Yoga in Nature: Yoga Basics
Reviews from VideoFitness
I was trying to think this morning how to classify this yoga video and it felt to me like a Total Body Conditioning Yoga tape to me (with some increased flexibility and stress relief). It's made for Beginners and Intermediate, but can be beneficial to advanced yoga fans too. I consider myself in the intermediate to advanced range and really felt like this video relaxed and conditioned my body from head to toe.
I can't remember all the yoga postures, but one unique thing about this video is that it doesn't have any sun salutations. Evamarie begins with some standing stretches in the upper shoulder and neck region and slowly works her way down. She even has you do some Flamenco hand exercises that work and flex your fingers (much more challenging than they appeared when I previewed it). The first half of the workout(which was 59 minutes in all) is done standing up (with familiar poses like Warrior 1 and Triangle). Then she does a series of cat poses, planks, abdominal work, sitting, side, and lying postures.
I can't forget to tell you that the music in this video really is outstanding. It's loud enough to be heard and enjoyed, yet doesn't drown out Evamarie's voice. The style and tempo of the music changes, but it is all very enjoyable. The music just makes or breaks a tape for me!
After the workout, Evamarie takes you through a segment of Bonus Tips and Information. I only watched this when I previewed it the first time, but it was fun to watch. She shows how to give yourself the proper ambience for yoga, what props can be used for, how to use proper form, and the variations and modifications for a multitude of poses. That last part was the most beneficial for me. I'm always curious from one yoga tape to the next, how changing a pose just a bit changes how it works or conditions my body. (This segment sort of reminded me of the 2 tapes that the FIRM produced for strength training "20 Questions About Fitness" and "Form Points." Great information).
I've only done this video twice, but I can see myself adding it into my yoga regime quite regularly. Definitely a keeper!
Evamarie is much different from any other yoga instructor I've worked out with. She has a free-er style, wears a scarf-type sarong over her bike shorts and a matching scarf in her incredibly long hair. At first I thought that might be distracting to me because I'm used to instructors just wearing spandex, but her attire seemed to fit in with the natural setting just fine. And her style had a distinct dance experience flair to it. At the beginning, there are clips of Evamarie doing various yoga postures and dance movements. She is very flexible, fit, and has a natural flow to all she does. Her introductory words sound rehearsed, but once she begins the yoga workout, she sounds very natural in her precise cuing. She has a pleasant deep voice. I don't end up watching the TV much when I do a yoga video so I can keep good form and not get distracted and Evamarie was very easy to follow just by the sound of her voice. You can learn more about Evamarie and her yoga/dance experience at www.treeoffitness.com.