Yoga Peeps “Sun Salutations”

This is a 20-minute online video. This 20-minute sun salutation-routine is ideal for those who like to open their practice with media, before progressing to their own sequences.

Since it’s free and can be streamed directly from the Yoga Peeps website, you won’t be a dime or gigabyte poorer for giving it a try.

“Sun Salutations” is filmed outdoors and led by Lara Cestone, the creator of Yoga Peeps, a free podcast accessible at www.yogapeeps.com or the iTunes store. Those familiar with Lara’s interviews with yoga “celebrities” like Eoin Finn, Ana Forrest, and Bryan Kest will recognize her confident, calm voice.

“Sun Salutations” is comprised of mostly just that. While the practice begins in a seated position with some chest openers, the bulk of the routine consists of the A and B series. I found the pace of this routine to be just right - not too fast, but not too slow either. It is comparable to the pace of the salutations in Shiva Rea’s Yoga Shakti, if my memory is right. I do wish that the warrior poses would have been held just a few seconds longer though. I struggled to get my balance before wheeling back into plank pose.

In general, I found this routine pleasant and fun. It’s a nice break from record-speed power yoga salutations and from the static Iyengar-influenced alignment practices I’ve been doing recently. In 20 minutes, the practice generates just enough heat to loosen the body up for deep stretches.

The video can played for free on the Yoga Peep website at http://yogapeeps.com/main/category/yoga-peeps-videos/. “Sun Salutations” has been available since November 7, 2006. It is complemented by “Fun 20 Minute Flow,” which I haven’t tried, but was posted on December 30, 2006.