Watch that lampshade! (Geri Yoga (DVD))

Member Name: starry

Product:	Geri Yoga (DVD)
Date:	26/04/02 (605 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: postures demonstrated

Disadvantages: some poses not explained or demonstrated clearly enough, camera pointing at Geri's bits instead of on the beginner's postures!

In my opinion this yoga video is not for everyone. Let me explain...

Firstly not enough attention and explanation is given to the beginners variations for the postures, so if it's the first time you've tried that pose, or even yoga at all for that matter, then you may get lost and frustrated that you can't keep up or bend enough. When TINA (mostly in the background) is demonstrating the less advanced methods the camera is often pointing at Geri instead, so you miss a few moves here and there.

Secondly, near the beginning of "GERI'S POSTURES" yoga section there is an emphasis on head stands. Through my own intuition I didn't attempt it and don't fancy doing so either. There is mention that you need a teacher to help you, but despite this the exercise that leads up to the headstand is demonstrated (dolphin). I think the time on the tape could have been used more interestingly. Particularly for those who don't have a teacher to go to, and wants self-sufficient poses to be demonstrated here. Although I will admit that the dolphin does a lot to work your upper arms, without giving any thought to progressing to the full headstand in the future.

On to the video in general.

I thought the video was interesting and entertaining, although the interview at the end is only going to be watched once by us non-geri-fanatics :) Although the video is "exempt from classification" her little tight shorts leave nothing to the imagination, and in some poses I was amazed she got away with it!

The running order is thus:
Introduction (talk about yoga, breathing, and attitude)
warm up
sun warm up (advanced)
Sun Salutation exercise
Geri's postures
relaxation (essential, in order to gain full benefits apparently)
Geri Talks (interview).

In the introduction (given by the "teacher" here, Katy Appleton); it is advised that you can just dip into whatever
part of the video you have time to watch/perform. This is great, but not easy, unless you note down all the counter numbers on your video and always rewind it each time. It can be frustrating trying to find the bit you need. In the end it doesn't save you much time!

Personally I don't have the floor space to perform the first version of warmups (and consider myself advanced enough to use the sun warmup instead) so I want to skip ahead to the postures or sun salutation. Not easy to do. So i have written notes and diagrams for myself, and only watch the video itself to refresh it in my mind when I have lots of time to watch it. The initial warmups I refer to will need about 6ft square clear floor space, and my hands are always banging into the lampshades when I stretch up!! This can all be annoying, but what can you do.

Yoga in general has been a very positive thing for me. I am seeing progress in my stretchiness every day. I am advancing more and more of the postures, and the feeling of satisfaction is indescribable. You have to try it for yourself. There is a feeling of increasing poise and posture and balance. The muscle tone is improved and so is the breathing. There are many different types of yoga, and combinations. The yoga here is Hatha yoga, hatha means physical and yoga means union. The union of the body and the mind.

As this is the only yoga video I own (I practise the rest from books and online video things) I can't really compare this video with others that are available. I will say that I was slightly disappointed in it for the first 3 or 4 times, until I got the hang of the moves. I didn't find it easy to follow when trying to bend into the right position. It is best to watch it through a couple of times to familiarise yourself with what you're supposed to look like! And stop and look when ever you feel left behind. At least there is a rewind button :)
Relax and enjoy

Good luck and happy yog
a-ing

Summary: