Shiva Rea – Flow Yoga For Beginners Review

I recently tried another Shiva Rea yoga DVD. This one was Flow Yoga for Beginners. It is so interesting to explore different styles of yoga. I have been limiting myself to the same style of hard-core, sweat-and-tear-inducing yoga for the past 7 years. This ‘flow’ style of gentle yoga is really a breath of fresh air.

This particular DVD is broken up into 5 sections:

• Foundation flow
• Backbend flow
• Relaxing and flexibility flow
• Standing pose flow
• Shavasana

Don’t hold me to the exact titles, but those are the basic sections. The best part is that you can use the menu on the DVD to go directly to the one you want (if you didn’t want to do the entire 70 minutes in one sitting). This is a big plus for me as I’m usually pressed for time and often in the mood for particular movements over others.

This morning I practiced with the entire video. The Foundation series got off to a slow start. It was mostly just breathing exercises and gentle movements. I think the term “meditation in motion” is a good description. Beginners will get an excellent overview of the different terms and positions from this segment as it’s a great foundation for the rest of the video. For me, this was a challenge because it struggled to hold my interest. Luckily each segment got better and better. Read on.

The Backbend segment got a little more interesting. New movements were introduced and each one flowed nicely into the other. I just love this concept of ‘flowing’ movements. It really makes the poses more interesting and easier to do. Staying in any position for more than a few seconds is not only very challenging, but slightly boring. Shiva almost always has you moving some part of your body. For instance, in a seated twist position you will stretch one arm up over your head with each inhale and bring it back down with each exhale. You will be amazed how much this adds to an otherwise boring pose. Great concept!

The Relaxing flow segment is all done on your back. The name implied relaxation and I settled in and wondered if I would fall asleep on my back. But that didn’t last very long. I went from gentle, easy moves to other challenging stretches that had my legs shaking. It kept me awake for sure and was a good combination of relaxation and work.

The Standing pose flow was my favorite. I guess this is where I have the most experience and feel the most at home. And once again, the same poses that I’m used to were presented in a slightly different ‘flowing’ way that made them easier and more fun.

The Shavasana section . . . well, I never experienced a Shavasana that I didn’t like! Who doesn’t love Shavasana?

I would recommend this video to anybody interested in starting yoga for the first time, as well as for more serious athletes that might want to practice these sessions after other work-outs. These segments offer the perfect ending stretch.

New Shiva Rea Creative Core + Lower Body DVD Review

I just got my hands on the brand new Shiva Rea Creative Core DVD. I was pleased with the video length. At just 24 minutes I will have no problem adding this to my busy schedule. I really seem to struggle with videos that last over an hour and are not broken into segments that allow me to choose which chapter I want to view. This Core workout is perfect for my short attention span. And better still, it’s broken up into 3 separate parts so that also makes the time feel shorter.

This was my first experience with a Shiva Rea routine. At first I struggled with her style, but it didn’t take me long to realize that this is exactly what I need. Let me explain . . . I have been doing yoga for approximately 7 years and with every single routine I am hell bent on getting my pose ‘just right.’ I spent more time twisting my neck to look at either the instructor or the TV and worrying about if I’m doing it exactly right than I do enjoying the sensation of the pose. I am used to slow, methodical, and precise. Well, Shiva style is very flowing and free. This was a big shock to me and at first I was lost and frustrated. However, it was also the first time that I just let go, let loose, and didn’t worry so much that I was doing exactly what she was doing. In fact, she encourages you to do your own thing. Wow, what a concept.

Each segment was short yet powerful. They engaged both the lower body (thighs) and the core. Actually your arms get a bit of a work-out too. Every motion flows right into the other and my favorite was the rocking bridge. This concept of quick motion in yoga is really new to me and quite frankly, fun! Shiva gives beginners alternates for some of the moves that are more challenging. There is one balancing move that I couldn’t do, but now I have a goal. I have many yoga DVDs that I dread having to do (the P90X yoga tops that list), but this one will always be a pleasure.