Rodney Yee’s Power Up Yoga DVD is a fast-paced practice ideal for viewers with yoga experience. I would especially recommend this DVD for athletes as it is a short but effective practice that is ideal for recovery and mobility, as well as building strength and stamina.
If you’re not familiar the different styles of yoga, power yoga (also known as ashtanga yoga) is basically like yoga on speed. Well, maybe not that extreme, but it’s definitely faster paced than other forms of yoga you might have experienced. It’s extremely demanding and requires stamina and endurance. Not surprisingly, power yoga is also popular with athletes and people who frequent the gym.
Power Up Yoga is divided into three parts, each about twenty minutes long. The first section focuses on grounding the feet and energizing the lower body with standing poses. Out of the three segments, this is my favorite to do on its own. It’s a rejuvenating flow that is great to do after a day of desk work or to start off the morning.
The second flow, called “Energize” uses backbends and balancing poses to wake up the spine. This is a short but rigorous flow, which ends with some seated hamstring stretches to recover. Unfortunately I can’t do a lot of this section right now because I’m pregnant, but I’m looking forward to using it after the baby is born and I can do lots of twisty and bendy stuff again.
From here, Rodney moves into the final segment, “Breathe.” This is the least rigorous segment of the three and is a perfect way to finish off the entire hour-long DVD. You’ll spend a lot of time opening the hips in cobbler’s pose and seated stretches, finishing off relaxing in savasana.
Although the DVD is divided into three short segments, I recommend doing them all together for maximum benefit. If you’re an athlete, it would probably do a world of good to do this DVD a few times a week.
Despite the fact that the flow is fast-paced, I was impressed with Rodney’s ability to provide clear instruction. If you’re new to yoga, you might have to go through the video a few times to familiarize yourself with the poses, but if you’re already familiar with a range of yoga poses, you’ll probably find it’s easy to follow along.
In terms of film quality and visual appeal, Power Up Yoga is simple but beautiful. With the Colorado mountains in the background it’s hard to go wrong. I did find the music a little distracting in some parts, but I was probably just being picky.
Although it isn’t one of the longest or most detailed yoga DVDs out there – there aren’t any special features – Power Up Yoga is a great choice for athletes who want to add yoga to their home workout routine. Plus, it goes by so fast you won’t even realize you just did an hour of yoga!
“Power Up Yoga” is available for $12.99 at Amazon.com.
