Elements of Yoga With Tara Lee

THE WORKOUT:  Elements of Yoga: Earth Foundation; Elements of Yoga: Air & Water Flow; Elements of Yoga: Fire Dynamic, all with Tara Lee. Sold separately. 

REVIEWED BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS:  These three DVDs (sold separately) can build a yoga practice, as long as you already know the basics, since form is not discussed. Earth is aimed at beginners, Air & Water take it up a notch; Fire is for intermediate and advanced yogis.

THE BREAKDOWN: Each of these three DVDs has three practices to be done one at a time or all together. Earth is basic, with lots of slow, deep stretches; Air & Water requires a little more strength and includes a lot of twists and some balance; Fire requires strength and stamina, with lots of planks and binds.

Tara Lee is calming in voiceover. She doesn’t provide instruction on form as much as yoga talk what opening the body can do for the mind and how fire in the belly can provide strength and motivation.

Earth and Air & Water are in a pretty lakeside setting (a flock of white birds that flies by is a nice touch); Fire in done at night, lit by flaming pots.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: The first practices of Earth and Air & Water are gentle and you probably won’t work up a sweat, but the other practices on each add a little more challenge. Fire starts energetically and just gets harder. I had to throw in several unauthorized child’s poses to catch my breath and give my muscles a break, and at some points all I could do was laugh. You want me to do what?

BUT IS IT FUN? I love Earth and Air & Water and they have gone into heavy rotation. Fire is too challenging to qualify as fun for me, though I might do the first two practices when I feel like working hard.

WHEN IT'S OVER: Doing all three practices of Earth or Air & Water leaves me feeling calm and loose and I sleep well those nights. All three parts of Fire leave me panting and drenched in sweat.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Mat and optional block.

FINAL WORD: Air and Earth are two of my new favorite DVDs. I respect the Fire DVD and it’s every bit as good, but it is a workout to which I can only aspire at the moment.

Element: Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners

THE WORKOUT: Element: Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners

WHO CAN DO THIS: Beginners to Pilates, not beginners to exercising.

THE BREAKDOWN: About 20 minutes of Pilates-based cardio and 20 minutes of mat work add up to a just-hard-enough workout by Brooke Siler, who owns the AB Pilates Studio in New York City and has trained Kristen Dunst, Lauren Hutton, Madonna, blablabla.

Pilates is like being beaten bloody with soft pillows. It looks so easy, hurts so bad…good...bad. The cardio workout is done standing, with big but highly controlled twists, bends, squats and lunges. Although I have done only a smattering of Pilates, the mat work seems straightforward and traditional—the hundred, roll ups, leg circles and stretches, sawing and rocking, a few push-ups. It’s relatively painless, in an exhausting way—it goes quickly and, best of all, feels effective.

Siler’s movements (done silently with voiceover and mildly irritating music) are mercilessly precise, but the high bar she sets is motivating. Her instructions are clear and expressive; at various times you draw circles on the ceiling, crash like wave, and brush crumbs from your thigh.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Plenty of exertion, plenty of sweat. Surprisingly. But then again, I live in Dallas and it’s summer. I’d be sweating anyway.

BUT IS IT FUN? Sure, why not.

WHEN IT'S OVER: Your muscles will be talkin' to you.

GEAR AND APPAREL: A mat or carpeted floor.

FINAL WORD: Like it a lot.

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Step-by-Step Strength Training with Petra Kolber

THE WORKOUT:Step By Step Strength Training with Petra Kolber

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Beginners can do it but, with the right weights and attitude, intermediates will find it useful too.

THE BREAKDOWN: So much going for this DVD. It has four strength and toning workouts: two 20-minute full-body workouts; a ten-minute upper body; a ten-minute lower body, and a bonus five minutes for abs. It's just enough to be effective but short enough to not be as incredibly boring as strength training can be. Plus, I always like Petra Kolber’s workouts. Every one I've tried has been snappy, efficient, and creative.

One full-body workout combines upper and lower body moves—your basic lifts and squats. The other adds balance challenges, which is a useful novelty. Balance is increasingly important as we age, and it can be improved with practice. Here, Kolber has you stand on one and foot and then the other as you lift and squat, and adds some diagonal moves that further challenge balance. Very smart.

The 10-minute segments are nothing earth shaking, but Petra is chipper and helpful and it all goes by quickly and pleasantly. Five-minutes for abs is not a lot, but at least you can feel good about yourself if you tack it on to whatever else you do. Sort of.
THE SWEAT FACTOR: The more segments you do, the more you sweat, of course, But one 20-minute segment, if you really try, can give you a good glow.

BUT IS IT FUN? Fun enough. It’s not not fun.

WHEN IT'S OVER: If you’re hit-or-miss about strength training, as I tend to be, you might feel your muscles for the rest of the day.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Light weights (I used five pounds), a chair, and a mat. And you don’t even really need the chair if your balance is good. Or the mat, actually, if your floor is carpeted.

FINAL WORD: Yay.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through the link above.