Search - Om Yoga Class: Beginner/Intermediate on DVD

Good but not great

YogaKat | Oregon United States | 03/26/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a good routine to follow, but I have one gripe. You have many different choices of yoga practices (type and length), but it's all identical segments pieced together. I would much rather have just a couple practices, but a unique flowing series rather than broken up chuncks repeated. The main practice is quite good with a fun warm up followed by sun salutes, then standing poses, shoulder stand, then deep relaxation which is a full 80 minute class. At the beginning and throughout the DVD Cyndi goes into discussion on props, form, etc. and you can't skip over it or you'll miss the actual practice. I don't want to listen to this at every practice, so I have to grab the remote and fast forward and that ruins the flow. Her instructions are good, nicely paced, and poses are held for a good length of time. Also, you get extras including a very nice demonstartion by Cyndi Lee, detailed instruction of chadarunga dandasana and forearm balance, a tour of the OM studio, and OM testimonials. Overall this is a very good DVD for your collection

See my other DVD reviews."

Stop! Don't throw your money away.

S. Burton | Orem, UT USA | 10/03/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is not a beginner's class. I wouldn't even call it an intermediate class. In fact, it's not even like a yoga class at all. It's like Kathy Smith doing yoga.

I'm not a beginner, but I still found this to be a really, really difficult and strange yoga class. Cyndi Lee is nice, but she's forgotten what it's like to be a beginner. She doesn't give very clear instructions to the at-home audience. She talks while the yogis demonstrate. She goes between the two yogis in the front and makes corrections on their form, but since we can't see them from the side, they're pointless to us. She promised modifications for beginners, but proceeded to teach to the level of her professional demonstrators.

There were a few points on form that she made that were helpful.

The DVD contains a lot of boring extras too, like a tour of her yoga studio. What is the point of that unless you live in NYC? The DVD is hard to use as well. The highlight points are dark blue and small, the unhighlighted points are black and small, so you can't really see which item you have highlighted. (That's probably just me whining, but it was frustrating to be trying to get back to the main menu and keep ending up on her studio tour!)

There were options that allowed you to make the class shorter, but they were just pieces of the full length class. You could achieve exactly the same effect by pushing the "next" (or "skip") button on your remote.

The optional class for the absolute beginner was a hoot. It was just the warm-up. The class for the beginner (next level up) was the warm-up plus sun salutations (which started out OK, but rapidly progressed to very unusual and extremely difficult variations like jumping from standing forward fold to downward dog; no beginner would know what to do to modify them--what, just lie down in child pose and wait it out?) and I think it also had the final poses (which included shoulder stand--not a beginner's pose).

The best part of the video was that you could choose to play the class without the unsoothing music, but who cares since there isn't going to be a next time? I didn't like the music and I don't like this DVD. Try the Stott Pilates Yoga series beginning with Simple Stretches or Kripalu's DVD (if you can find it) or JJ Gormley's Yoga For Every Body or Gaiam's yoga videos. The Ali McGraw video is really good. I even like White Lotus' Total Yoga or Earth or Water, but not Fire because it's way, way too advanced. (Maybe Hercules could do it . . .)

Anyway, don't bother with this DVD. It's too choppy, the classroom is crowded, and the workout is not much fun. It's also not relaxing and isn't that the point of yoga?"

More, please!

HappyYogi | MT USA | 03/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I hope this is just the beginning of what we see from Cyndi Lee and Om in the way of instructional DVDs. I was lucky enough to have lived in New York and experienced Cyndi's classes (and the classes of her other excellent instructors at Om) "live." I'm happy to say that the essence of those classes come through loud and clear on this DVD, including her ability to make an hour and a half, energetic workout a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Having moved to a different part of the country, I couldn't be happier to have a trusted and respected yoga teacher in my living room. This DVD will provide beginners with a solid foundation in the yoga asanas, or poses, with clear, helpful instruction. In addition, unlike many other DVDs aimed at beginners, it won't be discarded after a few weeks of the viewer having become overly familiar with the sequences. They are challenging and well orchestrated enough to keep even more advanced yogis happy for quite some time. I also really enjoyed the aspect of this DVD wherein Cyndi allows her students to demonstrate the poses while she continuously instructs them with verbal guidance as well as hands-on corrections. She doesn't try to "wow" the viewers with her own abilities, and focuses instead on being the excellent instructor she is (there is a modest, beautiful introduction in which she demonstrates poses for those who would like to see her take on yoga). The tone of the DVD is one of clear, precise instruction balanced with Cyndi's lighthearted, playful approach to yoga. Eagerly awaiting more ("Om Yoga Intermediate/Adavnced Class," please)!"

Impressed in Wisconsin

Yoga fan | 02/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm in Wisconsin and have probably every yoga tape there is from various Yoga teachers. I've not enjoyed anything more than Cyndi Lee's new Om Yoga DVD. It's so easy to follow and Cyndi is such a bright light. I love all the sequences. Owning this DVD has prompted me to buy all af Cyndi Lee's books and I look forward to delving through them.

Thank you

Jill in Wisconsin"