Best of the Best

Are you looking for a workout DVD that requires little to no equipment; that will help you lose weight, tone your body and strengthen your cardiovascular system? Have you tried the practice of YOGA? Whether you answer is Yes or No, keep reading.

If you are already a Yoga practitioner, then you are probably aware of the wonderful benefits of this practice. So I recommend that you peruse through the list of DVDs that I have chosen as some of the best Yoga DVDs on the market.

If you are a novice to the Yoga practice, then you are about to embark on what could possibly be one of your most profound life changing experiences. Not only does the practice of Yoga have tremendous benefits for your body, but it is also known to soothe the soul and clear the mind.

What Is Yoga?

Is it a hot new trend? Quite the opposite; yoga actually began more than 3,000 years ago in India. The word yoga comes from Sanskrit, and it means to “yoke,” or bring together the mind, body, and spirit.

While there is the physical component of yoga, yoga encompasses so much more. The practice of yoga is an art and science dedicated to creating union between body, mind, and spirit. It is about making balance and creating poise, to live in peace, good health, and harmony with the greater whole.

There are actually eight “limbs” of yoga, which include:

1. Yama: Universal morality
2. Niyama: Personal observances
3. Asanas: Body postures
4. Pranayama: Breathing exercises
5. Pratyahara: Control of the senses
6. Dharana: Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness
7. Dhyana: Devotion, meditation on the Divine
8. Samadhi : Union with the Divine

Therefore, for the serious yoga practitioner, yoga is truly more than exercising; it is a lifestyle. However, for the sake of this article, we will focus on the physical aspect of yoga.

The physical component of the yoga lifestyle is called Hatha Yoga. Hatha yoga focuses on asanas, which is Sanskrit and refers to the practice of physical postures or poses. There are different forms of Hatha Yoga, some of which are:

- Ashtanga Yoga is a vigorous, fast-paced yoga that helps to build flexibility, strength, concentration, and stamina. Movements are performed quickly through a set of predetermined poses while remaining focused on deep breathing.

- Power Yoga is also a very active form of yoga that improves flexibility and stamina by completing poses. This form of yoga is rapidly rising in popularity.

- Iyengar Yoga focuses on precise poses and participants use benches, ropes, mats, blocks, and chairs as props.

- Kundalini Yoga uses poses, deep breathing and other breathing techniques, chanting, and meditation.

- Gentle Yoga focuses on slow stretches, flexibility, and deep breathing.

Yoga has tons of physical benefits. It can improve flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. Many people who practice only the physical component of yoga also find that it reduces anxiety and stress and improves mental clarity. Recent studies have shown that most current practitioners started practicing yoga to improve their overall health. Many say that a doctor or therapist has recommended yoga to them.

Fortunately, yoga can be as vigorous or as gentle as you want it to be, so just about everyone can do it. The Yoga practice is constantly evolving and changing. While the poses themselves do not change, your relationship to them will. Always listen to your body. It knows what it can do. Yoga is not competitive. If you push too hard, you probably won't enjoy it, and you could possibly hurt yourself. One of the most difficult aspects of yoga, yet ultimately the most liberating, is letting go of the ego.

If you are a beginner in the practice of yoga, it is recommended that you consult with your health care provider, especially if you have a health challenge.

A lot of people think that yoga is mainly stretching. Yes, stretching is definitely involved, however, the focus is mainly about creating balance in the body through developing strength and flexibility. This is done through the performance of poses or postures, each of which has specific physical benefits. The poses can be done quickly and in succession, creating heat in the body through movement or more slowly to perfect the alignment of the pose and to increase stamina.

I have chosen a variety of Yoga DVDs to help you find the one that is right for you.