I need to buy a new yoga tape...suggestions?

[Joanna]

Hi everyone

I need some suggestions for a new yoga tape. I want something uner half an hour or so, or else something that can be split into shorter sections. I am not very flexible AT ALL so it has to be easily handle-able and modifiable.

Here are some yoga and stretch tapes I like:

Beth Shaw's Yogafit
Pure and Simple Stretch
Tamilee's stretch tapes
Rodney Yee's abs yoga tape
Autonoy stretch
Crunch Joy of Yoga
Crunch Fat-burning yoga
Rodeny Yee's first power yoga tape (before the three-set)

Here are some I did not like:

Kathy Smtih's tapes (she bugs me right now)
Living Arts chi tapes (too complicated)
The hour-long yogazone and yoga journal tapes (long and boring)
Patricia Walden
Gentle Yoga for beginners (felt very long, even though it wasn't)
Baron Baptiste (could not fast-forward properly)
Bryan Kest (MUCH too difficult)
Lilias Folan (she annoys me)
Living Arts Upper Body Yoga/Lower Body Yoga (boring, repetitive)
The method yoga tapes (not a huge Jennifer Kries fan)
Karen Voight (not sure why)
Wai Lana (just don't like them)
Ali McGraw's tape (Erick Shiffman is too monotonous)
Alan Finger

I prefer something that is available retail, if possible (i.e. no Yogilates or hard to find stuff). I welcome all suggestions.

Thanks,

Joanna

[Lianne]

Skip the tape - go take a class

[Linda B]

It sounds to me like you have tried most of the stuff available, so you may not have any luck with these suggestions.

I seem to remember you did some Scott Cole, but if not, then you might want to try Milennium Stretch. Half Tai Chi, and half weird stretches including yoga. It is fun, and doesn't require you to be too limber.

Or, maybe Angles, Lines and Curves. Not really yoga, but it is relaxing and a stretch.

I wasn't sure if you had tried Yoga for Weight Loss, but if you don't have DVD, it will probably just be boring to you.

Oh, and I think Kripalu Gentle is likely to be retail in Canada. It is at Borders and Barnes and Nobles here.

There is also a yoga CD by Shiva Rhea. Maybe that would be more to your liking.

[Caroline Kim]

with the 15, 30 and 45 minutes plus 10 minute guided relaxation, David Swenson's Short Forms is a very versatile tape. I don't think this one is available retail, though they do sell it on Amazon.

[yafael]

You might like Yoga For Energy with Rodney Yee. I'm so confused by whether these tapes are Yoga Journal, Living Arts, or Gaiam these days but it's one of those.

It's split up into several very short routines. I think the longest is 12 minutes. You can do one, a few, or all. They range from very gentle to what I'd maybe call a quick intermediate level.

I just got it recently, and I can tell it will be one of my favorites.

Deirdre

[Elisa B.]

Have you tried Baron B's new tapes? Unlocking Athletic Power is 30 minutes, Core Power is a little less and they are both great. Both definitely harder than what you are used to (though what is that Rodney Yee tape?), but if you can do Crunch Joy of Yoga you can probably modify/work up to these.

Elisa

[LCC]

Well, about the only thing I can think of that is retail and that you didn't list in the reject list is Denise Austin's Power Yoga....?

It's pretty good, if Denise doesn't get on your nerves.

Laura (LCC)

[Sophie]

I hope I've read and interpreted your like/dislike list carefully enough to suggest these:

Rodney Yee, Yoga for Athletes - good instruction, lots of modifiers, moderate pace, and split-uppable into three sections, chair as prop in first section.

Rodney Yee, Yoga for Back Care - again, good instruction, uses props like chair and strap (I think) and short at 20 minutes

I remember thinking Patricia Walden's PM Yoga was pretty good and short, but I never used it so I traded it. It might be what you want, though.

Baron's Unlocking Athletic Power, as suggested, is short and definately easier than Bryan Kest's tapes, at least the old ones. But you might want to check out the newer ones - Bryan has a Power Yoga basics that's only 20 minutes or so and geared to beginners.

I think I've heard good things about Quick Fix Yoga - and those are easy to find at Walmart, etc.

FWIW, and as far as I can tell, Yoga Journal=Healing Arts=Living Arts=Gaiam. I think Gaiam is the most recent incarnation, as I've seen many Living Arts names now marketed under the Gaiam label, looking identical except for the logo.

[Joanna]

Sophie, thanks for the suggestions! I was feeling very strange about the replies I was getting. I couldn't believe everyone was saying are you sure you need a video? That's, like, the VF equivalent of a snub, I think :-) Kind of sucked away my enthusiasm for the weekend, where I planned to shop for said video with a fellow VFer...

I'm going to see if I can find some clips of Yoga for athletes. I traded it eons ago without ever giving it a fair chance.

Joanna

[Lianne]

OK, Joanna, now I feel guilty, so here's my tip - any chance you can get to a costco? The one in my area has a lot of yoga vids and dvds for cheap. Like Total Yoga for 8.99. And we're talkin CDN pesos

Lianne