Yogilates - Beginners Workout

I took from amazing teacher who set the bar really high for about 5-6 years at least 10 years ago and after I moved and had kids, I found it too much to travel to her studio. I've tried various classes at the Y over the years then eventually dropped that membership when I stopped going. Their music was too loud, they didn't talk you thru their moves (just used technical terms, and the hard cold cement floor was terrible for yoga, even with a mat underneath) Walking the dogs is plenty of aerobic exercise but migraines/various body aches and the overall need for a better stretching program has inspired me to try all the beginner yoga, stretching and pilates DVDs from the library. This is the 2nd one I plan to buy.I might agree with a few others that it might help to have had a bit of experience with yoga, but any new program involves a learning curve. Jonathan Urla is one of the few people who actually takes the time to talk you thru the moves slowly and reminds you of the little things to be aware of - where to place your hands, what part of a stretch is important (and what the goal is and what it isn't). He offers alternatives if a stretch is too hard. While his "cast" appears to be all skinny and healthy, they sweat and struggle a bit just like the rest of us.I LOVE the way it's broken up - if you have 15 minutes in the morning after getting the kids on the bus and before work, you can do a nice stretch with the first 15 minutes then take a quick shower and move on with your day. If you have 30-45 minutes you can do 2 parts or the whole video. And 45 minutes is very reasonable - not 90 minutes like some of them. His voice is amazingly soothing and you feel don't feel like an imbecile trying to figure out what he is doing while you watch and do.This DVD is quite reasonable for a beginner or someone with aches and pains like me who is getting back into stretching. I did the whole 45 minutes this afternoon and I don't think I'll be sore tomorrow. Obviously, doing one program over and over would get boring for anyone, so my goal is to buy a variety. Lilias, Rodney Yee, and Ali McGraw were all great Intermediate/Advanced VHS tapes I own from back in the day, but I've got to start over....2/9/12I've been rotating between 6 tapes for about 6 months now and I find myself turning to the 2 yogilates tapes most often. They are my favorites whether I'm feeling tired and sore (so I do part of the beginner one) or a bit more energetic and have the day off (so I do the full intermediate one). I'm back today to see what else he has to offer.

I had already ordered beginners yoga/pilates videos from a different series and maker altogether only I wasn't 100% satisfied - I was left feeling a bit empty. So I bought this one as well. After reading the other reviews, it sounded like this one had more of the things I was looking for and it certainly did! It was as good as I was hoping and when I finished the first time, I was left feeling a little impressed. I just like the "feel" of this one...Jonathan Urla is so super calming and gives great, easy to follow instruction. I like that his geekyness shows through a little. It makes him feel approachable and non judgmental.I have some experience with both pilates and yoga but it's been quite a long time since I've practiced. So this video was a great refresher on the basics of yoga and pilates and a wonderful warm up for the more intense Yogilates videos. I think this would be good for not only people with little to no experience but also people with more experience that are looking for a lighter but none the less great workout.The video is broken up into three sections - first abs, then back, and then legs which is nice if you want to do your workout in parts but once I get started I hate to stop until it's over. Sometimes though if I want a little more out of my work out or want to give a certain area some extra attention, I'll just do a particular section twice...The studio is a small, minimal but nicely decorated loft. The music is light, relaxing and has a rhythm that flows well with your breathing. I really enjoy the feel of the atmosphere. The "background" people are pleasant too - they also make you feel comfortable.The dead man's pose at the end is a little short but Urla is so good at getting you unbelievably relaxed that if you laid there any longer you might go into a coma... haha... It has definitely worked great as a stress and anxiety reliever for me.This entire series is highly recommended!!! Three years later and I still haven't found anything I like better...

I gave this a five star rating based solely on that I feel Great after the workout. I bought it after a somewhat sedentary pregnancy (not much exercise due to repeated bouts of asthma & chest colds) and a c-section, and it is definitely rebuilding the exact muscles that are so damaged and under exercised after all that. I love that the video moves along quickly without tons of repetitions (for my short attention span), and I find Jonathan Urla to have a very relaxing tone in giving direction. It took me a few viewings to hear his breathing cues, and you definitely want to start the workout with the idea in mind that you need to pay attention to that, but once I started to hear his cues, I didn't have any problems. This is not as polished a video as many are, but I find that to be a much more relaxing approach. I also was not concerned about what some reviewers think are clunky transitions, as I am not too concerned about that. I suspect that if you are experienced in yoga this beginners video is not for you, but if you are just beginning the practice this is a low key way to start. I love that I could do it fresh from surgery and feel great afterwards, and I particularly love that when I am done I feel energized rather than drained. Bravo to Urla for a beginner's workout that works.

I didn't feel like I got anything from the yoga aspect nor the pilates side. The best of either discipline did not shine through. Furthermore, I don't think this video is appropriate for beginners. I myself am relatively familiar with both practices, enough so to know that he doesn't give adequate instruction regarding how to hold each posture nor does he point out many common mistakes to avoid. On top of that, the video goes pretty quickly - so if you couple the fast pace with the good chance of being left in bad form, I wasn't impressed with this video.

J.Urla makes it look astonishingly easy. This has been my introduction to yoga and I am reaping the benefits. It is not a video that you will tire of-with each new session your body becomes more finely tuned.10 out of 10, I will be buying the other videos as soon as I feel I have mastered this one.

Best yoga dvd ever, ive used it for years perfect flow for beginners! Relaxing! Inkeep buying new discs bc i use it daily and they wear out every few years! Love it!

Stocking stuffer for my wife, she liked it

Love this video - easy and relaxing - broken into segments so you don't have to do it all at once. Great to do for a better night's sleep.