Ashtanga Yoga (en/fr)

The moves are well explained and it is easy to follow.


Ashtanga for everybody   June 3, 2004
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is the best and most complete Ashtanga DVD that exist. First, as you start viewing it ,and listening to it, the voices are already putting you in the right frame of mind to practice. The chant at the beginning in wonderful. The instructions given are very accurate and helpfull. You get different variations of the asanas depending on where your body is allowing you to go, and 3 different practices to choose from. This is great when you don`t know where to start or are on a time frame. It is also very interesting to see Darby`s practice... maybe in another life.


Ashtanga for everybody   June 3, 2004
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

This DVD is the best. First, as you start viewing it ,and listening to it, the voices are already putting you in the right frame of mind to practice. The instructions given are very accurate and helpfull. You get different variations of the asanas depending on where your body is allowing you to go, and 3 different practices to choose from. This is great when you don`t know where to start or are on a time frame. It is also very interesting to see Darby`s practice... maybe in another life.


Authentic Ashtanga and good teaching.   April 28, 2004
 29 out of 31 found this review helpful

I had the good fortune to take some yoga classes with Darby at his studio in Montreal some years ago, and was delighted to discover that he has released what is, to my knowledge, the first Canadian publication treating ashtanga yoga. (The disc even offers your choice of official language.)
The entire practice takes place in a slightly surreal red setting with a couple of spotlights that look sort of like large full moons. Adding to the almost monochromatic effect, Darby and Nicole are both dressed in red and black, and practice on black mats. I would prefer a simpler, more honest setting (eg, an actual practice studio), but this backdrop does offer one advantage - there's nothing to distract the viewer from the asanas.
Darby and Nicole take turns narrating the practice in voiceover, as both move through the asanas on the screen. Darby presents the full version of each asana; Nicole presents modified versions for less advanced practitioners. I think this is one of the best features of the DVD, and gives it longevity on your shelf - it's suitable for beginners, but no ashtanga practitioner will outgrow it before commencing work on the second series.
I wondered at first why we didn't get to hear the ujjayi breathing throughout the practice. (Darby demonstrates it in the bonus tracks.) But this is actually a benefit to the home ashtangi- it makes it much easier to hear your own breath and take responsibility for it.
Darby's love for Ashtanga yoga often glows through his voice as he narrates the practice. Check out the bonus tracks for more tips from him (as well as a glimpse into his own advanced, gravity-defying, liquid practice). He's been studying with K. Pattabhi Jois for two and a half decades now, and his depth of understanding of the practice is evident. Those of you (like me) with rotator cuff issues from bad alignment in surya namaskara and vinyasa will appreciate his attention to proper shoulder alignment; the potential knee and hip issues arising from lotus postures are treated with respect.

The disc's presentation suffers from some typos on the back cover, the use of a font (Herculanum) pretty much inextricably linked with the credits for the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series, and a very grainy image on the disc label. The video clips of a seashore at sunset seem a little generic and incongruous. It seems to me that a vehicle for high quality teaching such as this might have been more thoroughly polished. But these are minor issues - if you want something pretty and perfect, go buy something from Gaiam. If you want real Ashtanga asana teaching from one of North America's masters of the practice, this DVD belongs on your shelf.


A complete Ashtanga DVD for all levels   April 24, 2004
 12 out of 12 found this review helpful

I own a few Yoga DVDs and have often been dissapointed by them and get easy fast. With this Ashtanga Yoga DVD, I was surprised by the quality/flexibility of the routines. You have the choice between 3 sessions: an extended session of 90 min, a shorter session of 30 min (My favorite!) and a basic "Salute to the sun" version going for 10 minutes (I use this one in the morning). Also included are some pointers for some of the poses used during the sessions.

Two instructors make the poses at the same time, one showing beginner version of poses (woman) and the other showing the full extend/advance version of the poses (man). You can learn from both teachers by looking at the variations shown simultaniously. Ashtanga is a dynamic Yoga and it will make you sweat! I'm glad I discovered this DVD.