Since my last blog about the last visit to the gym (sob, sob) and my one and only yoga session with the kids in July 2013,  I have only managed to work out at the children’s playground ONCE last week.

Anyway, I mean to get back into the groove and was glad to find Yoga Zone – Yoga for Weight Loss (Beginners).

I love yoga because all you need are form-fitting clothes, a mat and a well-ventilated area.

I love this VCD because Al Bingham, the yoga instructor does a good job explaining the various poses (or asanas) as he goes straight to the point and reminds us to inhale, exhale and check our posture throughout each pose.

I also like the fact that 2 students demonstrate the yoga poses at 2 different levels:

a) Beginner - Her yoga poses are usually done with her knees bent and she also doesn’t do a full plank pose but a semi-plank i.e. a pseudo push-up position where you kneel on the floor.

b) Advanced - Her yoga poses are the real deal with no shortcuts

Having beginner and advanced level students in this yoga video is great because I’m currently at the beginner’s level (due to lack of practice!) but if I continue with my yoga, I could reach the advanced level later – I don’t need to buy another CD then. You’re getting a 2-in-1 package here.

In the first thirty minutes, Al Bingham, the yoga instructor guides you through the most basic and most comprehensive of all yoga poses – the sun salutation.

I could only put in 20 minutes because that’s about the longest my preschooler could flip through her books or play on her own

Nevertheless, I broke out into a sweat and I *know* that my thighs are going to ache tomorrow from all the stretching especially during the chair pose.

Yoga Zone – Yoga for Weight Loss (Beginners) feels very much like the gentle, deep breathing practice of hatha yoga I’m trained in.

Besides the clear instructions, I also like that Al Bingham and his two “students” are at the beach with the sea behind them. The power of visualisation helps a lot here to help me relax and also to let me forget for a while that I’m in the living room of our tiny apartment hehe.

There is a “bonus” session of about 20 minutes, which introduces meditation for relaxation. Although Al Bingham doesn’t talk too much about the Eastern / Hindu philosophy behind yoga, he drives home the point about the importance of achieving balance – he’s serious about helping your body AND your mind feel good.

Although the CD says that it’s for beginners, I don’t think you should buy the CD if you plan to learn yoga from it. If you really want to learn yoga, it’s best that you find a yoga center and learn from an experienced and qualified yoga instructor who will teach you the basic philosophy of yoga, diaphragmatic breathing and also the importance of correct posture.

Yoga Zone – Yoga for Weight Loss (Beginners) is excellent for a yoga student who wants to practise the sun salutation or basic asanas like the cobra pose, the chair pose and the warrior pose.

It’s also a good CD for “old” yoga students who need a refresher course from the comfort of home.

So…anyone else doing yoga too?

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