Power Yoga: The Ultimate Yoga Workout

I wrote sometime ago about how impossible and difficult this workout was--I also had some choice comments about the instructor as well.

I come back to this forum with an abject and humble renewed respect and admiration for my now favorite video workout. I now truly understand that yoga is making possible what was impossible. What happened?

I read another person's comment of the video that he follows all yogi traditions. I also couldn't believe he really studied in India. I decided to take another look.

I would occasionally do the video. A few months after I panned it, I was able to do just the warm-up. Six months later, I tried again and could do half. Then, a few weeks ago, I most of it. I realized "man, I only had 20 minutes to go!" Now, it seems like a regular, if challenging workout. I do the whole thing, and modify if I need to.

I stand corrected.

This video uses jump-back Vinyasas to build heat starting with forward bends, then progresses to challenging balancing poses such as Standing Bow. Intensive standing forward bends follow, then onto a floor spine-strengthening series. All poses "flow" (meaning no break between the poses) within each series. I love how he progresses from Cobra, straight to Locust and then to Bow. Wow! There is some ab work (bicycle), intensive twists (interspersed with more Vinyasas to stay warm), fire-breathing breath and then Corpse pose.

He follows this not-surprising traditional sequence with the same traditional instructor guidance, yet it DOES seem like a new take.

This is definitely a workout for shapely arms, strong abs and buns. It is, also, truly yoga. Namaste.

The most difficult yoga class imaginable.

Great if you are already a yoga instructor or want to see masters of yoga doing postures.

There are only the most advanced forms of every posture shown, the camera lingers on an Indian woman who looks like she has been doing this from toddlerhood.

Key information about achieving the postures is missing that would help actual people keep from hurting themselves.

Not on the jacket, but in the introduction (after you've bought the video), information that the room should be heated. But to what temperature? I do not see any of the participants doing the rather massive sweating that occurs in a hot yoga class. Only a couple of people have a small towel. No information about humidity.

Really a good video if you want to give up before you even get started.