5 weeks before I felt comfortable enough with these poses to move on to the entire primary series (I chose David Swenson's primary series DVD). I wanted to buy another Nicki Doane DVD, because I became very attached to her as an instructor, and I actually contacted her via email to let her know that I would be the first to buy an entire primary series DVD were she to make one in the future. I keep my copy of this DVD and I pull it out to practice with anyone that I can lure onto a yoga mat!

If you buy this DVD as an absolute beginner, you should know the following: 1) Your focus should be on your breath. Do not sacrifice your breath for a pose. 2) Practicing may seem difficult in the beginning because you may have never used your body like this before. *Everyone* starts at the beginning. 3) If you are starting your yoga practice as an adult, you will probably need to modify the poses according to your abilities, and you should not be discouraged by this. Move as far into a pose as you can... tomorrow you will be able to move a little further. Ashtanga yoga is a system in which you do the same series of poses in the same order each time. Contrary to what you would think, you will find that your practice is incredibly dynamic, because *your abilities* are changing. 4) Success in your yoga practice will come if you are consistent, so make time for it.

The routine on this DVD is a stepping stone to practicing the entire primary series, which is designed to re-align the skeletal system and to cleanse and purify the internal organs. I can vouch for the alignment of the skeletal system part, because I am 3/4" taller than when I started! (I have had a curvature of the spine since I was a child, so I have some room to straighten out.)

If you google "yogadotcalm manual", you will find an excellent in-depth instruction guide (in Adobe Acrobat format) for the entire primary series.

Once you have been practicing for a while, I recommend that you read *Yoga Mala* by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, who says, "Do your practice and all is coming.""