Search - Mark Blanchard: Progressive Power Yoga Trilogy on DVD

Absolutely not for beginners!!!

yogabear | East Coast | 12/07/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This dvd is for you if...
*you are looking for a tough "workout" that you will never master
*you have practiced with an instructor
*you have the ability to tolerate an annoying and insincere mans voice for 90 minutes or longer
*you have strong shoulders & a strong core

This dvd is not for you if...
*you are looking for a peaceful practice
*you have less than 6 consistent months of practice under your belt

Why the 4 star rating?
This dvd is different from most others because it does offer you the chance to explore inversions such as headstand and handstand, along with some other balancing postures. Again, please do not attempt these poses without having practiced in a class setting where an instructor can help correct your posture."

The Toughest Power Yoga Series

Yoni | Israel | 01/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"**This Review Is For The Whole Series In General**
I was surprised to see this on amazon, it was previously available only at his website which is where I bought it. This is the TOUGHEST yoga I had ever done and I have a big collection of yoga videos from Bryan Kest to Shiva Rea to Baron Baptiste and more. Each one of the dvd's has more than 90 minutes yoga practice which is thorough and tough , it's starts with about 60 minute of intense standing poses with vinyasas in between and some arm balances thrown in and then a 30 minutes of seated potures and some ab work ,inversions, headstand and savasana. Each DVD is similar in structure but each one offers some different poses from the other to prevent boredom in the practice as they suggest in the advertisement , so this series does not offer different level practices that progresses gradually although you may find one easier than the other .They suggest it's for all people and all levels (probably to increase sales) but I think it will be too much for beginners and people who are not in good shape and even for intermediates because this is a real hardcore practice , the pace in most of the workouts is pretty moderate except some push ups & jump bursts that creates heat and strength in the upper body ,but some of the poses are held long, like the half moon series, which really makes your leg and rear muscles scream. Each dvd also has a 30 minute instructional segment in which he gives some pointers and modifications for some of the poses (this segment is identical in all of the dvds).The set is simple and even a little cheap looking (not very important) ,there's a few studetns of all genders and ages including Mark's mom and a kid and from time to time he'll be checking they're doing the poses correctly ,most of the time he'll be doing the practice with them, also ther'es no music in the background. So if you want a long and challenging yoga practices you'll probbably like this series."

Very little mind/body, little flow, no music, but challengin

Lena, LMT | Nassau, NY | 01/30/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Vol 1
Workout - 93 min
Set in an inside stage w/flowing white drapes & colored lights. Mark & 4 women & 2 men in a V behind him all dressed in white. He speaks while he does the poses & then also just assists the students. There is no music. It is an honest, intermediate/advanced class. There are towels for people to wipe the sweat off & some falter on harder poses & have to take rests in child's pose which is refreshing to see imperfection & true human struggle.
Many poses including the advanced ones are held for a long time such as 3 legged dowward dog with leg pulled to the side towards teh hand, there are many warrior 3 & half mood, several hand stands, shoulder stands, crow, etc. He says to them struggling, "Don't be afraid to try, you'll land on your feet. Unless you land on your head, then you have something to fear. But you're safe here..." That makes no sense. You must be VERY physically strong to do this & since there is a huge lack of teaching of foot placement, you should know many poses by heart & do them correctly w/o verbal help. He at times doesn't even say the name of the poses. Yes, I noticed him showing off doing the more advanced poses or a subliminal, "Hey, I can do it easy, you should to, or you're a wimp. Oh wait, you can? Oh... well, I'm still better..." Yeah, it's easier for him because 60% of the time he's walking around touching everyone.
As other reviewer's said about his inappropriateness, it's true. Many times I saw him touching the female students very close to between their thighs & I had to rewind when he was stroking one girls' chest & practically rubbing her breasts & even stroked between her breasts. Yes, he did get distracted by his wife's tattoo which isn't as bad, but since he does live w/her you'd think he wouldn't be distracted by it with 6 students & many camera crew all watching/listening to his every word as he teaches. And yes, in comparison, I watched closely, he wouldn't touch the men as long & also would touch them correctly at the shoulder nowhere near the chest, etc. During a standing split, he was right along two women at different times & had them bend their knee to grab their foot with their hand, but their leg would be WRAPPED around his body & he would pull their hand so it's wrapped around his waist. I agree, again, there is no flow, therefore, no body awareness in the way he constructed the series of asanas.
No, I could not finish this, but I watched most of it to see if I liked the style to bother to keep it for when I am stronger.

Extras:
All set on a stage with a mic directly over the person doing the poses.
Practice Vinyasa - 10 min - Mark instructing his wife doing part of a vinyasa with half moon, warrior 3, crescent, standing split, side bends & seated spinal twist & more & one side only. Great cuing & energy, she breathes well with good body awareness. Wish he would put out workouts like that with him & wife alone. Or maybe I'd would just love to see yoga videos of her alone.
Instructional Poses - 10 min - Mark guiding different women who are doing a couple of random asanas each & at first helping verbally & physically moving their body, then just silently adjusts which is of little help. Several times, especially when the always female students are doing pyramid pose, he's behind them, his chest along their entire back, if they were nude.. forget it... He does NOT need to get that close.
Pushing the Envelope - 20 min - Mark doing a series of different asanas that fade in/out from being filmed different days. In a voice over, he says the poses, some helpful hints on poses & mostly critiques himself on how he compressed different body parts incorrectly so you can learn how not to do it.

Pros: honest in filming of struggle/sweat, good production values, great energy by his Wife, Elizabeth, he does seem playful & cares for her which is palpable & good to see, great advanced poses that I'd never seen before & refreshing, the verbal clues he does give are spiritual
Cons: he's constantly distracted by thoughts of sex w/the students, he's verbal teaching could be much more detailed, he's idea of encouragement at times makes no sense or is subliminally discouraging, there is no rhyme or reason to course of poses, therefore I doubt his body awareness which is essential to any true yoga instructor who teaches mind/body connection

I love Elizabeth's energy in this, when is she making a dvd of her own?

More on his site progressivepoweryoga com
Preview on colalgevideo com of his sedona set"

Grrrrr.

Tiffany Schwalm | Chicago, IL (Tinley Park) | 11/19/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I read the other review in Amazon about this being the best video. The teacher is just annoying, and there is no music, so you hear everyone slobbering and breathing. Not relaxing. And, the workout seems a bit not centered ... I like the poses, but there doesn't seem to be a link between one pose and the next. Bryan Kests power yoga is MUCH better at getting a full, invigorating yet calming workout in. This guy was so annoying I couldn't even calm down and do the poses. Good ideas and poses, hard stuff, but not handled well."