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Yoga Zone - Yoga for Abs |  | Artist: Yoga Zone
Studio: KOCH VISION
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.98
Buy New: $4.30
as of 9/5/2010 18:43 CDT details
You Save: $5.68 (57%)
New (22) Used (18) Collectible (1) from $2.93
Seller: cddvd4u
Rating:  27 reviews
Sales Rank: 84,005
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Running Time: 40 Minutes
Size: One Size
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 741952611493
UPC: 741952611493
EAN: 0741952611493
ASIN: B00005A05Z
Theatrical Release Date: 2001
Release Date: March 13, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Teaches yoga stretches and poses designed to flatten and tighten abdominal muscles without doing repetitive crunches.
Amazon.com
Looking to develop those six-pack abs to show off on the beach? Then yoga is not for you. If, however, you want to strengthen both your abdominals and your lower back, while keeping your stomach muscles supple but not rock hard, then yoga's the way to go. This two-part, 40-minute program from Yoga Zone uses a variety of poses (some of them joined together in flowing sequences known as vinyasas) that are obviously directed at the abs; the scale pose (also known as the boat), for instance, will certainly work those muscles hard, as will the table pose, the "forearm plank" (the upward pushup position, but with elbows on the floor), and others. But both parts of the practice also incorporate a variety of other asanas, such as standing positions and side stretches, that develop abdominal strength more subtly, as the instructors frequently remind you to tilt your pelvis forward and tuck your stomach muscles in, thus gently but firmly engaging your abs throughout your entire yoga routine. You'll work reasonably hard, but you won't endure endless series of crunches as you relentlessly "go for the burn." With a selectable DVD menu, you can sequence the poses any way you like, or jump to any particular section. You can also turn off the instruction and do the practice accompanied only by the music track. This is a peculiar option; the point of practicing yoga is to take your awareness inside, not stare at a TV screen, and the teacher's vocal guidance is usually an essential part of that process. But if it works, go for it. --Sam Graham
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 27
 I Love Al! June 12, 2001
E. Walker (Surrey, UK)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
I absolutely love waking up in the morning to Al (one of the two instructors featured on this DVD, as well as on Intro. to Power Yoga). He's really great fun and takes you through a workout which is ideal, in my opinion, for all levels of practitionner and is much more intense than you first realise. He has an incredible way of making you smile at the way he instructs (not at all cheesey like some Yoga instructors can be with their 'You're doing great' speeches!) and you really feel like you're enjoying the movements which is, after all, part of the experience. Yoga is not meant to be a painful and complicated process, but graceful and fun exercises which make you more aware of your body. The abs exercises are excellent, though a little tiring the first few times! This is a powerful rather than gentle style of Yoga. But the length of the segments are just perfect for a before/after work workout. I highly recommend Yoga Zone (especially Al!). The price is justified in that there isn't really much on these DVDs but shouldn't put anyone off. These are thorough workouts and do work. Plus there's Al...!
Am I glad I bought this DVD!!!!!!!!! May 17, 2003
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I almost didn't buy this DVD because of some of the reviews on here, but I went ahead and did. I'm so glad! This is great for a beginner like me and it does indeed work my abs, while stretching me out at the same time. Also, the 2 sessions can be alternated or done back to back and I couldn't ask for a more convenient workout session--20 minutes is fantastic. This also seems like a program I can grow with--definitely worth the money!
A Gentle Yet Synergistic Approach To Abs May 8, 2005
Yoga Dad
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The two programs on this DVD/VHS are short but complete whole body routines. They focus on the Abdominal area and how it relates to various postures, so you have a real "awareness" of how your mid-section is engaged in postures not typically thought of as related to the Abdominal region. But more than that, they are well rounded yoga sessions that anyone at any level or age can truly benefit from.
I have been doing yoga daily for over 8 years and while I tend to like a more vigorous vinyasa style practice, there are many times that I need to back off a bit but still want an effective routine. This, along with any of the programs in the Yoga Zone Basics set, is a wonderful alternative.
For someone newer to yoga, this program can be an excellent starting point. While you are not doing many poses that are "Ab Specific" (there are no crunches, situps, leg raises) you will definitely feel your Abs in a way that is real life practical. What I mean is, in your daily life you can use this awareness to help you support your torso whether you are walking, sitting or just standing.
I bought the Yoga Zone Basics set for my 60 something year old mother and she really loves this Abs program in particular. It is thorough enough without being overwhelming for her and it's very easy to fit in each day at only 20 minutes per routine.
If you are looking for a more intense Ab program, I'd highly recommend Baron Baptistes "Core Power" program which is Vinyasa/flow based, works the body as a whole in addition to very specific abdominal exercises and is under 30 minutes long.
Also Bryan Kest has a "6 minute Abs" tape with two short Ab routines. I like to use one of the routines from this program usually after doing another short Yoga program such as "AM yoga for beginners" by Rodney Yee, "Stress Relief Yoga For Beginners" by Suzanne Deason, "Power Yoga Stamina For Beginners" by Rodney Yee or any of the Yoga Zone Basics routines.
The routines on the Kest Program are closer to 15 minutes each but start with Sun Salutations (only a couple though which for me isn't quite enough warmup, hence my need for doing something before it) so that perhaps the actual Ab focus is around 6 minutes, but they are a grueling 6 minutes :))
Namaste
Great for beginers March 15, 2005
Piper (Bridgeville, PA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This DVD is a must for anybody just getting into yoga. Yoga Zone videos are always very easy to understand and follow and the instructors are awesome. I have RA and am sometimes limited physicaly but I can do Yoga Zone anytime.
A focus inward, at your body's core July 31, 2005
Anne Gillingham
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Yoga Zone: Yoga for Abs
Like 'Total Body Conditioning' this 40 minute program consists of two separate, 20 minute pieces. Al Bingham leads the first section, and Jennifer Moness models the sequences. Al's section focuses on the body's core, and he challenges his audience to see it as a seat of power. His method stems from traditional Indian metaphysical theories, of a life force (prana) circulating between the 6 chakras, which are the main energy centers of the body. They operate along a central channel from the top of the head to the tail bone.
Keeping the audience's secular interests in mind, Al simply guides the viewers to examine their spinal alignment. His checklist includes three points, the solar plexus, the naval, and the pelvic bone. In the mystical sense, these areas correspond with 3 of the 6 traditional seats of power, but they are also logical focal points to work with, when looking to improve our upright posture.
Like the earlier ''Total Body Conditioning'' this is not an abs-workout that guides sets of crunches or push-ups. The resistance is psychological, as it is an internal exercise which enables the viewer to see and feel the interaction between his abdominal muscles and his lower spine. The moderator asserts the importance of maintaining a strong bodily core, in relationship to a powerful yet serene state of mind.
The postures (that also reappear in later segments in the series) are varied but not strenuous. He alternates between repetition and stasis: The lone palm tree, for example, asks you to see your body in terms of a series of lines, which is an excellent guideline for Yoga, in general. He and Jennifer move seamlessly between side and vertical stretches, and forward bends. They hold several static postures which lean frontward, which are exercises in maintaining balance. This upholding of these positions requires stability in the body's core, and its application is a corrective tactic with the needs of their audience in mind. It compensates for the degenerative effects that our current lifestyle has on our spinal column. It returns equilibrium to the bodies and minds that so often are stooped over, be it in front of a steering wheel, a computer screen, or a kitchen counter.
The program also incorporates some balancing and resistance routines that build strength in the abs. They do a plank pose, and later, they reverse it, supporting the body on its heels. Toward the end of the series, he explicitly walks you through sitting abdominal-spinal twists that aid in flexibility, and he throws in a couple of reps of the dynamic bridge. Finally, in a cross-legged pose, they encourage sitting tall, yet relaxed.
Jennifer Moness leads the next segment, accompanied by Jean Turner. Like all of the twenty minute pieces of this trio, her program can either operate as a continuation of the earlier, or stand on its own. Her goals build on what has been established, broadening the focus on how to build strength and flexibility in the midsection, and why. Her addition demonstrates the correlation between the abdominals and the lower back.
She starts in a seated position, tadasana, where they left off in the last video, reminding the viewer to maintain a ''long spine.'' She flows into the table-top position, and following with a couple of reps of the (dynamic) thunderbolt position, and a series of forward bends. Consistent with all of the previous programs, she emphasizes the physiological importance of doing movements and postures correctly, while conveying that less is more.
She guides a series that enables stretching, and the release of tension in the lower back. The program includes a dynamic contrast between plank pose, and cobra pose that accomplish that goal. Several movements follow Al's earlier lead, that alternate between stretching forward (and backward,) balancing, and reaching tall. She winds down by returning to the cobra posture, and the extending and lengthening forward of the dynamic cat, which reverses and complements the stretch in the spine.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 27
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