Yoga Remedies For Balance

Suzanne Deason's hour long "feminine, flowing" practice is divided into 3 segments: Breath (simple lower body movements); Posture (standing poses); and Centering (core and flexibility.) There is also a techniques section at the end showing modifications with props. This section is strictly visual -- no audio instruction. Please not that modifications are not demonstrated throughout this intermediate level practice.

The practice takes place outdoors overlooking a rocky coastline. The setting changes slightly for each segment. The background music throughout is solo piano and/or piano and flute.

Breath: Lying on the back, emphasis on breathing while doing simple knees to chest; small movement of the hips; pelvis circles; twists; cobbler's and hero's pose.

Posture: This segment is in a "flow" sequence -- but not too fast, not too slow. Suzanne builds an active practice around a standing forward bend, weaving in elegant, feminine poses in a graceful, dance-like format. There is very limited instruction for each pose although there is voiced-over audio throughout the section. Sometimes she uses pose names, sometimes not. Downward facing dog; tree pose; triangle pose; half moon pose; warrior pose; brave warrior; evolved triangular pose; exalted warrior; standing splits; side leg hold; dancer's pose; modified side balance; plank; and child's pose are all interwoven and connected between deep, folded, standing forward bends and vertical mountain pose with the hands placed on the belly.

Centering: Now on a mat with a folded blanket nearby, Suzanne concentrates on poses for the core and flexibility. Hero's pose; cobra with lifted legs; upward facing dog; bow pose; full bow; child's pose; cat/cow; pigeon pose; squat position; hero's with side bend; sage twist; gate pose; staff pose; forward bend; cobbler's pose; boat pose; hamstring stretch; and trunk twists are all demonstrated and practiced at a slower pace, allowing for more detailed instruction. The folded blanket is used for a side torso twist and under the knees for the final relaxation pose.

Modifications: As mentioned before, this section silently shows Suzanne demonstrating 16 poses with a block, strap, blanket, or without props.

This video is appropriately named. It is a practice designed by a woman for women. If your video library is heavy on "power" workouts you might enjoy the change of pace. Its also refreshing to have a se

This yoga practice is designed to target the "femenine power within". The entire workout focuses around the belly and the core of the body. This is the most advanced yoga practice I've tried so far so I was pleased to be able to get through it without too much trouble. I definitely would not reccomend this to someone who doesn't have a lot of experience with yoga. You'll need to be familiar with the basic yoga poses and have enough strength and balance to do more advanced postures.

Suzanne does not use any props for most of the workout, save for a folded blanket brought in towards the end. The post modification section does make use of a brick and strap. If you need to modify any poses you'll want to have these handy.

The DVD is fully chaptered and also includes a 20 minute bonus practice designed for the menstural cycle or times of particular stress as well as a reference guide for pose modifications. Here are the chapter selections:

Introduction (~3 mins)

Breath (~7 mins)

Posture (~22 mins)

Centering (~23 mins)

(55 minutes total)

The posture section is the most vigorous, including some tough standing balances. As you'd expect, the breath section concentrates on breathing, with some basic poses to get the body moving. You are always brought back to the belly and the centre of the body. Centering includes more gentle poses leading up to a short final relaxation. I was a little disappointed in the final meditation because it is very short, only a minute or two. However, the relaxing poses leading up to it make up for that.

Overall I enjoyed this yoga practice. It was my first foray into yoga not labelled as "for beginners" or "introduction" and I think it was a good choice. I was able to do most of the postures and the modification segment will help me to get through them next time. At the same time, there will be lots of room to grow with it as I learn to master the more advanced postures. The chaptering of the DVD will make it easy to omit the tougher posture section if I want to and I'm looking forward to trying the bonus segment.

I like this video a lot, but I admit it didn't live up to my expectations. I love Suzanne's Lower Body Yoga for Beginner's and its use of poses which require balance, like Half Moon pose or Warrior III. I hoped that this video would be a more advanced version of that video, where you would need to hold the poses longer. I am not sure, because I haven't timed it, but it feels to me that these poses are held for an even shorter period of time than in Lower Body. So, it doesn't present the challenge to me of working on balance like I had hoped it would.

However, I have enjoyed working this into my yoga practice, which I do mostly for stretching and relaxation, along with a little core work. This video does all three things. If I don't have time to do the entire video I like to do the first 2 sections together - the breathing and standing poses. I feel like I get a fairly good stretch from doing this. The final section is more than just relaxation, and is 22 minutes in length when done alone. It is all done on the floor, and includes enough poses that I also feel like this is a good stretching session for me, along with some core work. The relaxation section is pretty brief. I wish it had been longer, since this is not one of their 20 minute videos.

As usual, the production values are excellent. Actually, I find this video to be one of the more attractive Living Arts videos.

I do like and use this video, but I think it could have been much better if the poses were held longer.

I thought this yoga video was terrible. What's the rush? Other yoga videos by Suzanne are all very fast paced (Lower Body Yoga, Stress Relief). As soon as I get into the pose, she is done with it, before I can get into it fully.

The first section is mostly breathing. It is slow. The second she does a variety of poses, but gives you little time to experience them. If she held them for a longer amount of time, this would be a keeper.

The last section is centering. This is a decent section. Just not enough for me to hang onto the video for. If it wasn't for Suzanne's Conditioning for Weight Loss (that is good) I wouldn't know that she could do a good yoga tape.

This is a nice beginner/lower-intermediate yoga workout divided into 3 sections of roughly 20 minutes each: Breath, Posture, and Centering. I found it to be not as challenging as what I'm looking for, but thought it was a good tape nonetheless. Plus, it's shot on Maui, so it has some gorgeous scenery. I recommend this for beginners and those looking for relaxation rather than power yoga. Grade A.

Background:

I have been practicing yoga for about 5 years now. I started out with videos and am currently taking Iyengar classes, I have taken Ashtanga and Hatha yoga classes previously. I also have a good collection of yoga videos and cds. I am 45 years old, at the Intermediate level for Yoga and Aerobics.

Video:

I did this video this morning for the 5th time now. Yoga Remedies for Balance is split into 3 parts, Breath, Standing Poses then seated poses with relaxation at the end it runs for 60 minutes. Suzanne explains the concept of this video is to integrate the 3 parts to Balance your life.

First part Suzanne has you lie down with knees up, hands on the lower belly. Suzanne has you move your hips with the breath (right side, then left side). However, she cues the inhale/exhales at a very rapid pace. I enjoy pranayama but it is generally done at a slower pace and for longer breath periods. This section is about 5 minutes or so.

Next is asanas which are all standing poses. There are no sun salutes as she is Iyengar trained. You start with Triangle, Warrior I and II, Half-moon, Warrior III, Wide leg, and a lot of forward bends. Suzanne has you do a forward bend usually after one or 2 poses. Among the other standing asanas, are King Dancer, Standing Split, and holding your leg out in front with your hand and then to the side, Twisted Triangle, and Tree. All of these poses are held for about 30 seconds. It seems that just as you get into the pose, you get out of the pose. While Suzanne is great at instruction on how to get into the asana, reminding you of proper form and breathing, she just goes to fast for me. I don't see how you can get any benefit from these poses for such a short period of time.

Third part are floor poses such as Sage Twist, Up-Dog with counterpart Down-Dog, Boat, Seated forward bend w/one leg then full forward bend, Plank, then Side Plank, a Squat with your heels together and knees spread apart, Side bend in Virasana, then Side bend while kneeling with one leg out to the side, Bow, Table w/left leg out, right arm out (pilates pose) mostly core conditioning. She then moves to relaxation poses with bolster and blanket which are great before Corpse pose. Again, you hold these poses for about 20 to 30 seconds then on to the next one. Savasana last maybe a minute or two.

The concept of the video is great, the delivery falls short.