Editor Reviews:

Description:
YOUR NEEDS CHANGE EVERY DAY, SO SHOULD YOUR DVD!

Yoga Complete for Weight Loss™ combines the awareness and cultivation of the mind-body connection with routines that will physically challenge and tone your body. These workouts are designed to transform how your body looks and feels, while developing a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding weight management and control. Besides working core muscles, legs and arms, Mary uses the deeper aspects of yoga to actually affect your metabolism and stress levels, which studies have shown have a direct relationship to weight issues. With over 20 customized routines to suit your physical and scheduling needs, there is no better way to learn, progress and experience yoga in your home.

The Interactive Personal Trainer™ revolutionizes the practice of yoga in the home. Unlike other videos that may contain one or two workouts, this DVD contains dozens of workouts of varied lengths and purposes. Get into shape, relieve stress, increase energy, become stronger and more flexible with your own Interactive Personal Trainer™.

Mary Pappas-Sandonas is renowned for her warm, encouraging and precise approach to teaching yoga. As a certified Iyengar yoga teacher with an M.S. in exercise physiology, Mary has had a keen interest in the mind-body connection for over 20 years. In particular, Mary has explored extensively the connection between yoga, our mental and physical habits and weight control. Mary teaches at the Unity Woods Yoga Center in the Washington D.C. area and resides in Maryland.

Rating : - Not for the supremely out of shape
I'm surprised no one has mentioned that this DVD is pretty HARD. Just as one example, in the "Positive Outlook" practice under the Beginners menu, there is a downward dog segment in which we hold DD for a minute and a half (which is really pretty long for us beginners), immediately followed by a segment with a slow flow from downward dog to plank to upward dog to chaturanga and back--repeated twice! This is another four and a half minutes of intensive arm and core work. Thank heavens for a rest in child's pose, but wait! you're not done yet; the next segment has you doing FOUR MORE upward dogs. I tell you, this sequence hasn't improved my outlook yet. There are several other practices that have similarly difficult sections.

Not that there's anything wrong with challenging work---it's just that I have this image of overweight and out-of-shape people grabbing this DVD in search of some positive change and then feeling completely overwhelmed by the seeming impossibility of some of this stuff. It seems like there could be a little more encouragement from the instructor and recognition that most beginners are not going to be able to whip right through these poses without rests and/or modifications.

There is really some excellent alignment instruction here, but the issues above, coupled with the instructor's odd delivery and the insufficient time provided for setting up between segments, are what make me rate this at three stars only.