Barbara Currie - 7 Secrets of Yoga [DVD]

I already had Barbara’s total body plan DvD which is really good this one is very similar with the same exercises can’t do them all as I’m just a beginning with yoga but Barbara is a good teacher and I’m sticking to the exercises I can manage as some are hard.For any one starting like me I would recommend this or total body plan and take it slow!

I have tried several yoga videos/DVDs over the last 2 or 3 years; they have all ended up at the school Christmas fete for various reasons such as being monotonous or pretentious. Not this one. After all this time I still practise from '7 secrets' almost every morning, an unheard of amount of time for someone like me who is apt to quickly lose interest. It is the best of her series.Barbara's style of speech and delivery is a matter of personal taste. Personally, I have never found her irritating, and don't mind the reruns of instructions as it refreshes my memory on what I'm aiming for. The grouping of the moves into 10 minute sections is a masterstroke, making it easy to plan your yoga.The 3-levels-of-difficulty approach also works well. With some moves, I can easily do the advanced (Barbara's) position, whereas in others - let's face it!- it's never going to happen. However, Barbara is so encouraging, I always think maybe this week will be the week.I agree with the reviewer who said that one side of the body is frequently given more time to stretch than the other - this is annoying, as you then feel rushed when not allowed the same time to do the other side. The setting however is pleasant with bubbles, pinkness and relaxing background music.Some people look down on video/DVD yoga as not being the 'real thing'. Maybe too user-friendly for the serious yogis, it's great for us Ms Averages seeking a small oasis of calm before the kids get up. On your new flokati rug, there's less pressure (than in a class) to go that bit extra. 'Never strain!' says Barbs. Perhaps this is why I'm still using this 3 years later. The DVD format is best, to get quickly to the desired section.7 Secrets is a great introduction to yoga. If unable (or unwilling)to practise for a couple of days, I become aware of a stiffening up in the upper back area which (claims Barbara) is a buildup of tensions; I do believe she's right, as it quickly goes after 10 or 20 minutes of using this yoga programme. They ought to have yoga lessons like Barbara's on the national school curriculum. What a different society we would be!Highly recommended, especially for all beginners out there.Or those whose tum is going south(as mine was). Get it. Now.

I have previously used the VHS video of Barbara Currie's yoga series and decided to get the DVD to make it easier to play, and followed the positive reviews already provided for this particular edition in the large range of possible yoga DVDs.I really like the layout of this DVD as there is a series of different exercises, each lasting 10 minutes which really helps to break down your workout into manageable sessions. I quite often just do 10 minutes, and you can choose to target certain areas of the body which I find useful (plus the variety then makes your yoga schedule more interesting...) such as bums and legs, or tums, or arms and bust. Or you can combine the exercises according to how long you want to exercise for.I've been using the DVD for a few weeks now and I definitely feel a great deal stronger, fitter and more toned than before (although you'll have to find supplementary cardio exercise for flab reduction...), not to mention increasingly flexible every time I perform a move, which I've found to have good psychological benefits too as yoga is an ideal all rounder for making you feel good.The DVD is perhaps a little cheesy and the music isn't to my taste, but I don't let that put me off as I find the gentle presentation quite reassuring, and I find Barbara Currie very encouraging (which is of vital importance to me in exercising since I am easily discouraged!).The costumes sometimes blend in a little too well with the background however which is a pity, since this makes it harder to see exactly what they are doing on a couple of occasions, but equally, there are three women performing the moves and they give you alternative positions according to your level, which I think is a very wise inclusion.Finally, this DVD covers a wide range of abilities and provides a section of very advanced moves which I'm not planning to try for quite some time! But it means that it's a long-term usage DVD :) Hope that helps! Enjoy!

The dated style is not necessarily a problem, although I have yoga DVDs with a more engaging style. However, I found it boring and slow moving.

This yoga dvd from Barbara currie is just what I was looking for, I have just started doing yoga in the past year and at the beginners stage and wanted another dvd from her, some of the poses I can't keep up with just now but with practice I will get there, love this especially her voice sounds like a Doctor about to administer treatment, so soothing and relaxing. Very pleased and highly recommend.