Search - Yoga to the Rescue - Feel Good from Head to Toe on DVD

Desiree Rumbaugh and Yoga to the Rescue

Sharon Frost | Brooklyn, NY | 11/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Desiree Rumbaugh, Yoga to the Rescue

This is anusara teacher-extraordinaire Desiree Rumbaugh's first video offering. Workshops with Desiree are always fun and challenging. Even though she's good at giving everyone a door into the practice, the sessions I've had with her have been somewhat yoga-goes-to-the-circus. In any event it was a bit of a surprise for me to see that her first video is therapeutic in approach and is such a good one too. Desiree illustrates very clearly how the home practitioner can build strength and increase flexibility safely, as well as work toward healing injuries, physical imbalances etc..

Yoga to the Rescue is definitely geared toward the beginning practitioner, but I'm a long-time practitioner who has completed teacher training and have still been using parts of this vid in my home practice. She reminds me to do stuff I don't like to do but should, like toe-breaker (although I wish she had spent more time in this one) and she has interesting ways of doing some standard poses. I have to say her way of presenting reclining twist, as more of a shoulder stretch than a core strengthening completely changed the way I approach that pose. Isn't it strange how a simple thing can make such a big difference.

There's some really nice forward bend stuff. She shows it done with toes elevated (that anusara/Iyengar stand by) to help PF and then with hands clasped behind you to open the shoulders. You don't often find really detailed instruction in forward bend and it's nice to see it here.

Again, if you're looking for fast flow you won't find it in Rescue.. You won't find dancey. It's just solid foundation stuff -- even to the natural curve of the lumbar spine. If you've taken a lot of anusara classes, as I have, you'll be familiar with most of this material -- but I still found some surprises.

I like that it really does start with the head and end with the feet by the way - a real change of yoga pace.

I realize not everyone uses videos like I do. I get most of my non-self-generated yoga from my regular classes. I use media in pieces, worked into my own home practices. I often deviate from the video instruction or pose and I often stop the player so I can insert an inversion practice, or some arm balances or some wheels...or whatever. And I'm not into flow, except the one I follow in my own head. Rescue is well-chaptered so it's ideal for adjusting to individual needs. However, I've done it a couple of times as designed and it works fine that way too.

The production is attractive. Desiree appears a little stiff at times, but no big deal. The music sucks - wish there were a music-off option (something I think all yoga, pilates etc vids should have) so I could play my own. The video contains about 50 yoga minutes. Desiree's solid base of training and experience (anusara and Iyengar) inform her practice and her teaching.
"

Uneven

Cikk | Malta | 12/06/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this DVD on the strength of Sharon's review, as I always respect her views. I tried it last night, and found it very good but also very spotty. I do't think it's really aimed at most beginners. To be honest, her language would probably throw most yoga beginners. How many of us know how to interpret "Raise and widen your groins"? there's a lot of this type of language, which sometimes baffles me a little - and I've been practising different types of yoga for many years now and have a huge library of books and DVDs....
Something I really don't like is the unevenness of timing. The inner shoulder stretch for instance is held for a very short time on the first side and then a relatively long time on the other side. This happens in other segments, to the extent that I would replay a segment and work opposing sides. And the long explanations/introductions re benefits etc of the upcoming poses eat into pose time and could have been integrated into the actualy posture segments - this is done a few times, but not enough.

Anyway, I see this as a great dvd for someone who's practised a while, and can take what they need from it and adapt to their own practise. I shan't be using this as a whole again, but I will integrate things I've picked up into my own sessions. Beginners would need to watch this a couple of times before trying it, because there are times when it would be difficult and harmful to watch the DVD."

Desiree To The Rescue!

S. Jaffee | 10/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a newbie to the world of yoga, and a person who has already had back surgery, I am thrilled to have found Desiree Rumbaugh's Yoga to the Rescue. Though I do attend yoga classes, Desiree's calm and encouraging nature helps me practice at home and allows me to more fully understand how yoga can help me maintain a strong back for my lifetime. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who is hesitant to try yoga because of previous injury. I feel certain Desiree will help you feel better than you have in years--Desiree to the Rescue!"

Fine video

D. Kehret | Manchester, CT | 11/10/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Good video for the price. Pose sequence is easy to follow. A newcomer will benefit from the explainations for each pose; but it would be good if a more experienced user could skip through those."