10 Minute Solution - Yoga (DVD)

...the other workouts from the 10 minute Solution range and been (mostly) pleased with them, I decided to try the 10 minute solution yoga DVD. I used to do yoga quite regularly and it really does help your flexibility, but after a while I did find it quite boring as I tend to prefer a quicker paced aerobic style workout.

The 10 minute solution range of DVD's all contain five workouts, each ten minutes long. Working long hours means I ...
...was just doing it in 10 minute chunks, because hopefully that way I wouldn't get bored so easily!

Of course containing five different workouts you don't just have to stop at one. You can mix and match and there is even a feature on the DVD which allows you to choose the order you do the workouts in, if you do decide to do more than one. I find I normally do about three a day (less if I've been at work) mixing and matching segments ... more

Having tried many of the other workouts from the 10 minute Solution range and been (mostly) pleased with them, I decided to try the 10 minute solution yoga DVD. I used to do yoga quite regularly and it really does help your flexibility, but after a while I did find it quite boring as I tend to prefer a quicker paced aerobic style workout.

The 10 minute solution range of DVD's all contain five workouts, each ten minutes long. Working long hours means I can't always find the time to fit a full workout into my day, so these are a great solution for me. I thought that I would find it much easier to get back into doing yoga if I was just doing it in 10 minute chunks, because hopefully that way I wouldn't get bored so easily!

Of course containing five different workouts you don't just have to stop at one. You can mix and match and there is even a feature on the DVD which allows you to choose the order you do the workouts in, if you do decide to do more than one. I find I normally do about three a day (less if I've been at work) mixing and matching segments from this and other DVD's from the range, but I don't do them all at the same time, I perhaps do one in the morning, one in the evening and one any other time I can manage to fit it in!

The DVD is presented by a lady called Lara Hudson, and I don't know anything about her other than she is American. She talks you through each move very well though and comes across as friendly -there's nothing worse than an annoying presenter!

You will need a yoga mat - or just a normal exercise mat will do - especially if you have hard floors, but no other additional equipment is required.

The five sections of the DVD are as follows:

YOGA BASICS

This section is great if you have never done yoga, or if like me, you just haven't done it for a while. This section covers a sequence of movements known as a sun salutation, and you will probably find these moves in most other yoga DVD's available.

The sequence is really easy to follow, and towards the end, Lara shows you a slight variation on the sequence which makes it a little more interesting. For those who may find the moves a little difficult, Lara shows you how to modify the moves, so this really is a great section for absolute beginners.

My Opinion: Having done this sequence hundreds of times before, I thought I'd find this section of the DVD easy. In fact, whilst holding the postures was easy, I could really feel the stretch in my legs (more than I would have expected) so I'm glad I didn't just dive in and head straight to the tougher sections. I really would recommend that you do this section before attempting the others if you haven't done any yoga for a while. Even a beginner should be able to follow the moves, and it's great that Lara shows modifications for those who may not be able to manage the full pose.

YOGA FOR BUNS AND THIGHS

This section focuses on postures and stretches that will benefit the bum and thighs. I do think this section is more challenging that the first, however it is still easy enough that most beginners should be able to complete it. Saying that, there is one particular exercise that I just can't do. It involves lying flat on your stomach and raising your legs up off the ground. It doesn't sound too difficult, but I can't seem to master it!

My Opinion: Wow, you can really feel this one working! Not only in your bum and thighs, but also in the calf muscles too. This is a great section, each posture is explained fully by Lara and apart from that one move I mentioned before, I found it easy to follow as postures are not too complicated, even for those of us with limited flexibility!

YOGA FOR ABS

This section focuses on exercises and postures to tone the abdominal muscles and waist. These exercises are more advanced than those in the previous two sections and you may struggle with this if you are unfit or have limited flexibility. You will find however that Lara does suggest alternate exercises for most postures, so you can still start with these, but I feel that unless you're already quite fit/flexible you might need to build up to this one.

My Opinion: Well I would love to have a toned stomach and even when the rest of my body has been toned, my stomach has never quite got there! I do generally find any sort of stomach exercises quite difficult, so it may just be me who found this section particularly difficult. I'm so glad that Lara suggests alternative exercises, because without them, I would be sitting most of this section out! I've given this section quite a few tries and a few of the moves have gotten easier with time, but I certainly wouldn't recommend this section for beginners.

YOGA BURN

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I prefer a fast paced workout, and yoga is often a little slow for me, so this section which was described on the box as a workout that would 'really get you moving and turns up the burn factor on yoga' really appealed to me. In reality what you get is a faster paced sun salutation (which was covered in yoga basics) as well as a few other moves, which again are done at a slightly faster pace than you may expect from a yoga workout.

My Opinion: This section was OK, but I did find it a little boring if I'm honest. Perhaps it was partly because some of the sections had already been covered, or perhaps it's just that I am bored with sun salutations! I'm glad to say that this workout was a lot easier than the abs section, but still quite challenging at the same time. It wasn't quite as fast as I had hoped and didn't really live up to my expectations, so it's not a section of the DVD I choose to do very regularly.

YOGA FOR FLEXIBILITY AND RELAXATION

Another section that sounded great from the cover of the DVD. I think it was the word 'flexibility' which appealed to me, I've always fancied being a bit bendy! Lol! This is a series of very simple yoga stretches, which do - as the title of the section suggests - really help relax you. Suitable for everyone, this section again is easy to follow, whilst showing variations for those who are not yet flexible enough to achieve the poses.

My Opinion: I have no trouble following this section, and although I can't always get my legs straight like Lara does, I can always do the variations that she suggests. suggests on the box doing this section to start your day, but I prefer to do it before going to bed, as it really gets me relaxed, therefore helping me sleep.

CONCLUSION...

Of all the Yoga DVD's I own, I must admit this is currently my favourite. The format of the DVD means it is easy to fit a couple of sections each day into my lifestyle, and I like that despite being short, I always feel like I've worked out after doing this.

I would say that this DVD would appeal to beginners and those who have a moderate knowledge of yoga. With the exception of the abs section, I think those who participate in yoga regularly may not find this to be enough of a challenge.

Having five little workouts on one DVD means that I can vary my workout and having a choice of which section I do means that I have not yet become bored with this. It's also great that the DVD covers pretty much everything - if I want to relax I do 'Yoga for flexibility and relaxation' whereas if I'm feeling my thighs are fat I can do 'Yoga for buns and thighs', basically whichever section fits my mood for the day!

It retails at just £3.98 from Amazon which is much cheaper than a gym membership or going to a regular class, and I love the fact I can pick and choose when I want to do it.

If you're looking for a simple but effective yoga workout to fit in with a busy lifestyle, I'd say this is well worth a try. Recommended!

 

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