Yoga DVDs - Losing Weight, Connecting Spiritually

As the number of yoga DVDs grows, the popularity of the practice becomes increasingly apparent. Yoga is part of a larger Hindu tradition whose goal is spiritual enlightenment through use of the body and the breath. Certainly, the original yogis never had building muscles, firming their things, nor getting six-pack abdomens in mind when yoga was born. Yet because the fitness-DVD industry often gears itself toward a muscle- and weight- conscious demographic, we see yoga DVDs advertised accordingly. Most instructors in the DVDs will delve into the spirituality of the practice, even though the yoga media market does not fully represent that component. Four main kinds of yoga are represented in instructional DVDs: Vinyasa Yoga, Power Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and Prenatal Yoga.

These four types of yoga DVDs fall under the umbrella of Hatha Yoga, which Vinyasa DVDs most basically represent. Beginning with a series of progressive asanas, or poses, Hatha Yoga rests on this sequence of moves, called a vinyasa. The practice then turns to more held poses, inversions, and balances. Nearing a close, the Hatha Yoga practice always ends with a back-bend, and then finally, final resting pose, or shavasana. This Vinyasa yoga sequence is central to Vinyasa DVDs, and largely informs the other DVDs, too.

Power Yoga is traditionally called Ashtanga andis characterized by a faster, more strenuous form of Yoga that is similar to Vinyasa. Power Yoga is usually advertised as a fat-burning yoga, because it is designed to create more heat in the body. The increased internal heat of your workout causes you to sweat more and even provides a challenging cardiovascular workout. The ultimate goal of Ashtanga Yoga is stillness of mind, which the instructors of the DVDs will share. Yet its marketing will likely promote these DVDs as building muscle and burning fat.

The first kind of yoga ever developed is said to be Kundalini Yoga, which has also become popular in the mainstream DVD market. Kundalini Yoga does fall under the Hatha Yoga umbrella, but it may appear quite different. Flowing more whimsically from one position to the next, the poses of Kundalini Yoga evoke a notion of play. The goal of Kundalini Yoga is to awaken the Kundalini, or coiled serpent-like energy at the base of the spine.

Prenatal Yoga DVDs have also become popular, as the practice has emerged as its own form of yoga. Traditional yoga was first developed for adolescent boys, so it is often not conducive to the softening and widening of a pregnant woman’s body. Although pregnant women can use regular Yoga DVDs, they ought to be aware of the modifications used in prenatal yoga so that they and the little yogi growing inside can experience the benefits of yoga.

Yoga DVDs can give anyone a taste of the different forms of yoga for a fraction of the cost of studio-practice. For the full experience of yoga, however, many instructors and practitioners, alike, will maintain that having a teacher guide your practice is invaluable.