MTV Yoga [VHS]

This is a great DVD. I used to practise Yoga at a well known North London centre but it became too expensive so I had to give it up. Then I recently thought of buying a DVD to practise at home. I started with Geri Halliwell's latest, which is also very good, but as I like to practise in the morning; MTV Yoga ia ideal. It is only 45 minutes long but it feels very thorough. The series of postures are very flowing, which really helps, and you can feel yourself progressing fairly quickly - which is really quite empowering.
It totally sets you up for the day, you feel all stretched out and you notice the difference in your posture and the way you hold yourself. After 2 months of practising almost every morning (combined with a balanced diet) I am starting to see the reults, something that hasn't ever really happend with other exercise routines - I can't wait to see where I am come summertime!
The best thing about it is it really doesn't feel like too much of an effort - like going to the gym - but once you're doing it and afterwards, you can really feel your body working and strengthening. It's also done wonders for my attitude; I am a lot calmer and chilled out that I used to be, and happier in general.
I would advise going to a few classes if you're new to Yoga however, because I think it is important to get some one on one advise to make sure you are doing the postures correctly.
There is a small section at the end where Kristen demonstrates a few of the postures though. On the whole Kristen is a great teacher too. She has a very gentle voice and she keeps you focused on what you're doing the whole way through, and anyone who can look good in a lycra cat suit must be doing something right!!
BUY IT, you won't regret it.

I came to MTV Yoga having taken part in Hatha yoga classes, so perhaps my previous instruction was very helpful in certain technical matters like breathing practice, focus during balances and alignment during asanas. I still found it worth watching the video through a couple of times to make sure I fully understand what was to be asked of me during the workout.
MTV yoga is quite fast paced in comparison to Hatha, which is something I enjoyed, as well as the fact there are three levels of practice shown. I liked the fact that the beginner, Lori, and Danielle, the intermediate, wobbled a bit during some of the poses, an imperfection to often edited out, and were clearly shown in the variations suggested.There is also a more detailed breakdown of the poses given after the workout which is invaluable if you're a newbie. Just watching Kristen and her very muscular, very tanned male friend Jess pretzel through some of the stretch poses is enough to put anyone into a fit of inadequacy.(Actually if you get bored, trying to decide who has the better tan, Lori or Jess, is quite entertaining...)
I also liked the music, which was very much my taste. If you like silence for your practice, you'll probably hate it, but if you're used to aerobic workouts with upbeat urban sounds to motivate you then you might want to try this as a change. Kristen is obviously a very enthusiastic, descriptive teacher and uses some interesting imagery to help relax, position and energise the body throughout the workout. For those less metaphysically inclined the references to the "flow of energy" may start to grate, but having had a teacher who broke into "OM Shanti" at every and any opportunity I found Kristen refreshingly grounded.
Any critical points? Lori is annoying; yes, she really does make Geri Halliwell look like a shoe in for the Nobel Physics Prize, but she's thankfully kept to a minimum. Some of the poses are shown too quickly, and there is very little suggestion that you should work to your own limits in some of them, like the Tree.
I really can't say this strongly enough: If you're new to Yoga try a class or two,even an instructional book, first before you try this video just so you know how and where your body feels and responds to the asanas. MTV yoga is great if you have had some practice and what to try something a little more energised or can't make a regular class for whatever reason.
I am hoping to try Kristen's Power Yoga DVD next as I enjoyed this one so much, but I am also going to try and fit in a regular class to compliment it.

My experience in yoga consists in few classes and Barbara Currie tapes. MTV yoga is better than any of this. If I compare it with the classes I took, it's more compact (about 40 minutes workout) and makes you sweat more, plus the music is cool. Compared to Barbara Currie... Well, Barbara always sticks her shoulders up in her ears, while the instructor of MTV yoga visibly has much better posture and better cuing and much less annoying voice and blabering. I think MTV yoga is probably more like power yoga. It goes through less poses than some of the Barbara Currie tapes, but the poses flow and the breathing is better explained, and the rythm and the amount of time you hold the poses really make you work-out and sweat (at least it made me sweat). definitely a tape I keep coming back to. Can't wait for more!