Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47029 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-09-24
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 55 minutes

Amazon.com
Some people take up yoga to build strength and flexibility; others are primarily looking to reduce stress and tension. This 55-minute program, while purporting to address both groups, is actually much more appropriate for the latter. Yoga Zone founder Alan Finger does an excellent job not merely emphasizing the importance of the breath--the single most vital element of any yoga practice--but also explaining yoga breathing techniques, followed by a series of easy stretches (for the neck, shoulders, arms, and such) and a variety of standing, sitting, and lying poses beneficial to yogis of all levels. The pace is gentle, the sequence of poses logical, the instruction clear and constant; beginners will be challenged but not intimidated, while more advanced types might find it a welcome alternative to sweaty, aerobic yoga workouts. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews

A safe haven for beginners.
I'm new to Yoga. My daily workout takes place in a small, converted bedroom that doubles as a storage facility. I'm not terribly flexible, not good about remembering to breathe, and don't look like the attractive women in this tape (and never will...yoga or no yoga). I also don't have the room to store, nor budget to purchase special Yoga chairs, mats, pillows, or clothing.

Alan Finger's teaching style is perfect for me. His delivery is deliberate and well paced, and his reminders to breathe and to release muscle tension are consistently timed for beginners like myself who are often so focused on twisting and balancing into an unfamiliar posture that they forget to breathe. Unlike other Yoga tapes I've tried that pulled and pushed me through their exercise regimens, Finger's tape - in figurative terms - transports me from one pose to another, giving me the time I need to orient myself and my blood pressure to each new posture. And, unlike the exercises contained in other Yoga tapes (such as the Rodney Yee series), Finger's exercises do not require the use of special equipment -- which means a lot to me in my space-starved exercise area.

To say that this tape focuses on conditioning and stress relief does it an injustice. It also serves as a great introduction to Yoga for folks who aren't flexible, aren't health-nuts, aren't budding-Buddhists, and who are easily discouraged from taking the time to take care of themselves. Finger has come up with a teaching method and series of postures that are effective, encouraging, relaxing, and immediately achievable. I'm looking forward to purchasing other tape in the Yoga Zone series.

it's all about the stretch
this is a very fine yoga instruction tape. the greatest emphasis is placed on stretching your entire body. however the many static positions means you're getting more strengthening benefit than you realize. it's absolutely essential for beginners to start out with a tape like this because it will help them to stretch out difficult areas like hips, hamstrings and shoulders that so often limit yogis from making it to the more advanced levels. and more advanced types should relish the chance to hone in on the stretching aspects of yoga that tend to get lost in the more advanced power yoga workouts.

dare i say a must for any yoga collection?

This is by far the best
I am a 46-year-old woman who began practicing yoga--off and on, and with several different teachers--since I was 18 years old. I cannot say enough great things about Alan Finger. He is truly the best yoga teacher I have ever learned from. For years, I have done these postures without clear directions about exactly how every muscle should be held and positioned. Believe me, doing the poses with the muscles engaged properly makes a huge difference! I agree with the others who have written here that the best part about this tape is that I really enjoy doing it. I am not a person who normally enjoys exercise, but this tape makes me feel as if I am pampering myself.

I have neck and back problems, and the minute I feel my neck getting tense, I know it's time to do this tape. Alan Finger has the best series of neck-tension-releasing exercies I have ever done. I feel the difference immediately. I have been to many chiropractors for my neck over the years and none have helped me any more than the exercises on this tape. The best part is that I have learned that I can stop a bad neck from ever happening because I have learned to listen to my body and help those muscles relax before I am in a crisis.

This may not be the most challenging workout, but for a person who wants to be gently guided into the beautiful, healing art of yoga, I can't think of a better place to start.