Yoga Zone! Yoga for Beginners

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I admit it. I'm a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist when it comes to yoga classes. I want a basic, no-nonsense hatha yoga or meditational video, not a "yoga-influenced" workout.

I must have gone through half a dozen DVDs before I finally found a basic yoga video that imitated a studio class. Okay, it's filmed at Half-Moon Bay in Antigua not like any studio I've ever seen but the classes pattern a perfect beginner studio yoga class. There's no wild Power Yoga or yoga-a-go-go dancing. It's slow, focuses on breath control, and gives a strong workout to soft music and thorough instruction. This is the traditional yoga for a traditional gal like me or guy. .

"Yoga for Beginners" Instructor Barbara Benagh has taught yoga for 28 years, having opened her first studio in 1980. Her video is divided into logical and easy to use classes and intensives with safe transition into poses with minimal strain.

Features include routines in lengths from 10 to 60 minutes, eight customized targeted routines, modifications of poses for less-flexible people, an interview with Benagh and articles from "Body and Soul" magazine.

The workouts are quiet; no loud music. Benagh's voice is soothing and never imitates a motivational speaker trying to pry the watcher loose from the couch, so if you need an instructor that'll give you the bootcamp treatment you may want to look elsewhere.

"Yoga for Beginners" retails for $14.99, or $9.99 at Amazon.com.

Buy it at Buy it at Amazon