What are your favorite relaxing Yoga or Stretching workouts?

[FitForever]

Which relaxing Yoga and/or Stretching workouts make you feel good? After a week of alternating Kickboxing & Barre, I need a day just to stretch & relax so I can get ready for the next round!

Tell me what rejuvenates you!

[Demeris]

Anything Miranda Esmonde-Whyte

Teresa Tapp's TappCore, her Warm-Up Stretchs dvd, as well as her Broom Dvd warm ups (one without, one with the broom).

[PhyllisG]

Michele Carmichael's SoulFuel. I love this DVD. It is a fusion of tai chi, pilates, and yoga. I just did it this morning and once again thought what a great job Michele does. You can see clips on totalfitnessdvds.com.

[jordan]

Altar of the Heart- Tilak Pyle

Sacred Yoga Practice- Rainbeau Mars (especially Pure Tranquility and Beginners). I relax into the WOO .

Stretch Max- Cathe Friedrich (I don't use this often, but something about the band stretch relaxes me.)

jordan

[KathAL79]

Some current favorites:
- Barbara Benagh's Yoga for Stress Relief (runner-up: her AM PM Yoga for Beginners) - most premixes terrific for relaxing, some premixes also good for flexibility
- Jill Miller's Post-Athletic Stretch - while I wouldn't say her stuff is relaxing (except for her yoga nidra CD, Breathe In Bliss Out, which is definitely relaxing), she's great at restoring balance, and if you're not put off by her flexibility it may prove inspiring
- Erich Schiffmann's Backyard Series: Beginning Yoga (runner-up: Yoga Mind & Body) - great for both

I do like Tilak Pyle's Altar of the Heart, but depending upon your level it could be more vigorous than relaxing. He has one or two MP3s on iHanuman.com which are more geared towards relaxation.

I find Iyengar-style restorative yoga (long, passive poses supported with props) can be very relaxing, although not particularly stretching, but I haven't found a video practice I really like, except for maybe the premix on Mary Pappas-Sandonas' Yoga Complete for Weight Loss.

I almost wore out my copies of Karen Voight's Yoga Focus stretch (this is also sold as Yoga Power and in the Sleek Physique / Slim Physique compilation) and Rainbeau Mars' Pure Tranquility. I'll still use the Karen, but I had enough of the Rainbeau!

[cherimac]

Originally Posted by KathAL79

I almost wore out my copies of Karen Voight's Yoga Focus stretch (this is also sold as Yoga Power and in the Sleek Physique / Slim Physique compilation)

I just asked this question on the Barefoot checkin, and Kath gave me great recommendations there too. And, as she knows, KV Yoga Focus gets a lot of use by me. I also have a Fit in 5: Ultimate Body Blitz workout that has a 20 minute yoga routine by Hemalayaa Behl from her Yoga for Everyone and I use it a lot too!

[Karen Beckwith]

Self Ultimate De-Stress Yoga
Rodney Yee A.M. Yoga for Your Week (any)
Madeline Lewis A.M. / P.M. Stretch (either)

hmmm, I'm sure there are others but these came to mind immediately.

[Cher]

My favorite relaxing yoga is Sara Ivanhoe's Candle Light Yoga.

[toaster]

Mimi Solaire's Deep Stretch Yin Yoga is quite nice too; it is not true Yin yoga, but it has 3 20-minute segments (I wouldn't recommend the bonus section) that area all performed on the floor with a bit longer holds.

For something a bit different, the 12-Minute "Yoga Emergency" series is nice. Although it would be a lot more cost-effective if all of the segments were on just one DVD, they do provide a nice short, targeted stretch with just a bit of a Kundalini feel to them.

If you are looking for a longer program that would be your go-to on your off days from kickboxing & barre, Yoga Zone has some nice options. I like YZ Flexibility & Stress Release, which is more low intermediate, has nice outdoor scenary, and includes an extremely relaxing savasa at the end. However, others swear by YZ Conditioning & Stress Release, which is a more beginning practice, filmed indoors, and is mostly on the floor (there are some standing postures).

Finally, one other option I would suggest if you are looking for a longer practice for the off days is Rodney Yee's Yoga Conditioning for Athletes. This is an older practice; it was actually one of my first yoga DVDs (on VHS back then), but it's one I still enjoy using. It has three segments--the first is opening stretches with a chair, the second is all standing (very measured paced; not at all the rushed power yoga that you see in some of Yee's other videos), and the third is all floor postures (definitely relaxing!). Plus, the DVD version comes with 6 "mini" practices of 7-8 minutes or so that you could tack on after other workouts. I highly recommend this one for anyone with some prior yoga experience (just enough to be familiar with the basic poses; there's nothing too complicated or advanced here, and 3 levels of modifications are shown).

[bubbles76]

Hemalayaa Behl's Yoga for Urban Living, the Evening Bath practice.
Geri Body Yoga, the first 20 minutes. I believe it's the warm up, but it feels so nice.
Yoga Zone's Sunrise/Sunset (you just feel so nice and wrung out after this one; don't know how or why)
Zyrka Landwijt Gentle Practice
Crunch Candlelight Yoga
Karen Voight's stretch one, and Yoga Focus stretch
Yoga Zone's Conditioning and Stress Release (have literally fallen to sleep on this one, it is that relaxing!)
Maritza's Yoga for Meditation (again, have fallen asleep to this one)