Top 10 Yoga Videos + Bonus Pilates Too

Exercise, Happy, Healthy Living, Reviews, Spiritual, Yoga June 16th, 2007

Top 10 Yoga Videos + Bonus Pilates Too

Yoga Class vs. Yoga Video

Personally, I prefer a yoga class to a yoga video, because of the personal instruction and the community of like-minded people moving in the same direction. But, I haven’t been to a yoga class in years! Why? No time! I know, I know, I should make time. It’s on my list. But in the meantime, I have amassed a good collection of yoga (and pilates) videos which have many benefits over going to a class: no drive time to the class, only have to pay for them once (usually about the price of a class or 2), no need to look your best, you can practice any time of day, you can choose which style you feel like that day, and more.

Last Saturday I shared with you some Free Yoga website resources. This week I am going to share with you my Top 10 Yoga Videos plus a bonus of 4 pilates and other videos I like too. The videos are in no particular order. Enjoy!

Shiva Rea - Yoga Shakti (above photo)

My Top 10 Yoga Videos

Ali MacGraw - Yoga Mind & Body This is an older video, but there’s nothing old about it. It is filmed on a very pleasing scene: white sands and blue blue sky. All the yogis are interesting. The narration is done by yoga master Erich Schiffman who is famous for not wanting to be famous. The music is very upbeat and kind of tribal. 50 minutes. Not aimed at beginners, but doesn’t exclude them either.

Total Yoga - This is another older video, but it is good. It is a hatha vinyasa flow series which means multiple poses are connected in continuous routines. It will get your heart rate up, but it is also good for the beginner. This one is narrated. There is just one person performing the poses. 60 minutes.

Baron Baptiste Live!: Core Power This live video takes place in the Baptiste Power Yoga Studio in Boston. Baron is a yogi born of parent yogis! He’s very good. His yoga is a real workout. It will get you sweating. At the same time Baron gets you to relax your inner self while your body is working so hard. This is power vinyasa yoga which means the poses flow from one to the next more quickly than say Inyengar yoga where poses are held longer. Music by Krishna Das. 30 minutes. All levels.

Baron Baptiste: Journey Into Power, Level 1 More of Baptiste Yoga. This one takes place at one of his offsite retreats in a tropical environment. You are right there with his yoga retreat, sweating with his many students of all levels. 30 minutes.

Baron Baptiste - Journey Into Power Level 2 Same tropical retreat as above, except this class is longer and more strenuous. “Sculpt your ideal body, create a deep inner calm, and transform your life.” I like Baron’s because I feel like I not only stretched my body and calmed my mind, but I also got a good workout. 45 minutes.

Shiva Rea - Yoga Shakti If you can only afford one video, this might be the one to get. Excellent instruction, very intuitive approach, by yogini Shiva Rea. She is amazing to watch. The video is filmed in Kerala India on this very beautiful and unique beach at sunset and at dawn. The music is amazing. The video has a matrix of different sequences which you can choose from to create a custom workout. Or you can choose from 4 different preset programs. Shiva’s program is vinyasa flows which focus on being lead by the breath. Modifications are provided for beginners, but this is strenuous yoga. There are many cool extras. This is an A+ video! Multiple time lengths from 30 minutes to 90 minutes and more if using the customized matrix.

Kripalu Yoga Dynamic DVD Classical series of 30 asanas in Kripalu’s meditative approach. Poses are held longer than in vinyasa flow style. This is a more quiet type of yoga. Not aimed at the beginner, but doesn’t exclude either. Poster with all the asanas comes with this DVD. Narrated by Stephen Cope while several diverse yogis perform the asanas. Good for when you want a slower approach. 85 minutes.

Insight Yoga with Sarah Powers This is a slower more meditative yoga too like Kripalu, except there is a more intimate feel with this. Sarah Powers is talking to you and her small class inside her studio, whereas Kripalu is narrated, giving a more distant feel. Sarah has a unique blend of Yin yoga, vinyasa yoga and meditation in this video. There are over 4 hours of practices that you can mix and match from the matrix provided. There are also preset programs ranging from 10 minute guided relaxation up to 1 hour vigorous vinyasa sequence. Buddhism and Chinese medicine are integrated into her approach. All levels. Very unique. Very healing feeling. Very close to the feeling you get from a real class.

Kundalini Yoga for Beginners & Beyond If you’ve never done Kundalini yoga, it’s really worth trying. It’s very different from what most people have experienced with yoga. So what is it? Well it’s multiple sequences of 2 opposing poses or sort of yoga in action at a pretty fast pace. An example is going from downward dog to upward dog many time in a row. There’s some strange breathing techniques. Let’s put it this way, whenever someone in my family sees me doing this video they say, “What the heck is that!” Visually you are watching Ana Brett perform these exercises in an ultra modern all white space on a non-traditional mat. Narrated by Ravi Singh. Up tempo music. If you want something different, try it. If you don’t like doing silly things, stick with traditional. I like rotating it in for variety. And the silliness factor can’t be beat. It makes you laugh at yourself! Two 25 minues sets. All levels.

Ashtanga Yoga the Primary Series I don’t use this one as often, because it is very mechanical and some of it is quite difficult. Richard Freeman presents the “primary series” of poses as taught by K. Patabhi Jois. Richard is amazing to watch. He is very athletic and unbelievably flexible. He instructs in the classical Ashtanga yoga which is “a precise union of breath, alignment, and flowing sequence of postures.” It give you a lot to aspire to, although my guess is most students of this video won’t come close to where this master is. If you want a challenge and/or precise instruction on yoga poses, this is a classic to own. 120 minutes.

Bonus Pilates Yoga Combo Videos and More

Crunch - Super SlimDown: Pilates Yoga Blend This is a fun, moderate workout to do when you want yoga, but you want something new or different. Yoga and pilates are combined nicely with upbeat music. The instructor Ellen Barrett leads a class of fit women of all shapes and sizes. She is very upbeat. This 42 minute program flies by. I like it a lot.

Mat Workout Based on the Work of J.H. Pilates Denise Austen can’t be beat for her positive, upbeat, and encouraging instruction. This pilates workout has a small amount of yoga in it. It has two 20 minute workouts. A lot of the work is on the “core” which is basically the tummy. Boy does this work your middle! This is great for if you don’t have a lot of time to work out. It’s not very aerobic but if you do this a few times a week you will definitely see a difference in your stomach muscles!

Hit the Spot - Pilates Also Denise Austen. This one has seven 10 minute segment pilates workouts that target different areas which you can mix and match for a customized workout. Three segments are abs related. There’s one segment each for: hips, thighs, buttocks. And the seventh segment is a combo of the three lower body areas. Again this is great because you can break up your workout throughout the day if you need to. And 10 minute segments make it seem so quick and easy. Great one to own.

Shiva Rea - Yoga Trance Dance This is something very different by yogini Shiva Rea. If you’ve been doing yoga for a while and want something new, try this. It combines traditional vinyasa yoga with yoga trance dance which is a very unstructured movement exercize of tribal like dance. You might feel a little silly at first, but it is cool. The music is great. The film location is beautiful (desert, white sands, different times of day) and the dancers are all very visually interesting. If you only like structure, then skip this one. But if you want to explore, give it a try. It’s cool. Also has a Matrix menu like her Yoga Shakti (above) where you can customize or choose from 6 preset programs from 28-41 minutes.

So there you have it. I hope you have an opportunity to check these out and enjoy them like I do.

Please Share!

Please share your favorite yoga and/or pilates workout videos! All comments big and small are very welcomed!

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Comments

2
Watch Free Episodes
June 16th, 2007 at 9:02 pm

Hey Agent Sully - I used to do that Ali McGraw tape!

It was a gorgeous setting. And you’re right, it’s kind of advanced.

She’s in great shape.

I was watching The Starter Wife online (yes, shameless do following) and I saw the Hollywood Wives doing their yoga on the beach and it made me miss it.

Gotta hit the gym!
Paula
3
Som
June 17th, 2007 at 12:44 am

I have been doing P90x and Tony’s Yoga X is just great. I haven’t seen many of those yoga dvds you have mentioned, but if anybody gets a chance to compared this to Yoga X, please do and let us know. Yoga X is 90 mins and starts with modified ‘asanas’ for first 45 min and then it ‘balance postures’ and finally ‘yoga abdomen’. I consider myself fit and this dvd is just great. (Not advertising - just wanted to share this information
4
Acacia
June 18th, 2007 at 11:22 am

Thanks for your list. Please consider trying out some other yoga DVDs from Acacia as well. Acorn Media launched the Acacia brand in February 2006, featuring original yoga, fitness, wellness, inspiration and martial arts programming from world renowned yoga teacher Shiva Rea, as well as Duncan Wong, Hemalayaa, Jivamukti Yoga, among others. We released Yoga Trance Dance from Shiva Rea and her April title, “Fluid Power–Vinyasa Flow Yoga.” We’re working hard to find authentic talent and creating beautiful original programming. Acacia is releasing the first DVD from yoga pioneers David Life and Sharon Gannon of Jivamukti Yoga later this year as well. Further information about Acacia and its talent available at http://www.acacialifestyle.com.
5
Atletismo
June 19th, 2007 at 5:25 pm

Also you can watch yogaÂ´s video en youtube. ItÂ´s cheaper…
6
Mr. Hatha Yoga
June 20th, 2007 at 11:48 am

I agree to Atletismo, Youtube has a lot of great videos about Yoga at no cost. Just check the following out:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yoga&search=
7
agentsully
June 24th, 2007 at 4:02 pm

Hi Paula - thanks. Plug away.

Acacia - I’d like to check out her new video.

Atletismo - thanks for that info. I didn’t know about that.

Mr. Hatha Yoga, Thanks for the link!
8
Simon
July 31st, 2007 at 7:43 pm

I follow the yoga teachings of Gael Chiarella. He’s the founder of The Yokibics Institute for Personal Development and is a teacher, author, and life coach for individuals and organizations. He has 25 years of training combined with a passion for an integrative approach to health and has developed the Yokibics Mindbody Fitness Program. Named one of the nation’s “Top Ten” by American Health Magazine. You’ll find The Yokibics Mind-body Workbook on amazon.
9
Green Living
July 31st, 2007 at 8:50 pm

Thanks for the list! I have been wanting to buy a yoga video and didn’t know a good one to buy.
10
Yoga Fanatic
August 5th, 2007 at 8:04 pm

Thanks for the list! I have a few of these from Gaiam’s stash (I liked to them in my signature) but some of them weren’t available there. I’ll go check them out on Amazon. Yoga for me is a personal thing and I don’t like to do it in front of 20 strangers. So a DVD at home is the best way to go for me. Besides, when would you get a chance to be taught in a classroom by people like Rodney Yee and Shiva Rea? Thanks again!
11
agentsully
August 6th, 2007 at 12:26 pm

Hi Yoga Fanatic -thanks for your comments and for visiting. Hopefully you’ll subscribe and we’ll see you again. I have some more yoga video reviews in the works… stay tuned!
click here to subscribe:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/lifelearningtoday/wlyf
12
Yoga Asana
August 15th, 2007 at 5:57 am

Yoga videos are one ting. Sometimes helpful and great. But yoga classes are much better. Reason: it is life!
15
Kundalini Yoga Frankfurt
September 28th, 2007 at 4:32 pm

Thanks 4 the list!
17
martial
November 20th, 2007 at 12:11 pm

there is no more fun than being confident. study a martial art.
18
Chris Marshall
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:01 am

My favorite yoga videos feature the Yoga Action Squad
19
acnecareguy
December 11th, 2007 at 8:52 am

thanks for the top 10 video list
21
Krystal
March 4th, 2008 at 5:34 pm

Great yoga video list. Appreciate your time putting it together.
22
Ray
March 7th, 2008 at 4:00 am

Fantastic videos! very insightful and useful. Thanks a lot.

http://www.yoga-review.info
23
Yoga Tips
March 12th, 2008 at 6:31 am

Thanks for the list! Fantastic videos! very insightful and useful. Thanks a lot.
24
i want a six pack
March 14th, 2008 at 4:09 pm

Excellent video! Although I definatly recomend a yoga class to really experience yoga
25
House
March 31st, 2008 at 6:29 am

Thanks for the list!
26
yogabeginner
April 6th, 2008 at 5:04 pm

I agree with you that nothing beats attending a yoga class for beginners to learn yoga, however if you are just starting out yoga videos are a great way to get started. These Top 10 Yoga Videos will sure come in handy. Great List!
27
kali
April 14th, 2008 at 4:22 pm

hi agentsully,

thanks for the great reviews I own quite a few of the titles you discuss and have had the pleasure of being taught by Shiva Rea.

There are some great web sites emerging that have Yoga and Pilates videos online such as http://www.mybodyzone.com. . The is quite new but already has some good videos and articles.

Thanks again for the list and I hope that you will do a list of online Yoga and Pilates web sites next time.

K
28
toni
May 1st, 2008 at 10:44 pm

Thanks for the list! l love it.
29
dizajn
May 6th, 2008 at 4:28 am

My preferences also go to the face to face yoga instructions. Yoga is more than physical exercise, and I think the contact with the teacher is most important. Anyhow, thanks for the videos, it is good to know there are such.
30
yoga top secret
June 20th, 2008 at 1:21 am

thanks for the video list.this is good list but we have to purchase them to view, i am planning to setup one site free for all.
31
Jomark Osabel
June 26th, 2008 at 11:19 pm

Nice yoga video link list good for newbie yoga practitioner like the rest of us.
32
Heike
June 27th, 2008 at 11:36 pm

yoga is great for relaxing the body and calming the mind.
34
danjandris
July 5th, 2008 at 7:59 am

These kind folks helped me begin for free.

Home Page:
http://yoga.org.nz/index.htm

Download Page:
http://www.yoga.org.nz/movieclips/highquality/main.htm
35
agentsully
July 11th, 2008 at 4:47 pm

@Jomark - thanks for your support!
36
Jau
August 1st, 2008 at 2:08 am

Hatha Yoga is not the ultimate goal. Hatha Yoga makes us aware that the body with its inestimable qualities is everything that we have in life; for we enter this world naked and leave this world naked. For that reason we must get the best out of our body. The more we strive to unfold the perfection’s of the body, the more quickly our mental capacities unfold: power of concentration, memory, will-power and resolution. The blessing of Hatha Yoga is threefold; health, well-being and long life.”
37
agentsully
August 12th, 2008 at 8:35 pm

@Jau - you are so right! Great insight! Thank you!
38
Acomplia
September 17th, 2008 at 6:44 am

Yoga is a very good way to stretch those cramped up muscles. And relive stress, or so they say.
keep going and tell people who it is.
hope fully if we stretch enough, we could grow taller:)
39
AbsGuy
October 4th, 2008 at 1:49 pm

One thing is for sure. Crunches do not really work. They will build the muscle underneath your belly fat but won’t get rid of the fat itself. There are many fitness experts that will tell you this. Check out the sources listed below for proof.
40
Andrew
October 10th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

Great infomation and i will use all the wise words in my next sessions. thank so much
41
Andrew
October 10th, 2008 at 5:29 pm

The Pilates information is excellent without a question Yoga and Pilates are the best form of exercise there is. I have lost loads of weight and gained a lot of extra confidence because of Pilates and cannot recomend it enough. Keep up the good work
42
Anzelika
October 29th, 2008 at 3:41 pm

Nice! I do yoga every day and feel fantastic. It truly is a great exercise/sport!