AM/PM Yoga for Beginners [VHS]

It is advised that you watch the tapes at least once before attempting the exercises. While watching I thought to myself, "Wow, this has got to be the world's easiest form of exercise ever invented. I can't believe the hype over something so obviously simple!" I was not so quick to judge once I popped in PM yoga that evening. Patricia Walden makes the moves look simple and fluid, but they are challenging for the beginner! She starts off with a 4 minute centering series, followed by a 13 minute workout, and finally, a 3 minute guided relaxation. The tape isn't long, so it's easy to stay motivated when you get in and feel you may be too tired to do anything productive. The scenery is just beautiful, and the voiceover is clear, comprehensive and provides well-timed cues to the viewer. Simply fantastic before going to bed, you can really feel the stress melt away as you do the poses.

AM yoga is done by Rodney Yee. His workout, in my opinion, is not as challenging as Patricia Walden's PM yoga program, but it still provides an unexpected challenge to the beginner. Most mornings I am too groggy and irritable to think of anything besides a good cup of tea, but I somehow managed to pop the tape into the VCR. The exercises are gentle yet effective, and although, as mentionned earlier, they may look easy the first time you view the tape, they most certainly provide a great challenge! His tape consists of 4 minutes of conscious breathing, 14 minutes workout and 2 minutes seated guided meditation. By the end of the workout you feel alive and ready to face the day. Granted, it took a few mornings for me to get the hang of doing this workout, but now I actually look forward to it (although this statement may not seem like much to most, to say I am NOT a morning person is a gross understatement. Anything that makes me look forward to the morning is truely a something remarkable!). The scenery is also beautiful and inspiring in the AM series, and the voiceover is equally clear, conscise and well-cued. Also, for those of us who enjoy a beautiful man in very little clothing, Rodney Yee has a remarkable body! Something well worth waking up to!

Over all, this yoga series is something I would likely buy as a gift to just about everyone I know. It's gentle, effective, and you really see results. As with any exercise, one cannot expect instant results, but as you grow in tune with your body, the subtle effects of this age old exercise become more and more apparent.

I would also like to point out that I first bought these tapes with the idea of training in flexibility. I thought it'd make a great party trick to stick my feet behind my ears, or some such thing. The meditative and spiritual elements are not over emphasized, yet they most certainly are there. I have found I make more progress when my focus is less on the physical elements of yoga, and more on the mental and spiritual.

Rodney's AM practise was excellent for me as a beginner. It's a great introduction to learning a conscious connection between the mind and body. It is relaxed and much easier than Particia's tape. Rodney's easy on the eyes, too, ladies...

I'd suggest one of the slower paced, informative tapes such as "Yoga for Dummies" or one that details the poses you practise as an introduction to yoga. Yoga practise needs to be done safely and that particular tape provides alternative poses as well for the less flexible beginners. I know it gets old to work with the beginner tapes and you do find yourself fast-forwarding once you are comfortable with the poses, but isn't that a good time to try a set like this AM/PM practise? You don't learn Yoga fast and it is a great goal to desire to learn how to flow gracefully and purposefully from one pose to the next without hesitation.

The AM yoga session is less intense of the two videos and mostly involves relaxing and stretching. The PM session is longer and more demanding, with tougher stretches and poses. I get a little sweaty afterwards. Both Rodney Yee (AM yoga) and Patricia Walden (PM yoga) put you at ease and do an excellent job of instructing you along the way. The background music is also very calming to get you in the mood.

OK, this video won't solve all your problems, but it will most definitely leave you in the most relaxed state you've ever been. The effects of performing the AM and PM yoga even once or twice a week last for several days. I've found myself to be more at ease, and less stressed. And most importantly, I get along with my wife much better than before. We all need that, don't we? I can't recommend this video set enough. Buy it now!!

Bottom line: if you've never done yoga, stretch out and give this a try. Keep trying. You'll get better the more you do it. Then start going to classes!