Search - Yoga to the Rescue for Neck & Shoulders on DVD

Rumbaugh finally gets it right!

Beth Cholette | Upstate NY USA | 11/07/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"NOTE: I received a free review copy of this DVD from the web site Metapsychology Online.

I took a yoga workshop with Desirée Rumbaugh, the instructor of this DVD, in September 2008, and it was absolutely amazing. However, I also tried Rumbaugh's previously two DVD releases, Yoga to the Rescue and Yoga to the Rescue for Back Pain, and unfortunately found them to be be disappointing. Happily, this latest release succeeds where the prior two videos failed.

One important change which Rumbaugh made for this DVD is that there are two separate 30-minute practice segments: the "Tutorial" offers more comprehensive instruction plus a detailed review of modifications for most of the postures, whereas the "Flow Sequence" is a faster-moving, more dynamic session based on the postures introduced during the tutorial. For both segments, Rumbaugh has an assistant, Andrew Riven, who displays the modified versions of the poses. Rumbaugh instructs the Tutorial segment via voiceover, although a few of the segments are preceded by brief live introductions. The chapters of the Tutorial are listed below:

*Wall Shoulder Stretch & Chair Pose
*Neck Strengthening
*Push-Ups
*Sphinx & Cobra
*Bow Pose
*Down Dog
*Locust Pose
*Side-to-Side Leg Lifts
*Crunches
*Lunge with Twist
*Side Plank
*Shoulder Stand
*Bridge, Plow & Shoulder Stand
*Relaxation

As the title suggests, the Flow Sequence moves along at a significantly quicker pace. Rumbaugh again teaches via voiceover, but there are no chapter breakdowns and no pauses between segments. The entire practice continues in this vigorous manner before concluding with the short (approximately 4 minutes) relaxation.

Although I am very pleased with this DVD, I would offer a few cautions. The DVD case states "For Beginners & Beyond," which I think is misleading. I would recommend these practices for experienced yoga students only--i.e., advanced beginners and above. The case description also suggests that the practices will help to "alleviate pain and stiffness," and I do think the DVD would be valuable for this purpose--that is, in terms of normal, everyday aches and pains. I would be much more hesitant to recommend this DVD to someone with any type of injury or other special condition which might require a more GENTLE therapeutic approach."

A DVD for daily practice

D. Eastham | Batavia, IL | 09/01/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have tight shoulders and lack the natural curve of the cervical spine or back of the neck. As a regular practioner of yoga, I am always looking for ways to loosen up those areas. I used this video once and immediately felt more flexible. I love the detail of the instruction in the tutorial. Although, the flow moves a little faster than I like, after a few more times, I should be accustomed to the sequence and be able to flow with it. So this video is broken into a tutorial and a 30 minute flow sequence using the poses explained in the tutorial. I love this video and will be using it daily!"

Excellent sequence for Neck & Shoulders

BrandyV333 | Sunnyvale, CA | 08/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Desiree is awesome, let's face it. Acacia has done an excellent job at showcasing her. I love how they have the tutorial section to get details on the poses in the flow section (and a few extras), as well as an index of poses so that practitioners can focus on poses that feel good. The music is great and inobtrusive, and I like the option to be able to turn it off and just have instruction. The demonstrations are great, showing Andrew with a little less mobility and Desiree showing more advanced options.
This video will work for beginners and even more advanced practitioners. For beginners I would say, watch the video at least once without doing anything. Go slow at first. Skip anything that feels too hard and come out early if you need to. Let your body adjust by focusing on the poses that are easier and then you can start trying poses that were harder over time.
It's hard to know if you're doing the poses properly, and if you're feeling pain, please consult with a professional teacher. Don't give up. You can find a local teacher in your area who teaches the same therapeutic alignment as Desiree at [...]
As Desiree says, "Yoga shouldn't hurt!"
Personally, I will use this video often - it's a great home practice I can do before work (30 min). I will definitely get her other videos too, so I can mix it up. Thanks Desiree!"