Search - Yoga Journal: Yoga for Well-Being with Jason Crandell on DVD

Three well-designed 20-minute yoga practices

Beth Cholette | Upstate NY USA | 10/24/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yoga Journal's Yoga for Well-Being offers three short (20 minutes each) yoga sequences, each with a different area of focus. The practices are led by yoga instructor and Yoga Journal contributing editor Jason Crandell, who provides instruction via voiceover while model Kathryn Budig demonstrates the postures. Each sequence begins with a very brief introduction by Crandell and then flows right into the practice, which features Budig alone in a studio with gentle, non-obtrusive music playing in the background. Although Crandell cues all of the poses in English, both the English and the Sanskrit names appear on screen briefly at the start of each new posture.

The Main Menu of the DVD allows you to select each practice individually or to choose a "Play All" option. I have described each sequence in greater detail below:

Mental Clarity.
Crandell states that the emphasis for this practice is on standing forward bends, balancing postures, and twists. Certainly the practice includes plenty of poses in the first two categories, although few in the last two. The session begins in down dog, moving into standing forward bend and then the first balance posture, tree pose. Next comes a standing series which includes triangle, side angle, and wide-legged standing forward bend; standing forward bend is practiced between each of these postures. This series is followed by the only other balance pose, eagle. The practice then moves to the floor for down dog, child's pose, and the only twisting posture, sage 3 pose. After bridge pose and knees to chest, the practice ends in a very brief ("

Yoga for Well Being

Elizabeth Colomello | San Francisco, CA | 01/01/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the second of Jason Crandell's yoga dvd's that I have tried. As with his other dvd, Mr.Crandell's pose and sequence descriptions are very detailed, but concise and efficient so your practice can flow nicely. The sessions work great individually but also work well combined, which makes this a very versatile dvd. I highly recommend both this dvd and Jason Crandell's other dvd, Yoga for Morning, Noon and Night."

Yes, get them both

C. B. Ryan | San Francisco, CA | 01/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought both of these new Yoga Journal DVDs mainly because I know Jason Crandell to be an excellent teacher, though I did expect that the sequences in the two DVDs (Yoga for Well-Being and Yoga for Morning, Noon and Night) to be somewhat similar. But I've used the night-time sequence from the second one as well as the restful-sleep one from the first one, and they're definitely not the same... though both left me ready for bed (in a good way!).

"

Perfect for the beginner to intermediate with limited free t

Izzy | MI USA | 01/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found the DVD to have fun routines. I appreciate their brevity. I agree with the one reviewer that the restful sleep routine could have benefitted from a corpse pose. I think Jason does a great voice over. The model is easy on the eyes. She looks and moves like a real person, not some rubber pretzel in human form. The pace of the DVD fits my style, slow enough to appreciate the pose, but fast enough that you don't feel like you are waiting like some beginner discs. I appreciate that the DVD keeps to the asanas and physical/mental techniques and does not stray into areas of yoga I don't want to go.

I have found that the 20 minute format for the routines along with the excellent flow and presentation of the routines to be just what I need to stay disciplined to do any given routine regularly (six days per week). I have been doing yoga for over a year. I have noticed much improved flexibility in my hips and lumbar region and lost an inch off of my waistline since the 2 months I have used the DVD. (Primarily the Restful Sleep routine). My kids wake me up at any hour of the night, so I can't say it has improved my sleep! ;) So, I am getting satisfying results and find it easy to stay motivated with the DVD. 5 stars for me and my lifestyle.

I'll be purchasing more of the Yoga Journal DVDs, especially those by Jason."