Trainers Edge: Long and Lean Yoga

This has a very different feel than Baron's other practices, though many of the familiar poses are here. It is almost like the instructional component to Soul of Strength or Unlocking Athletic Power, but this is not really a vinyasa flow practice. Baron instructs two women on a very spare set, and has you hold each pose for a long time while he explains it which can get awfully tiring. Periodically he throws in some non-traditional core and upper body strengthening moves that are pretty tough. I don't have a problem with Soul of Strength, but I had to stop a few times during this one.

The audience for this video is apparently people who are already pretty fit and are interested in seeing what yoga can do for them, but might be turned off by any "woo-woo" factor. The instruction has a very atheletic focus, and even the music is of the bland, gym beat variety. No Ram Dass here! Since it offers more instruction than the Live! series (SoS, UAP & CP), it might be a good place for yoga beginners to start, but they should probably be fairly fit beginners!

This is 50 minutes long and the dvd includes 10 minutes from petra kolbers trainers edge cardio intervals workout. so i did petra's mini workout first. it was perfect to do to get warmed up for yoga. ive never been keen on petra but i didnt mind her too much in this clip.

so on to baron.... during the whole workout he instructs while 2 females

do all of the moves. the ladies are in excellent shape and have excellent form during the yoga practice. baron says that they are 'yoga bodies'... their physiques were from nothing but yoga. so they were quite

impressive.

i was happy because i could do most of the practice. i also liked that there were some things that i could not do. i like a workout that presents me with

an opportunity to grow.

i am certainly not very experienced with yoga so im not a good person to judge if this workout was 'good' or not, but i liked it!

Long and Lean Yoga is a departure from his other videos in that he works with two women rather than a full class. This practice features the usual mix of postures (begins with Sun salutations, moves into warrior, balancing postures, etc.), but it's main emphasis seems to be on building strength. Postures are held a little longer, yoga push-ups are included in two different areas and he spends several minutes on core conditioning with ab work. I would have liked a longer relaxation period at the end, it's done in a seated position and is very brief - the class just ends abruptly.

Overall, this is a challenging routine that will help develop upper body strength in particular so I will continue to use it for that purpose. I didn't enjoy this tape as much as his Live series, but it's definitely worth checking out if you want to develop strength .

Baron Baptiste: Trainers Edge: Long and Lean Yoga

(VHS version, so no info on DVD chaptering)

Length: 52 Minutes

Level: (imo) Beginner/Low Intermediate

Set: Very clean, uncluttered. White cement walls with soft violet lighting, blue-ish ceiling lighting, wood floors. Soothing, not distracting at all.

Class: Baron instructs, adjusts and guides two females. I recognize one woman from his Live! DVD classes.

Random Thoughts: Baron talks A LOT. He provides excellent cues, modifications for most poses, and explains what each pose does for the body. Baron, on occasion, struggles not to woo-woo, but still manages a teeny bit of it. If woo-woo is so not your thing or you are newer to yoga, this is one you may like. Baron's goal for this practice is to "strenghten and lengthen your mind and body, build flexible strength, and create balance." The practice does move slowly as Baron is talking a great deal, but that does give it more strength.

Did I mention Baron does talk a great deal? He really does! No corpse pose was interesting to me, but I do feel this is marketed for athletes or new-to-or-non-yoga people. I felt that Baron's "upper body section" was quite similiar to Hard Body Yoga in that it uses yoga poses as strength building poses.

Finally: I really like Baron, he is one of my favorite yoga instructors, but I do not think I will be purchasing this one on DVD. I didn't love it as I do Unlocking Athletic Power or Core Power, I felt it wasn't one I could grow with, and I do like Baron's woo-woo. I would recommend this one highly to someone who is newer to yoga. It is not intimidating, it is accessible, and Baron is very helpful and supportive. I think it is a well-done, excellent "Trainers Edge," but it is not pure Baron yoga, if you know what I mean.

The Practice:

Standing Forward Bend

Mountain, Slight Backbend

Sun Salutation A (two times)

Sun Salutation B (two times)

Side Plank

Chatarunga, Crescent, Twist, Lunge

Other side: Side Plank

Chatarunga, Crescent, Twist, Lunge

Chair, Standing Twist

Forward Bend

Other side: Chair, Standing Twist

Forward Bend

"Upper body section"

One legged chatarungas (two times each leg)

Chaturanga low-push-up/up-dog (five times)

Low push-up hold 10 count

Lie Down

Bow Pose (two times)

Up-Dog, Down-Dog

Camel (held for a loooong time)

Down-Dog

Camel

Down Dog

"Core Section"

Boat - lift (five times)

Supta Badakansana

Lie on back- on leg up, one down switching, pulsing

Supta Badakanasana

Rock & Roll (five times)

Modified One legged pigeon (sitting up), lift to table, down, twist

Boat (four times)

Other side:

Modified One legged pigeon (sitting up), lift to table, down, twist

Seated forward bend

Table or Reverse Plank

Cross legged easy pose