CORE YOGA

I have been doing yoga for a few years, and consider myself an "advanced beginner" in yoga. I try new poses and new things. I recently discovered Shiva Rea, who is considered to be a "powerhouse yoga teacher" by the New York Times. This DVD is an excellent value for your money, especially if you want to work your abs. Other reviewers have pointed out that this DVD consists of three older programs, now released on one DVD. That is true. The three programs are Creative Core Yoga for abs(2006), Creative Coreand Lower body (2008) and Creative Core and Upper body (2012). They were filmed outdoors at the White Sands National Park and Kauai's Limahuli Garden. Watching a yoga DVD that has been filmed outdoors makes yoga even more relaxing and meditative to me. Because I am new to enjoying Shiva, and had not purchased many of her DVDs yet, I did not have the other workouts that these yoga workouts were in. So the fact that this is repackaged material was fine, it made it a good value for those who are new to this type of vinyasa flow yoga. The breakdown of the yoga matrix-a device central to Shiva's DVDs that lets you choose how long or little you work out-consists of the following: These are the ones from Creative Core abs: Water Core (10 minutes) Spontaneous Core ( 8 minutes) Fire Core (17 minutes These are from Creative Core and Lower body: Creative roots (13 minutes) Creative lower body ( 9 minutes) And these are from Creative core and Upper Body: Agni Namaskar (25 minutes) Creative Core upper body (8 minutes) Then there is Shavasana at the end for 2 minutes. By far, I found Agni Namaskar the hardest workout to do. This workout is a total body salutation and is very strenous. It consists of 9 cycles of prostration pushups, and is not for the faint of heart. It also is the longest workout on the DVD by far, the others averaging under 20 minutes. My favorites were the Water Core and Spontaneous Core by far. The environment of the White Sands National Park provides an incredible backdrop for Shiva's take on yoga. These brief workouts are invigorating, really work your abs, and are ideal to add on to another yoga workout if you feel you have not completed enough ab work. Shiva is a wonderful, inspiring instructor. With her use of fluid movement and dance, she breathes new life into old yoga postures. If you have not purchased the DVDs that this one is a compilation of this workout is well worth your money.

When I started doing this workout, I looked like a slug stuck on my back with my appendages waving in the air. It was pitiful!! But I began to feel and see the results pretty quickly!! My husband noticed first that my "teabag butt" was gone. Heh heh. I hadn't been aware that I had a teabag butt, but I was glad it was gone!! But the strength that I gained quickly blew me away!! And even now, after 5 months, I feel as if I am rubbing someone else's legs. They feel so different!! I started taking karate after doing this for 2 months, and I am not embarrassed out there. Before, I would have flopped around on the mat and never gone back. There are 7 segments, and you can mix and match them to suit your mood and your needs. The standing pose segment killed my thighs at first, and I had to keep standing up, but now I have a solid and long-lasting saddle stance in karate. There is a 17 minute segment that covers everything, if I just have time for a short workout. This is one of those workouts where I end up breathing hard and sweating well, though I am not moving a lot. And as I progress, I find new, deeper, long-forgotten muscles that I invite to join the rest, and I am filling in the gaps in my range of motion. For me, this workout has been dynamite!!

This is definitely not for beginners. This is very advanced yoga.

This isn't my favorite Shiva title, but it's still good. The sequences are taken from other DVDs so if you own any of her other titles make sure you double check that there isn't overlap on this DVD so you don't waste your money. She generally does a good job explaining and demonstrating poses and there is a variety of different levels of sequences. Anyone, beginner to more advanced, can find something on this. Shiva does get a bit obnoxious at times, but overall is still a good instructor.

Best core yoga workout I've tried because it works the whole body. The philosophy is that all muscles in the body influence the core. You get sore and also energized. Please note there is a section that involves pushups but if you can't handle that you can skip it by using the matrix. Anything you can do is an accomplishment so every section should be tried. This is definitely intermediate yoga and strength training and it's best for a person who is already relatively fit, relatively flexible, and who is looking to up the challenge.

Shiva Rea will definitely work you out. Some routines on this I never do, and some I do all the time. This DVD is divided into 3 sections, with routines focusing on core, core + lower body, and core + upper body. The core exercises are creative and effective, and the core + lower body routines have helped me with outer hip pain by helping strengthen those muscles.

As said in above reference, Shiva tea always highly professional, educational, artistic performance, very complete content for every routine and asana , good explanations, seductive multimedia performance. Everything looks in harmony. Yoga Matrix make everything easer for a yoga teacher like me. Enjoyable learning DVD.

I ordered this dvd because i have another dvd from shiva that i really liked. Thinking it would be top notch i ordered this core dvd. I also liked the idea of doing compound exercises that covered lower body and core, upper body and core, etc. First, this is not for beginners. I am experienced and found this dvd frustrating on two counts. The customer better have a knowledge of poses and be experienced because injury could result. Second, it comes off as a mish mash. It has been said it is a compilation of other dvds but please be professional about presentation...dont just end a segment! No winding down, no notice that we are finished! I also found the lack of true upper body work obvious. Lots of flailing around, improvisation, you do what feels good to you...really? Upper body with core turns out to be leg work and the 25 minute segment will certainly either kill you or turn you off. Yes, you get core work but not worth the aggravation. So glad i bought a used, new dvd and didnt waste much money. For a good workout i recommend mark lauren's you are your own gym and throw this one into the donate pile.

Belle sezioni di yoga! Consigliato a chi già pratica yoga da un po' di tempo! Eccezionale la possibilità di utilizzare matrici personalizzate!

Item Ok.

Gives you a good yoga workout for your core

I prefer traditional meditative yoga but I must admit it has helped to straighten my back.

Great video for at home Yoga.