The Yoga Bootcamp Box [Paperback]

I have been using Baron's Videos and DVD's for years and he's definitely my overall favorite instructor out there (I have over 80 Yoga programs on Video and DVD so I am very familiar with a good deal of what is out there).

My main purpose for purchasing the Bootcamp box was for the Yoga flows. I have been practicing yoga 7 days a week for about the last 8 years and am always looking for more short practices to use along with my longer practices. The three 20 minute flows "Vinyasa Flow", "Hip Flow" and "Core Flow" are wonderful sequences that anyone can fit into their daily lives. The Yoga Cards that come with the set are excellent for helping you learn and remember the poses along with the verbal instruction on the CD's.

I haven't done the 75 minute practice yet but I am looking forward to it because I have done Baron's longer video practices such as "Soul of Strength" and "Power and Precision" and they are really great (and really tough).

Still, if you did nothing else but rotated among the three different 20 minute flows on a daily basis, it would be enough to keep you strong and flexible from head to toe. As Baron even stresses in "Journey Into Power", "A little bit of yoga done a lot is better than a lot of yoga done once in a while".

Also, I would HIGHLY recommend getting Baron's Video called "Transform Your Life, Yoga with Baron Baptiste" which is from a PBS special where he takes 40 students through a week long bootcamp. It is very inspiring and also has a bonus 20 minute "Power Yoga Basics" practice after the feature. It's a great routine and very easy to fit into any morning.

The overall Bootcamp concept is very interesting and I would love to go one one of his actual bootcamps someday, but for a very small price one can implement much of those practices right now at their home. Even if you can't devote yourself to the complete bootcamp experience, just incorporating his basic principles of eating and the yoga flows (and meditation) can make a difference in your daily life from the moment you receive the Bootcamp Box forward for the rest of your life.

The great thing about a home Yoga practice (especially a vinyasa power yoga approach which will eliminate the need for weight training) is that you NEVER have to miss a day of doing your practice. It doesn't matter what the weather is like, you don't have to drive to a gym or class, you can't make excuses for not having enough time (since anyone can spare at least 20 minutes). Just roll out your mat before you eat and shower each day and you are ready to go :)

I have even found it possible to squeeze in 20 minutes of yoga at home when I've had to be at the airport at 6 AM (which means waking up about 4:30 AM and starting my practice at about 4:40 AM :) ). The microscopic amount of sleep you sacrifice by rising a bit earlier will be nothing compared to the benefits in terms of well being and energy you will reap from the 20 or so minutes of Yoga. I have also found I can always bring my mat with me on trips (by folding it flat a few times rather than rolling it) and have even practiced in tight spaces in Hotel/Motel rooms.

I'm only writing all this for the purpose of emphasizing just how realistic it is to have some form of daily yoga practice under almost any circumstance.

Even if you're not up for a more physical Vinyasa practice, I'd recommend trying some of the "Yoga Zone" basics tapes (all have Two-20 minute routines which are very good, or Suzanne Deason's "Stress Relief Yoga For Beginners" which is about 20-25 minutes and will put you through a full range of movements. In the least you can do Rodney Yee's AM yoga which is about 15 minutes long, his Power Yoga Set is also quite excellent, less than 30 minutes each, "Stamina" is my favorite of the three).

Along with many of his Video/DVD programs, I also have both of Baron's books, "40 Days to Personal Revolution" (his latest) and "Journey Into Power" (my favorite of the two). I would highly recommend purchasing "Journey Into Power", it is very comprehensive and inspiring, it also has a section on a "Cleansing Diet" which if followed will not only help you lose weight but give you tremendous energy.

Since using his approach to nutrition (which is really very simple, it's based eating whole fresh foods, staying away from processed foods) I have been able to up the level of intensity of my Yoga practices, only rarely having to do a more gentle practice. This has increased my strength considerably and has built a lot of lean muscle.

So, lose the excuses, roll out your mat and jump start your day and your life!

Namaste

This was a great purchase-4 yoga routines and a meditation. One disc has 3 twenty minute routines, perfect for busy days. A 20 min. vinyasa flow that covers the majors. A 20min. that works the core like nothing else-it burns but not in a "please stop now" kinda way. A 20min. hip routine that feels so good. And lastly a 10min meditation that is great for developing a practice. Disc two has a 75-yes, 75 minute class. This class works you top to toe. The audio format does take some getting used to especially if your practice is usually in a class or video. Familiarity with the poses is a must! The set contains flash cards which detail the poses and their modifications. The book is basically a cliff notes version of Baron's books.

This is an awesome package!! So nobody is confused: this package consists of a small paperback book, flash cards, and 2 AUDIO CDS (not DVD) with 4 yoga programs and 1 meditation practice. I love it and use it all the time. I have looked at other reviews here and found that I disagree with most of them, but I think it is because you will view this package differently based on how much yoga you know. If you are a true beginner, it will be too difficult to understand the poses just from listening. If you are a beginner, I highly recommend "Journey Into Power: Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga, Level 1:Beginner" (it is a DVD that also has the extra benefit of showining 9 of the basic poses in detail on a pose tutorial). Once you get comfortable with the poses and the techniques, movements, and breathing, then this CD set is really awesome!!! I find that it is very easy to use. For me, now that I know more yoga, it is more distracting to keep looking at a video screen to see what is comming next. As far as the cards go- they are very helpful. I found that they are completely in the proper order and are very helpful. The best thing is not to spread the whole deck out in front of you. Go through the stack a couple times before the practice to familiarize yourself and then take the stack and put it at the front of your mat and flip to the next card for each pose. This way you won't get confused. The first couple times you may fumble around a bit until you get the hang of it, but this is certainly no reason to give up. The rewards are great because this set helps take the yoga more into yourself and away from a video screen or other people. Only then can you see the true benefits to yoga- the inner self and inner peace. I have found that now that I have used this set for a couple months, I do not even need to refer to the cards and now I am really able to get a good yoga practice because I have no distractions. I highly recommend this. If you are a beginner, please try the DVD I recommend and when you feel like you have mastered that, then come back to this set.