Ali MacGraw's Yoga Mind & Body
Yoga Master Erich Schiffmann leads a challenging series of classic yoga poses and breathing exercises performed by Ali MacGraw and fellow students in a peaceful desert setting that accentuates the relaxation that this workout provides.
Following a yoga workout with captions can be challenging, because so many positions require looking away from the television. Previewing this tape will help your routines flow. The captions are free of typos and well-synchronized with the workout...especially important for breathing the right way at the right time.
The 50-minute workout begins with instruction in proper Ujjayi breathing, and its importance to the poses. The stretching, balance, and flexibility exercises that follow are intermediate level, although students new to yoga and those more advanced will be able to modify the workout to suit their abilities. Routines focus on the spine, legs, and torso, with smooth transitions between each series of stretches. No equipment is required--though a yoga mat is useful if you work out on a bare floor--and yoga is practiced in bare feet.
There is a good variety of floor and standing poses--including the downward dog, cat paws, and the tree pose--with several pauses for "grounding" yourself and redirecting your physical and mental energies towards a new position. Toning, flexibility, and mental clarity are equally emphasized during the workout.
MacGraw's flexibility and grace are impressive--we hope we look like her in a few years! The other students comprise a diverse group, offering several role models at different ages and ability levels.
At the conclusion of the workout, Schiffmann leads a guided meditation designed to be done with your eyes closed--another reason for previewing the DVD. Even if you have to open your eyes, don't skip this part...the mental imagery provides essential closure to the routines, and it will recharge your spiritual batteries at the same time.
Released in 1994; about $20 on DVD only (the VHS version has been discontinued, but you may find used copies at online bookstores or in libraries). See http://whv.warnerbros.com/WHVPORTAL/Portal/homepage.jsp for ordering information. Also available from online DVD rental services.
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