YES Training: Your Yoga & Strength Experience

I’m reviewing this workout after previewing it only.

General workout breakdown: This program combining yoga with light hand weights basically consists of over 45 premixes combining a select few chapters in multiple ways. Yoga poses include mountain, forward fold, warrior 1, warrior 2, reverse warrior, twisted warrior, triangle, pyramid pose, extended angle, wide angle forward fold, chatarunga [sic], plank, cobra, down dog, upward dog, and relaxation. These are combined with more gym-style exercises like shoulder raises, military press, biceps curls, etc. All of these moves are collected into the following chapters: warm-up 1, warm-up 2, YES Training 1, YES Training 2, Flow Yoga, Open & Focus, and Active Relaxation. (The last three “elements” do not use hand weights. Also, the Active Relaxation is not just savasana but includes a few other restorative poses and stretches.) These are the chapters which are combined in various ways to create all of the premixes that populate this disc, resulting in series that look like this: warm-up 1, YES Training 1, Active Relaxation; warm-up 2, YES Training 1, Active Relaxation; warm-up 1, YES Training 1, YES Training 2, Active Relaxation; warm-up 1, YES Training 2, YES Training 1, Active Relaxation; and so on.

Level: I’d recommend this to experienced exercisers; this is perhaps best for someone at or around an intermediate level. Some previous experience with yoga and weight lifting would be a good idea.

Class: Linda alone, instructing via voiceover.

Music: guitar-based instrumental (I’ve heard some of it before, I think on Gaiam and/or Body Wisdom Media productions) or more jazzy elevator-type music (including for the active relaxation - I personally would have switched the warm-up music with the relaxation music).

Set: carpeted living room with stone fireplace featuring a crackling fire.

Production: clear

Equipment: yoga sticky mat (or equivalent) and 2 pairs of light weighted bars or dumbbells.

Space Requirements: enough space to do full sun salutations and to lie down with arms and legs extended. Linda is barefoot.

DVD Notes: The main menu offers you these options: The Foundation (Breathwork, Pose Guide, Elements, and Guidelines), The Workouts (Express for 30-35 min., Warrior for 40-45 min., Strong Warrior for 55 min., Mighty Warrior for 70 min., and Fierce Warrior for 80 min.), and The Bonus Extras (Interview, Credits, and Promos). The menu for selecting practices is a bit tricky: you’re offered several options with a bunch of colored dots next to each; the dots correspond to the elements (or segments / chapters of exercises). Fortunately there’s a little guide at the bottom of the screen to help you remember what’s what.

The back cover mentions Dolby Digital Sound.

Comments: This DVD actually exploits the possibilities of DVD technology. It’s similar to the Body Wisdom Media series, except that there’s more option to customize the workout lengths and the order of segments.

If you like your yoga straight up and traditional, this probably won’t appeal to you. If you think you would like yoga if only it were more athletic, this might be just the ticket for you. Those who enjoy this video might also like Anthony Carillo’s Iron Yoga, another yoga video that incorporates light dumbbells. You might also like Tari Rose’s Hard Body Yoga, which also uses yoga poses in a more athletic, gym-style workout.