Elements of Yoga: The Collection with Tara Lee (3 Disc Set) Box Set

I was torn between 3 and 4 stars as a rating for this. Conflicting issues are posted below..both for beginners and also for intermediates.Having done yoga before to an intermediate level I have decided to get back into it again. It was something I loved and it not only changed my body it changed my spirit and yes you can even do that via a dvd!Yoga can make you feel so very different than any other form of exercise can and I used to be a gym bunny/aerobic fan/step fan/tried pilates and found it not good for my back...yoga was good for my back and causes me no back pain whereas pilates did.However, I am starting again after a 5 year break from yoga so totally consider myself a beginner again. I am also now aged 45 (!) so not as supple as I used to be! :0)Knowing what I know these dvds are not so great on two counts.I have viewed all three dvds in the set - Earth, Flow and Fire.I have so far done the first of the 20 minute sessions on each dvd at separate times.As an oldie I am finding remembering the positions tricky and there is little in the way of 'this is the easier version'.In yoga it's really important not to overdo it and to only go in the asana (pose) as far as you feel comfy with or you can injure yourself but also feel inadequate and give up trying - and hey - none of us want someone to give up! :0(It's one of the most amazing forms of exercise no matter how gently nor strongly you do it.The whole point is to do yoga to 'your' level, not anyone else's. Then to push yourself from 'your' start point. And you will want to if you have a happy experience because it's addictive!Being a 'new' beginner I have forgotten some of the parts of the moves and I find this dvd (and most tutorials to be honest) go too fast for a newbie.I will focus on Downward Facing Dog as it is such a commonly used asana (Adho Mukha Svanasana)I used to do Downward Facing Dog with ease (in terms of stretch) but I can no longer straighten my legs..I'll get there but I need slow gentle practice to achieve that.I know that bent legs is OK on downward facing dog but to test myself also by spending practice time (pausing the dvd) to push one leg a little and the other a little to loosen up my muscles.This isn't something that is mentioned in these dvds.Along with Tree pose too (Vrksasana). You don't need to place your foot against your thigh you can place your foot by your ankle with your toes touching the floor for the pose to still be correct and for 'your' level. (Just never place your foot against your knee...it appears to be an obvious mid place but you press against your leg with that foot and it can cause damage to your knee).So, moving onto my problems with these dvds on an intermediate level..If you can do Downward Facing Dog (as my example) then what Tara doesn't barely say is that legs straight and heels down (or only up on your toes still) you can then engage the muscles at the front of your thigh.This step of engaging makes yoga so strong and so good and the reason why it is brilliant and aids your mind so much. You cannot think about anything else.She says in her dvds 'pull your kneecaps up' but it isn't explained.You can learn by these dvds but if you can do the stretching you are missing out on engaging muscles if you are not aware they should be engaged.You can see in poses that Tara does that her thighs look smaller just above the knee ..this is because she is tightening her whole thigh muscle.So in that sense and because this isn't described well in the dvds she loses a point on an intermediate level and..unless you have prior training advanced level will always be tougher and possibly unachievable.These are great dvds but lack in some instruction which is necessary.However, there is instruction to be found online and in books to go along with these dvds.Look up Tara Stiles on You Tube for Beginners (she teaches short sharp (9 minute) sessions of strength, balance, breathing and flow) and I would also recommend Hatha Yoga Illustrated the book (on kindle also) to find out which muscles you should be engaging when you do poses once you are at the point where you have the flexibility.I love these dvds..but I need some training before I go further....so I am taking my own advice offered in the paragraph above. :0)

I am brand new to Yoga - other than one class session years ago which exhausted me so much I felt it was counter-productive to my lifestyle!Now, it was a choice of either joining a £7 weekly class or trying it first at home with the DVD/s. When I saw the range of three in Tara's collection, and read the very positive feedback, it was a no-brainer buying the set, to give more versatility and longevity to my newly-beginning yoga sessions.The set of three allows you to have variation and work on slightly different areas of the body/mind. Already, I am ASTOUNDED at how my body has changed! I only started last week and have done only 5 yoga sessions - and already my body has changed shape and I've toned up so much!! I was expecting the results to be purely for mental well-being, so this was a big bonus - and caused me to do a double-take in the mirror!! Serious shaping to the stomach (i.e. flatter - yay!) and rounding of the bottom (even bigger yay!).I thought the poses may be too difficult for me, as an absolute beginner - but so far there is very little I cannot do! - which is very pleasing, and surprising because I haven't really done any serious stretching for a very long time. The breathing takes a little more thought to perform correctly, but clearly it really pays off. In particular, I find that I sleep like a top at night (I no longer wake up, even for a few minutes, which was a nightly occurrence), and I feel pretty calm and focused, and I always feel like my body is considerably more relaxed afterwards.Tara has a lovely gentle voice, and it's easy to follow her guidance. The sessions are not long (around 12-20 minutes each, and you can pick from a choice of three on each DVD), so it's fairly easy to fit into the day. I must say that I really enjoy my yoga sessions. I'm seriously glad I didn't join the class - OK, it would have been another social outlet, which is always nice - but by opting for the DVDs, I am able to practice yoga at absolutely any time it suits me, at no additional financial cost to me. So I cannot recommend it highly enough, and I particularly recommend the three-box set, as there's so much choice you are unlikely to get bored (and believe me, if something is boring I wouldn't be doing it!).

I had started yoga classes at my local sports centre & was really enjoying attending two classes a week. I was beginning to understand the moves and felt my fitness levels improving (I was also attending other fitness classes). Four months in and lock down was looming so I searched for a yoga DVD I could use at home and I decided on this one.I am so please I did it is perfect for me. There are 3 DVD's each has a different element: earth (foundation), air & water (flow) and fire (dynamic). You can break down your session into 20 min workouts or do all the workouts as one session which lasts about 70 mins with relaxation. I tend to do two workouts a week and will choose the workouts depending on how much energy I have but I do like to do the earth workout on a Sunday morning as it feels like a perfect time for this workout. As my fitness levels and yoga practice have developed I am now more confident with the yoga moves and taking on the more challenging moves. The breathing exercises have helped me to understand how important our breathing is to understand our bodies.Tara Lee talks you through each move in such a relaxed, encouraging tone of voice. For me this has been a great purchase and has really helped me to find some peace and calm during this surreal time in our history.