Shiva Rea - Flow Yoga for Beginners

Ok, I really need to get this out and try it again. I guess I just figured I could take it out and be able to flow with it the first time...which was not the case for me. I found it a little hard to follow. I attempted to do it once, got frustrated and on the shelf it went...(been doing on and off yoga practice for 20+ years)

The set is awesome, Shiva Rea is awesome, but for a true beginner I think this would be a little frustrating unless they were really motivated...so if you are a beginner, hang in there, be patient with yourself, and this DVD...the rewards are there for the taking.

This DVD rocks! It is an excellent yoga workout- you can do the whole 70 minute session or choose a chapter for what feels fun for you on any given day. I DO have to agree with the people here who say it is not "per se" for beginners....I mean it IS excellent for beginners who have some yoga knowledge....but if you don't it can get a bit confusing with the terminology, etc. Not to mention Shiva is beyond flexible so even though she still tries to not "bend too much" for the beginners she still is way more flexible and that can make a newbie feel bad. I for one LOVE LOVE LOVE this dvd and I think Shiva is a wonderful instructor, very relaxing and soothing....and the scenery where she is practicing is absolutely gorgeous! I highly recommend this DVD!!!

I love the DVD. It is easy to follow and the instruction is very good.

I just received my order today. And this DVD was one of two that I bought. I would have to say that I own other Shiva Rea yoga DVDs and this one has quickly become my favorite!! As soon as I got done with the workout I had to come on here and write the review!! It is a true "flow" workout, but is ok for beginners. I am so excited, I will have it in my DVD player for tomorrow!!

I am not a big yoga fan. In fact, most yoga DVDs bore me. But something about Shiva in the video clips always intrigued me. She is really an awesome instructor. I wish I had paid less attention to the reviewers that said this DVD was not for beginners, as I wasted time and money on some really boring beginner DVDs.

I look at yoga as a way to enhance the other fitness activities I already do. I completed the first three flows today after doing the elliptical trainer and strength exercises, in replacement of my regular stretching & flexibility routine. I would not normally complete 45 minutes of yoga in one sitting, so I do appreciate that each of these flows can be performed individually.

I have hip dysplasia on my right side, a bad knee (left side), and a posterior innominate rotation on my left (this means when my back rotates my right leg becomes shorter than my left). Thanks to physical therapy and a focus on core strength & flexibility the rotation is now mostly stable. I continue to work through the other issues. While I may comment on these limitations in my review, I would not deduct points in my rating because this DVD does not claim to be therapeutic for any of these. I simply include the notes in case they are of help to someone else who may have some similar limitations.

These are the flows I completed today:
1) Foundation flow: This was a very relaxing and simple flow, starting with breathing and going through some basic flexibility poses. The breathing would be something that if presented wrong would really bore me, but Shiva did a great job.
2) Beginner's Backbend Flow: I had completed part of this flow as a bonus on another DVD and it convinced me to order this DVD. This is such a relaxing flow. I can see completing this flow many times in the future. With hip dysplasia on one side and a bad knee on the other, I find balance when doing lunges on one side is not as good as it should be. At times I did place one hand on a table for balance. I look forward to my balance improving as I repeat this flow. Also, I did not squat down as low as Shiva did when doing the chair pose with twist, but found my own variation. The only pose I did not perform was the bow pose (for fear of pulling on my knee), so I did cobra instead. With some slight modifications, I feel this flow can be adjusted for beginners, and Shiva also mentions some modifications during the flow.
3) Relaxing Flexibility Flow: Coming from a non-yoga background, I recognize variations on standard priformis and hamstring stretches. (I do use a stretch strap for the hamstring stretches.) This is followed by a great hip/inner thigh stretch that was new for me, and then a sitting forward bend. This flow is very relaxing and I think most people would be able to complete it.

I agree with other reviewers that it would have been nice to have a matrix as the fourth flow appears to be quite different than the other ones, and the shivasana is at the end.

I have not yet tried the Beginner's Standing Pose Flow, and will likely update my review once I have. I think this is the most challenging flow on the DVD, and gives me something to work into. I have also ordered Shiva's newest DVD (Daily Energy - Vinyasa Flow Yoga) and can't wait to receive it.

UPDATE: I still haven't completed the final flow on this DVD yet, but I've used the first three flows 3-4 times now and love them. I've already worked past the minor limitations I mentioned from the backbending flow. I can see using these flows, in particular the backbending flow over and over again.