A 50-minute Yoga routine that's a small step or two above your basic beginner's workout. There's also an 11-minute "bonus" flow routine. Stacy McCarthy's the instructor.

While you need to know a little something about Yoga to get the most out of this, you don't need to be a serious Yogini. You'll need the requisite Yoga mat, plus a strap if your hamstrings are tight, and maybe a block if you don't want to sit directly on the mat. The props are pretty optional.

Most basic Yoga routines are just that: basic. You get your standing forward bends, seated forward bends, cobras, triangles, chair poses, etc., etc., ho-hum, pass the eye pillow so I can take a quick nap (and I don't mean shavasana). Fortunately, Stacy McCarthy has come up with a nice, non-flow routine that adds a few twists, both literally and figuratively. While you need to know your way around a Yoga mat, you don't have to be a pretzel or be able to flawlessly pronounce the Sanskrit term for every Yoga pose. McCarthy starts you off with some information about Yoga's three "locks" (meaning muscle contractions) — a nice touch, since they are rarely discussed in Yoga DVDs, even though they are a necessary part of a good Yoga practice. In fact, throughout this workout, you will discover the value of these locks for good form and for getting in and out of poses. McCarthy also talks a little about drishti, or where you put your visual focus, which is another necessary tool for good form that you almost never hear about in other Yoga DVDs. McCarthy's cueing is pretty good, and after she has warmed you up, she gives you some shoulder stretches you may appreciate if you spend time hunched over a desk. She goes on to some standard standing poses, along with some twists, and an active, extended Tree pose during which you will need drishti if you expect to get through it successfully. The mat poses are complimented by some Yogic oblique crunches and three increasingly more challenging versions of Bridge pose. It ends with a corpse pose, or shavasana that's not too short and not too long. There's also a quick, bonus flow routine in case you want something a little more active. This is a Yoga workout that's appropriate for beginners and advanced beginners while offering something a little different from the norm.

 

 

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