Shilpa's Yoga - An Introduction to Dynamic Free Flow Yoga Practice by Shilpa Shetty

I love this yoga video. I think it is probably the best ever beginner yoga video I've seen, and as advertised on the cover: it is safe for a 10 year old or a 60 year old! Nonetheless, in the spirit of giving a useful review I am going to state both pros and cons.Cons: If you are American and used to lots of bells and whistles you may find this style kind of slow going. This is NOT a flow yoga dvd. She demonstrates each pose once (rather beautifully), pauses, and then moves on to the next. The voice over suggests that as a beginner you do each pose once, and as you get proficient you might do each pose two or three times. I completely agree with this advice. Doing each pose once took me about 40 or 50 minutes, you can shorten the workout if you want by skipping the breath exercises.If you are used to the idea that every yoga sequence MUST have an inversion, the closest thing to an inversion is the "half plough pose" and the standing forward fold, and wheel. There's no down dog, no shoulder stand, head stand etc. Once again, as a yoga instructor myself, I agree with this choice - as this is a safe beginners tape. If you want to learn that stuff, you really ought to go to the gym and learn from a live teacher.If you are used to doing yoga in a studio you may notice that there is no corpse pose/relaxation pose at the end of the workout. You can of course, add that in yourself if you want.My only other complaint would be that in Warrior I, I notice Shilpa has her knee way out further than her ankle. Even the voice over is directing you to NOT do this. It is better to go no more than 90 degrees, as this is a lot of pressure to put on your knee.The Pluses far far out weight the cons: This is a nice sequence with clear direction. Even the first time you do the DVD, you don't have to crane your neck to see the screen because you can listen to the very articulate instructions. The instructions include tons of interesting aside information regarding the benefits of each pose.The music is cool Bollywood sounding music.They filmed in beautiful locations: by the river, on a boat, on the beach and in a bungalow. Plus Shilpa is beautiful to look at. The camera loves her, and she carefully displays each movement. When I watch American made yoga videos a lot of times the camera is on the yogi's face when you want to see what their body is doing. In this video they successfully make each shot about showing you how to do the pose.Like a lot of yoga, this "workout" doesn't feel like a workout. Yet it WILL tone your body, stretch your muscles and increase your calm. iF you are already in shape doing yoga is a nice complement to other sports. If you are not in shape yoga is a great entry level sport because you don't have to worry about being really strong, or co-ordinated - just do what you can. If you can't do wheel pose at first, substitute bridge pose until you can. You'll get there!Namaste

I really enjoy this dvd. I use it nightly before bedtime since it is so relaxing. It's calming and the scenery is beautiful. The narrator's voice is one of my favorite things about the dvd. I love when he says, "..but never more than that," with his wonderful accent. He says the long names of the poses most eloquently. In addition to being one of the most beautiful people I've ever seen, Shilpa Shetty comes across as good natured and very likeable. I am a beginner, and I can do most of the poses she demonstrates, with the exception of chakrasana. I would have liked some instruction about modifying that pose until I can do it. It would also be nice to hold the poses longer at times. I have to be ready with the pause button in some places. I feel like my muscles are strengthening quite quickly. I'm very pleased with my purchase.

A friend of mine was kind enough to lend me her copy of Shilpa's Yoga a couple of weeks ago. I was sceptical, because I've tried other yoga programs that made me feel somehow deficient for not being a pretzel. To be honest, I've never enjoyed most physical exercise. However, from my first run through Shilpa's Yoga, I was hooked. Indeed, as you can see, I just bought my own copy! With the exception of one pose (Chakrasana) I was able to complete each exercise, in good form, and as I did it, I could feel the muscles working. Yet, at no time did it feel like "work" or something I "had to do." By the end, I experienced (for only the second time in my life) an "exercise high." I felt pleasant, rested yet energetic, and upbeat. Believe me, at the time my friend lent me the DVD, I was feeling none of those things.As I tried it on the following days last week, I began to see how well-thought-out the program was. A muscle that is stretched in one asana is relaxed in the next. Again, with the exception of Chakrasana (which I have to "cheat on" by using a chair) all of these poses should be in the reach of most relatively healthy people.Plus, the workout has continued to give me a pleasant happy feeling every time I've done it.Another plus for me is the lovely surroundings, and Shilpa's lovely, coiffed, lightly made up appearance. She and I have very similar body types and it's helpful for me to see another large bosomed female execute asanas that have in the past given me problems due to the problems inherent in arm placement when one is "blessed overmuch" in that area. By looking at her, I can see roughly how the asana should look when I do them. I've seen a number of catty and rather superficial reviews on other sites criticizing her for having the "temerity" to wear makeup and hairdo, and to wear a couple of pieces of discreet jewelry. Yoga may equate to asceticism, doing without, and minimalism to some people, but the point of this DVD to me is its value in bringing an ancient, well-developed system of fitness that addresses the entire self - body, mind, and spirit - without adopting a militant anti-glamour stance. Frankly, because it's so good a video AND because it is a pleasant aesthetic experience, I'm far more likely to stick with it than other videos where the instructor speaks in a surly voice.This is an honest review, so I do have a couple of criticisms, one of them large. First and the more troubling, Shilpa and the narrator do not spend enough time in each asana. I prefer to hold each asana for 30-60 seconds if not longer, and I've constantly got to keep my remote control at hand.Secondly, I think the inclusion of Chakrasana should have been presented with an inset showing a modification. The rest of the asanas (except perhaps Camel pose) are quite accessible, but to those of us with cervical weakness and poor upper body strength find this impossible.Finally, I would have enjoyed perhaps a 5 minute cooldown in Shavasana.Anyway, I have already noticed greater tone in my legs, and my obliques and psoas muscles are beginning to show better tone.Thank you, Shilpa!

This video workout is very good. The images of Kerala are relaxing and beautiful. The soundtrack quality is excellent and the voiceover guiding the exercises is very well paced. Any beginner can happily follow this.

The quality on these DVDs is abysmal. My first copy of the DVD is the only one that actually worked. I then lost it in a hotel room. Liking the actual content, I bought a second copy which arrived scratched, looked used and did not work at all in my DVD player. I got a refund and tried a third time, but the third copy also arrived scratched and looked used and did not play at all. I am done.

ok

Super

very good to practice and even more easy to understand about yoga in tamil.....

This is a good value for money!Good to practise but bit faster instruction to follow.

Good one..for indoor fitness practise.....