Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Those who have said "This is great for beginners" are NOT beginners themselves. Experienced yogi should not write reviews on beginner products, because it's likely they don't remember what it's like to be a beginner. There are two essential things in the title of this product that should define it: (a) 'Beginners' and (b) 'For Weight Loss'. The makers of this video need to assume two very important things of their audience: that they are both inflexible beginners to yoga, and that they are overweight. I am both of these things, and I wanted to get a video to try out a beginner routine at my own pace before I sign up for a class. The first routine, which is claimed to be designed as a warmup for beginners, involves standing straight, bending double to the floor, shifting into a lunge, then into a triangular bridgeup and then into a pushup. The routine moves so fast that unless you understand the moves being described (or have watched the video enough times to memorize it), you won't be able to make the movements in time to keep up with her. The next routine, entitled "Getting Started", involves standing up straight, raising the arms, reaching down and bending double to touch the floor, then 'jumping' back into a pushup pose and lowering into a pushup until only your hands, toes and forehead touch the floor before then pushing backwards with your hips until you're doing a forward bridge (I think it's called a 'downward dog' in Yoga). I bought this to start with a gentle, beginner's routine that is tempered for overweight people looking to lose weight. I don't know anyone overweight who is new to yoga who can 'jump' into a pushup pose. Essentially this video is a collection of unrelated routines made for different videos, compiled here to serve as an advertisement for their other DVDs - they plug the DVD the routine came from at the end of each routine, and each routine seems to end rather abruptly as though it were just a clip. This video is good to test out other videos in the series and see if you like them. And if you're maybe 20 pounds overweight and have at least had a few (maybe 10-12) yoga lessons then you would likely find this an ideal starting point. But this is NOT a DVD for complete beginners unless you're already in very good shape, and it's definitely not a DVD for someone who might be 50+ pounds overweight. Breakdown of the stars: -2 stars for not being a true product, but rather a collection of previews -2 stars for not being what it says it is; it is neither designed for beginners, nor designed for someone overweight -1 star for the strange, wooden smile and awkward voiceover that doesn't describe things in a manner that's easy to visualize +1 star for being well-made, with nice locations and good sound quality