Bryan Kest Power Yoga Complete Collection Reviews

• I've tried everything

  
  By A1QHXPA8805F43 on 2004-05-20
  I LOVE this video set. I really really do. I get SUCH a great workout with this set. At first, I could barely make it through the videos and my legs would shake and shake and I would drop out of the poses and couldn't for the life of me hold any of the darned poses. But after a few weeks, I kind of got good at it! And I feel great too.

  I love the fact that there are three different workouts but in the same form type and with the same instructor. It makes it so that you can mix it up so you don't get bored and don't work all the same muscles every day.

  I have tried SO many yoga videos. I HATE those videos that end up being fake yoga modified for the beginner but trying to fit for the advanced person. Almost all the videos I have tried have been so tempered down that I really don't feel my body is benefitting from it. Not only do I not feel like I get a stretch, but I also don't feel like I am developing muscle!

  I have wasted so much money trying to find another yoga video. I don't know why I bother. Probably because psychologically I am always trying something new. But this cookie is THROUGH wasting her money. This and Kundalini Yoga by Gumukh (sp?) are the BEST I have tried.
  
  

• Motivating and effective.

  
  By A2A0LQLF65XT5Q on 1999-10-26
  I've been an on and off exerciser for years, never able to stay motivated enough to stick with a program for more than a few months. I started using the Living Arts yoga tapes at first, which are also terrific, but heard that Kest taught a really challenging and envigorating class, and he does! You get a total body conditioning workout that tones and stretches the muscles while calming your mind. I'm sorry to see a few people posting reviews saying the tape is too egotistical, I found that not to be the case. One reviewer even posted a review though he or she said they never even did the workout. Watch it once to see the series, then do it and you'll feel the benefits that have everyone else raving. Every video has close up shots and flattering lighting, that's called marketing, but the substance greatly exceeds the style here. Also, the package says it is BASED on Asthanga, so expect some differences from traditional Asthanga classes. But here it is, several months after beginning these tapes and I still look forward to my practice. The progress I see and feel are the best motivators I've ever seen.
  
  

• Learn by listening and doing

  
  By A2CL0JE11EPADZ on 2004-06-09
  I'm a yoga novice and ever since I purchased this DVD, I have consistently used it three times per week. The first few times I was unable to maintain the poses for long, but I listened carefully to Bryan's instructions and when it got to be too intense, I sat down and watched. He's a wonderful instructor and getting this DVD and learning from it was better than some live yoga classes I'd paid for and been disappointed by.
  
  

• Excellent Video

  
  By A315HD33RR4RZH on 2000-10-16
  Brain Kest's videos genuine, effective,powerful. Kest has a real concern for his students including those who watch his videos. Those who snipe about him posing or being shirtless are simply missing the point. Its ok to have a beautiful, healthy body!

  Kest teaching style is motivational, yet compassionate.He urges the user to modify the exercises to the user's body type rather than a precise replication of the asana urged by "old school" yoga teachers. Kest understands that most students (especially westerners) cant readily adapt their tight, rigid bodies to an Iyengar level of perfection. For them to do so would put them out of harmony with their body and possibly cause injury and needless duress.I bring this up as one reviewer ( a yoga techer) complained that some of the students in the video were not in perfect form.

  Anyway, his video vol 1, is best for those who have some exercise behind them, particularly some yoga.These tapes are based on Ashtanga yoga, the most physically difficult system of yoga. An out of shape beginner will find this tape very challenging.

  For those stick with it they will experience a body transformation unlike any exercise program they have or will work with. Hang in there. Youll love the way you look and feel. Namaste A
  
  

• Rewarding Video

  
  By on 2000-03-16
  Reading the varied opinions of this video reminds me that we all have different needs and tastes. That's good. It makes life more interesting. I think this is a beautiful video. I have the series and have thought the producers allocated more of their budget to Video 1 than the others with the idea that "beginners" need more motivation. I liked that the class includes participants who appear to be relatively new to yoga practice. The class members display some variety of strength and flexibility. This was not an easy video for me. The first time I tried it I got through 20 minutes and thought, "No way!" Fortunately, an injury forced me to incorporate some intense stretching into my training or give up my running addiction so I kept at it. Now after more than a year doing Videos 1 & 2 several times a week I am addicted to power yoga too! Just wish these videos were available on DVD. One more thought: I am fairly flexible and had little upper body strength before I began this doing this video. This workout challenges your flexibility, strength and balance. In sharing it with others I have found that it seems more difficult for those with less flexibility to stick with this video in the beginning.
  
  
• Bryan's class has changed my life!!
  By A334J1B5COKIH on 2000-11-20
  I go to Bryan's class about 2-3 times a week and have all 3 of his videos in this series for the days I don't feel like going to class (which truthfully, is not that often!) or for when I am travelling out of town. Bryan's philosophy merged with the asanas of yoga offer the perfect mind-body-spirit workout for those who commit fully to the process. It's not about wrapping your leg around your head, or how far you can extend any single body part--it's about breathing and staying calm throughout incredibly physically challenging moments. You WILL lose weight (and start to relinquish negative body image views and diet-obsessed thinking) You WILL change the shape of your body (and look longer and leaner) You WILL increase your ability to focus in everything you do. But these are all side effects--because when doing the video, the only things that matter are each moment you experience --one by one. ANYONE can benefit from these videos. I took my out-of-shape, but naturally flexible 60 plus year old mother and nearing 70 year old -of-shape, not-at-all flexible father to class and they both liked it and found it useful. The key is that you do what Bryan instructs TO YOUR OWN DEGREE. There is no doing it "right". There's only what's right for you. Bryan teaches you how to approach what that is, and as your body changes and grows, you will find more and more you can get out of each of these videos in the series. Listen to what he says--besides that his voice is soothing and will help you focus, the messages of being loving and aware of your body as you practice are important for people who have been inundated with a no pain no gain, gym mentality approach to exercise for far too long. My only complaint as a person who takes Bryan's classes and practices on an advanced level is that videos are a little short for me--but rather than stress over that (which would be very unyogalike) I just run each section twice! I will never belong to a gym again. I have found what I didn't even know I was looking for-- a non-competitive way to be physically active--since competitive sports never had any thrill for me as someone to whom winning and competing seem overrated. I have also found a sweet, supportive instructor, now friend, who has helped me learn how to change and focus my life and body in ways I couldn't even have imagined until I began my practice in earnest. I cannot encourage more strongly that you check this out and see what it can do for you.
  
  
• Great Workout Will Test Your Limits
  By A3NCIN6TNL0MGA on 2005-08-18
  Many have criticized Kest but I don't care that he's a performer. A great yoga leader has to have a larger than life persona so I don't criticize him for his approach. Besides, these are great workouts, no doubt about it. I get into a huge sweat and feel great afterwards. At first I was turned off by the brassy instruction but I've grown used to it. This DVD is for people with a background in exercise, not overweight inactive people who are just starting. If you want to test your limits, Kest does a good job. One small flaw: The moves are done so quickly and the camera shots are so close-up, that it's impossible to replicate over 40% of the exercises. But after a half dozen times you can follow it.
  
  For a beginner's level, easier-to-follow yoga workout, without check out the Yoga Zone Premiere 4 Pack Collection.
  
  Post Script: After viewing dozens of other power yoga DVDs I have to say this is the best one. So kudos to Bryan Kest. One more positive point: Unlike some of my yoga DVDs, this one, to its credit, does not require blocks, belts, chairs, etc. All you need is a mat. I hate yoga workouts where they don't warn you that you'll need a bunch of equipment. Suddenly the instructor is sitting in front of you with blocks or a belt. Happily, Kest's workout is streamlined and doesn't surprise you with sudden equipment requirements.
  
  
• I think this video is terrific!
  By on 1998-11-25
  I could no longer stand mindless aerobics. I've long been interested in Yoga but I wanted something vigorous and challenging -- this tape (and his two other tapes)was a great answer. I'm trying to work up to doing the whole series! That's 26 some odd poses over 2 hours of practice! (And that's just one series - the first series. There are six, altogether.) I'm not ready to tackle the whole first series (yet!) -- it's just too much(So far!) These tapes will GET me into that classic astanga class without feeling totally overwhelmed. Kest, on the back of his tapes, claims that his yoga is "Astanga-style" and it is, the poses linked with movement creating heat and a vigorous workout. For me, at this stage in my yoga game, it builds strength, endurance, and provides a great foundation for my regular yoga classes (my instructor was impressed with my form and concentration, particularly when I told her my primary instruction came from a video). I find Kest's comments (although his voice can be tad whiny)informative and comforting. Doing my yoga practice has made such a difference in my life (I know, that sounds corny, but it's true.) These videos have been my springboard into a new, and very illuminating world. I think he's terrific.
  
  
• outstanding introduction to yoga and relaxation
  By on 1999-11-30
  This video has transformed my body and my life. I highly recommend it to first-timers. My muscle-bound husband has recently tried it and really liked it too. Before purchasing, I rented a number of videos and found Bryan Kest's to be the most instructive, relaxing and appropriately paced for a novice. Now that I know what I'm doing, I still use it to tone and relax. The other Kest videos are exceptional as well.
  
  
• Very little and poor thought has gone into designing his class for a DVD program.
  By A1HC4FUPQGEWTZ on 2007-03-11
  I had bought bryan Kest Complete Box set about 2 months ago along with Shiv Rea's Yoga Shakti. I was very eager to alternate between these two and set myself a good yoga work out routine. While watching Bryan's video it did not seem so bad and I was eager to try it out myself. But as it turned out, this video was not made with the intent and care for the person who will be watching his class and him from a television set in his/her living room. His intrustctions are non-ending, most of the time meaningless and very annoying. He gives no time for showing a pose now giving the viewer time to understand and follow. It is also frustrating to actually find the 'inner peace and stablity' that he goes on and on about when he is yakkity yakking non-stop about redundant and irrelevant matters. As it goes, I couldnt even get through half an hour without looking up from my pose, uncertain and panicking if I have missed the cue for the next pose or to figure out what the next pose was because his intrustctions were so obtuse. Rather than finding physical and mental peace and power, I was irratible and unsure as to what I was doing. Oh ! and did I mention ? You will not be watching Bryan do most of the poses, he just strolls around talking non-stop while correcting a bunch of people in his class.
  I would not recomend this DV, maybe bryan is a good teacher if you were to join his class physically at California. But this video is NOT made with the care and thought that someone will be watching and trying to learn from a television set.
  
  
• This is not what yoga is about
  By AAOFGVGBDBV3I on 2007-09-13
  Instructors like Kest are the reason yoga is so misinterpreted in the U.S. This DVD is not real yoga. Yoga is about transformation and using the body to slow the mind (which eventually leads to enlightenment), not getting a workout while watching a porn-star looking man in jeans graphically touching male and female students (the male on sweaty male "adjustments" are very creepy even for an open minded liberal yogi). It's interesting all the good reviews on this product say "it's a good workout," when that is so far from what yoga is about. If you want exercise, go to the gym. If you're going to try yoga, do it for the right reasons and try a purer form of the practice. Bryan Kest's practice is flat-out disrespectful to a beautiful, ancient practice.
  
  
• Bryan Kest rules!
  By AYPYF09DRLQMZ on 2002-02-24
  Most people think of the stereotypical yoga teacher as someone with a calm, soothing voice spouting all sorts of New Age wisdom as you twist yourself into impossible asanas and contemplate your third eye. Well, Bryan Kest is not that sort of teacher -- I couldn't do this video at first without giggling a little at this guy telling me to "get into the sweetness of the pose" in this tough, New Jersey-ish "dude" voice. That said, this is an EXCELLENT video for a beginning-to-intermediate practitioner who has had some yoga experience. It is an excellent workout and uses a wide variety of stretches to challenge your body and your mind. There isn't much detailed instruction in these videos -- not many breakdowns of positions or explanations of movements, which is why I wouldn't recommend it to a rank beginner. It is much more like attending a class as opposed to an instruction video. In terms of production values, it is beautifully photographed and lit, and the wide variety of (admittedly very attractive) people featured in the video give a good sense of how to adapt poses to suit your own body's needs. And the background music is both pleasant and non-obstrusive. If you can adapt to Bryan Kest's mannerisms and voice, this is an awesome tape. In all honesty, I find him really positive, encouraging and rather entertaining, and it's refreshing to see a teacher who isn't into showing off his or her superior flexibility for all to see and admire.
  
  
• Weak video
  By on 2000-02-11
  Having watched and practiced nine yoga videos this year I have to say that this was the worst video - I hope nobody has hurt themselves doing it. Read some of other negative reviews to know why and notice that other Videos have all positive recommendations. The best videos on the market I've tried are: Total Yoga with Tracey Rich or David Swenson's Ashtanga tapes. If you are new to Ashtanga/Power/Vinyasa Yoga then Power Yoga (stamina version) with Rodney Yee is good.
  
  
• Very Good for this beginner
  By A1CHSP7NKY3YB2 on 2001-08-03
  I approached yoga with the same trepidition I did my first half marathon:why the hell am I doing this? After 5 kids and yeras of running and dance, I have the flexibility of granite. Becoming a human pretzel was not on my dance card. This tape,howvere,radically altered that perception. Kest,who sounds like my neighbor,but is from Detroit,calmly expains and cajoles you into each position. Some people have complained that he talks too much,though I find it reassuring{it IS a beginners tape,after all}. The poses though are not broken down quite as explicitly as I would have liked, though viewing the class{made up of hard bodies,which is daunting and not inspiring} I found following along quite simple. After 3 months of daily practice, I have found my body is quite a bit more flexible, and I can do the positions about 50%{I statred at about 10%,so there has been great improvement}. Kest doesnt seem interested in being anyone guru{which is nice,for a change}, and simply and calmly leads you through this tape. I have done this every day but one the last 3 months, and it is a good strenuous,vigorous workout that you can mine deeper each time. HIGHLY
  
• A terrific addition to my home video yoga collection.
  By on 1999-09-14
  I'd heard such good things about this series and read so many good reviews, save for a few on here that didn't like that tape, that I had to see for myself. I'm an intermediate level student, having done yoga on and off throughout my life since childhood. I have terrible chronic back pain that keeps me from being able to do some types of exercise, but yoga always helps. The first time I did this tape, my back was feeling really bad and really tight, but by the end of the class, it felt 110 times better and the pain was almost completely gone. I have high hopes for what it will do for me as time goes on. I was sweating but managed to stay relaxed thanks to Kest's guidance and reassurances that my ego should have nothing to do with the practice. The people on the tape are at all different levels of ability, which is great and inspiring. I also have to add, in response to one of the other reviews that says the tape is only 36 minutes long, that I zeroed out the counter at the beginning of the actual class (after the intro stuff) and by the very end it had run just under 50 minutes. The tape is, indeed, 54 minutes in it's entirety. Regardless, it's a thorough, tough, inspiring workout and I think Kest is a great teacher. And if you're looking at the TV so much that the shots of Kest annoy you, you're looking too often. I was too busy focusing to even notice him.
  
  
• Just another pretty face
  By A1SMKCO6F0LX8P on 2001-06-28
  I haven't used videos in my light-intermediate yoga practice before, so I don't know what most of them are like. I found this one to be annoying.

  Bryan Kest has the look of a hollywood yogi, but the voice of a bronx basketball coach, and he never *never* stops talking. That might be OK if he was talking about form, but most of the time he's babbling nonsense like "If you're doing your best you're doing the practice right!" (True but unhelpful.) Or "Get long, get strong!"

  All the students are at the same level (intermediate/advanced), so all the asanas look like carbon copies of each other, and Kest gives little or no advice on how to modify the poses for various levels of strength and flexibility.

  However, after babbling his way past a few uneven sun salutations (just mute the sound and do your own), Kest provides a nice flow through the remaining standing postures. Recommended for the advanced beginner who likes to keep a variety of yoga tapes on the shelf.
  
  

• A workout AND a stress reliever!
  By on 2000-06-19
  I took a few of Bryan Kest's classes here in Los Angeles. They were incredible... and incredibly CROWDED! His popularity is well earned, as his yoga classes are some of the best in town, but if you're like me, you need to be far from the maddening crowd, you need to destress and detoxify while keeping toned. These are the perfect tapes for all of the above. The best thing about these particular tapes are the fact that you don't need to be looking at the screen as you go about your workout. Bryan's instructions are so precise that all you have to do is listen and follow his verbal instructions. I've actually made a cassete recording of the video and take it to the beach so I can do my workout there. Another thing to keep in mind with this video is that yoga is a process, like anything. You aren't going to be able to ace the tape the first day, week or even month that you get it... you have to stick with it, and after 4 or 5 times doing the tape, you'll feel the "flow" and you'll see results. Don't be surprised if after 2 or 3 weeks of doing this tape, people start commenting how great you look. Namaste!
  
  
• Bryan Kest's Power Yoga Series, especially Body Sculpting
  By A2WPZHIKOVOKST on 2002-06-16
  Bryan is the best! I purchased Kathy Smith's yoga tape but found something lacking; I felt the focus was on look at me. And in order to follow Denise Austin's routine, one has to be on speed. Suzanne Deason's tapes are great for beginners, but lacked the intensity that I needed. Patricia Walden's series are okay, more look at what I can do.

  What impressed me about Bryan is his emphasis on spirituality and its application to everyday life.

  I'm 53 years old, 5'8" and 125 pounds. I started Bryan's routine 7 months ago and have noticed significant changes in my body. While I have always been active, Bryan's tapes have helped me cope with the stress in my life - divorce, moving, building a new home. I work out with Bryan six days a week. Even my friend, a physican's assistant who was a personal trainer, is impressed with Bryan's workouts.

  I love his down-to-earth attitude and encouraging ways. God Bless Bryan.
  
  

• Renewed my interest in exercising
  By AQVTFQM53AI8U on 2000-07-18
  If you want to get in shape and lose weight, this is a great way to do it. I have been an aerobics instructor and a weight lifter for many years, but having joint problems that are exacerbated by these types of exercise has made me leary to work out. I saw this video at the movie rental place, tried it, and am now a yoga junkie. The video is difficult, but that's what I like. You won't get tired of the video quickly because there is always room for improvement. Mr. Kest suggests that we work at our level and improve when we can and that is what I'm doing. My joints don't hurt after doing it and I can tell I'm losing weight.
  
  
• A Yoga tape for Warriors...
  By on 1999-11-26
  If you are a martial artist and know how important flexability is, but where afraid to try Yoga because it looks a little "wimpy", this is the answer to stretching on your own! I challenge you to keep up with Brian. He will put you through one hell of a work out. This stuff is tough, but Brian constantly reminds you to take it easy and at your own pace. That is the best thing about this video, you can really make it intense if you want, and take your time getting there, say, over a month. I love this series, i am hooked, it has rounded out my training regime. Lifting, mountain biking and Aikido... I do all with more confidence because the Yoga has focused my mind with my body, increasing my flexability and stamina. It lets you get more comfortable with your physical limitations, lets you hang out with them and remain calm. Do this tape!
  
  
• challenging workout, but lousy video
  By on 1999-10-29
  Call me superficial, but this tape was terribly hard to watch without giggling. It was shot with the grainiess of a home movie, and the instuctor looked plain silly in what looked like cut-off jeans over long john bottoms. He and the other males were shirtless, showing off their hunky bods. The women were also incredibly attractive. (This video is NOT for you if you have poor body image or low self-esteem -- it is a little daunting to see such beautiful people create such beautiful poses!) Plus, the "class" took place in a brick-walled loft area reminiscent of a mid-'80s music video. Instead of calming music, there was an insistent drum beat in the background I guess they wanted a "street-wise" feel compared to other, traditional yoga videos, but it seemed rather inane. Now onto the substance. The workout itself was an excellent example of ashtanga yoga, but it is NOT for beginners. The video does not do a good job of showing how to do the postures if you are not already familiar with them. Moreover, the workout left out some key yoga postures, such as a shoulder stand sequence, and was weak on floor work.
  
  
• Very intense, very gratifying
  By A39W972D96936U on 2000-08-14
  I can agree with prior reviewer's comments, this is a very intense, very gratifying yoga workout. I'd never tried "power" yoga until this tape. I'd been doing Dixie Carter's "Unworkout" videos and had been sweating from them, but once I added Mr. Kest's tape to my yoga library, did I start to "really" sweat.

  I watched the tape through the first time, just to get an idea of what was to come when I started. A lot of the poses are pretty basic, but the level and intensity you do them, is what causes the sweat gates to open. I feel this workout has made my overall yoga practice even better, and the health and flexibility benefits are absolutely there.

  The poses I love are the side bends, forward bending twists, and boat pose. These are where I really feel everything working together to create the ultimate feeling of satisfaction of a good practice and overall workout. My muscles are more developed, I've better posture, my waist is going down, and I feel ready to face the day after a good yoga workout.

  I alternate this tape with the Dixie Carter's tapes and Jane Fonda's yoga tape, and I take one day off a week. I recommend this tape to someone who wants to build the intensity level of their yoga practice.
  
  

• Brian Kest - Power Yoga Boxed Set
  By A1BGVH4HF628AL on 2003-07-18
  For someone who has been into running and weight training for several years, I decide to give yoga a try after I had my first baby. I thought I would be totally bored and unchallenged, boy was I wrong. Brian Kest's yoga videos, especially volume 2:Tone, has helped me create a lean and sculpted body. Brian Kest does an excellent job explaining the poses and making you feel comfortable at what ever level you are at. He is definitely not what you would picture when you think "yoga instructor",but you certainly can not judge this book by its cover. I love what his tapes have done for my body and mind. He presents the instruction in a well sequenced format and makes you feel as though you are actually in the studio taking his class. I look better now than ever! I recommend this series to only those who have yoga experience and no serious neck or back problems. Great challenging workout!
  
  
• Great deal, great workouts
  By A1YKI1XTRNWIMI on 2005-02-05
  First and foremost, this DVD is a great deal, with three rigorous 50 minute-ish workouts for the price equivalent of some single-workout 50-minute dvds/tapes. The instructions are clear and helpful and not at all distracting. The pace is good - i would identify myself as an intermediate yogi who still tips on balancing poses and can't quite get crow pose. The three workouts definitely have their own distinct feel and although some of the poses are the same, the duration of holding them, the order in which they're done, and other modifications make it so that I can rotate the three different segments throughout the week and not get bored.
  
  One warning is that I found the second segment, "tone," MUCH more difficult than the 3rd, "Sweat," which is supposed to be the most advanced. He really has you hold the poses for so long, demanding a LOT of stamina and endurance for what was described as intermediate.
  
  Another note - because these were tapes transferred to DVD, they got a little lazy with the skip function, and "skipping" brings you to the next workout, not the next set of poses (whereas other dvds divide the workouts into segments you can skip to, like "sun salutations," "twisting poses," "balancing poses," etc.) This is somewhat annoying. The lack of skip function also means that the viewer is subject to a montage of Bryan skulkily pacing around an urban roofdeck that somehow contains tumbleweed.
  
  While the commentary is not distracting, the visuals definitely are. As many have said, the "help" Kest provides to the students is hilariously akin to fondling. also, I prefer not to count the ribs of the female students who wear little more than skimpy bras, and the thong leotard worn by one student is just wrong. So if you prefer not to punctuate your yoga practice with chuckles, try to avert your eyes from the TV after you have the routine down pretty well.
  
  Despite it's quirks, the workout is challenging and invigorating, and definitely worth the price.
  
  
• I must be missing something...
  By APIFTN65P8OAC on 2000-01-03
  I read the other reviews and was excited to get the tape. I was disappointed. The video is almost an hour and was filmed while the instructor teaches a class. There are lots of long pauses while he walks around correcting his students positions. Meanwhile, you are stuck at home doing nothing for several long gaps while in an awkward position. It just didn't flow. Also, many of the positions are very difficult to do. Power Yoga for Beginners is a much better tape.
  
  
• Good Cross-Trainer
  By A1D8XBJS6V67RX on 2000-11-29
  I have been a 5-6 mile, 2-day-per week runner since I was 11 years old; that's 20 years now. My knees are holding up but my back has been on-and-off hurting for at least 5 years. Since I have been using this video, I feel a drastic improvement. I was uneasy picking out a yoga tape, though I'd heard about the positive benefits of yoga: I was afraid that a yoga video might be new-age cheesy. No cheesiness here; the emphasis of this tape is definitely on the workout itself. I cannot say enough good things about incorporating something like this into a workout schedule. I also lift weights once per week; but neither weights nor running has made me feel like this when the workout's over - balanced and rested. The poses are challenging but definitely not disheartening; I was surprised to find that I could do all of them. When I'm ready for it, I'll be buying tape #2.
  
  
• This video keeps me motivated.
  By on 1998-12-08
  This video has been my introduction to yoga. I first bought some books as I was interested in giving astanga yoga a try. The classes available in my area aren't offered at convenient times, and I'm far too busy to attend a class consistently. This video is good enough for me to continue using it. When I first watched it I thought the beautiful, flexible dancer-type bodies performing the poses would be a bit intimidating, but Kest's comments about working to your own level has allowed me to view them as inspirational. Everyone has to start somewhere! This is the first video of this type (follow-along-exercise-type)I've ever purchased. I liked it enough to buy the other 2 in the series. The music isn't intrusive, and at times interesting. Except for a few jumps, the editing is good. And there are a couple of less-than perfect class "participants" to feel it's within my ability.
  
  
• Kicked My Butt
  By A2CNR90Z39PV6I on 2004-08-12
  Well, I went into this thinking that I was going to ace this with no problem. I have been doing Rodney Yee's Power Yoga for about six months now and it has become to easy. I have added Baron Baptiste's Yoga Boot Camp, and frankly although it makes me sweat, I don't even get into some of the poses before he has moved on to the next. With this dvd, I was breathing, sweating and feeling every muscle in my body. I love it.
  
  
  
  
  
• Worst Yoga DVD I have tried!
  By A2K5IETPPFOXZD on 2007-06-07
  Maybe I just don't 'get it' with this DVD, but the poses and sessions are totally not what I am used to. This guy is really 'arty' so if you are looking for that, this would be perfect for you.
  
  If you are looking for simple, strength building poses that are easy to follow and clear, look else where. I have become a really big fan of the Rodney Yee series by Gaiam. He doesn't take himself too seriously, has a soothing voice, and the workouts are great!
  ~andrea
  
  
• Not what a true yogi hopes for...
  By A14YG3X2HUKMOL on 2008-02-11
  I was suspicious of this video because I hadn't heard Bryan Kest's name mentioned when talking to other yoga instructors. After viewing the video, I know why they didn't mention him. When teaching yoga it is extremely important to focus on the form and practice. Bryan Kest focuses mostly on striking poses and slinking around in denim jeans--it reminds me of an MTV yoga experience. This video also features extremely thin and overly flexible students (probably ex-dancers)who do not represent a realistic cross-section of yoga students (who come from all backgrounds and are represented by all body types). This workout also lacks a multi-level friendly approach which is important for beginning, or less flexible yoga students. I have been teaching yoga in a classroom for the past seven years and couldn't help breaking out into laughing fits watching this guy "teach" with his seductive gaze and his ridiculous voice and cueing. I ordered 4 different yoga dvd's total and Bryan Kest's was the only one I returned. Buyer beware! This video is a sad attempt of a glamour shoot for Kest-dressed-up-as-but-not an informed yoga workout.
  
  

• Power Yoga - Total Body Workout
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