Top 10 Yoga DVDs

There are two secrets to maintaining a strong at-home yoga practice:

First: Find a good teacher and learn the basics.

Let the instructor guide you and help you get into the right position so you can know what each pose feels like when performed correctly.

Second: Have a wide variety of good yoga DVDs to choose from. This keeps you from getting bored and ensures that you always have access to a yoga routine that meets your needs on any given day.

There is a yoga DVD to suit every skill level, yoga style and type of practitioner. On this site, you’ll find my in-depth yoga DVD reviews as well as recommendations out of the hundreds of different yoga DVDs currently available.

If I had to choose my desert island yoga DVDs, this is my top 10 list. They are in no particular order and are from different yoga styles and for all different levels of yoga practice.

To get on this list, a DVD has to be truly exceptional. If you’re just looking for a great yoga DVD, then I can guarantee that you won’t go wrong by considering something off this list of the 10 best yoga DVDs:

 

Baron Baptiste’s Foundations of Power Vinyasa Yoga
Practically born into yoga, Baron has more than a knack for teaching–he’s fantastic at it. He’s been practicing since childhood and teaching for over 20 years. Baron brings transformation to your practice and has a knack for expressing words that create new worlds for people. In 2006 Yoga Journal Magazine said: “If there were a royal family of American yoga, Baron Baptiste would certainly be a prince.”  Baron brings soul to your practice and is perfection in motion when it comes to execution of the asanas. I like his teaching style and never get bored with his DVDs. This is absolutely one for your yoga library.

 

Power Yoga Total Body Workout
This is one of my favorite Yoga DVDs. Rodney Yee is pretty amazing–he’s been a gymnast, a ballet dancer and a philosophy and physical therapy major. He’s also studied under the great yoga master B.K.S Iyengar. He’s appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America and many other television broadcasts. I love his style of teaching and how he breaks down the sequences into their essential elements. Plus, I love his smile! I absolutely recommend this DVD to you if you’re looking for an intense yoga workout you can return to time and time again.

 

Yoga for Beginners (Yoga for Stress Relief/AM/PM Yoga for Beginners/ Essential Yoga for Inflexible People)
I think this package is a great value. There’s a little bit for everybody and for all times of the day! Each of the 40 routines focuses on different physical and mental aspects of yoga, such as building strength, neck and shoulder pain, insomnia issues and much more. There is a ton of valuable information that will help you explore the joyful, soulful and invigorating world of yoga. It includes modifications of poses for less flexible people and total beginners. It’s a great DVD to have in your library, especially if you’re a beginner, although it works well for intermediate levels also.

 

Kundalini Yoga with Maya Fiennes: A Journey Through the Chakras
Maya Fiennes has a very upbeat personality which makes her DVD classes very uplifting and inspiring. It’s very hard to get bored from practicing with Maya, and her philosophy of happy and healthy living really make her sessions a pleasure. Maya uses her original music in her classes and focuses on helping you find real happiness, health and prosperity. Overall, I find her very inspiring and enlivening, and know you will, too.

 
   

P90X’s Yoga X
If you haven’t heard of P90X before, then perhaps you’ve been a little out of the loop–it’s one of the top-selling fitness programs and infomercials of all time. However, I will say this straight out: not only is P90X as a whole fantastic and absolutely deserving of its success, but its Yoga X workout is a beast. 90 straight minutes of yoga guided by P90X’s master of ceremonies Tony Horton. Yoga X isn’t for purists, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and intensity of the postures and guidance.

 

Yoga Burn
Another excellent yoga DVD from Rodney Yee. You’ll be invited to feel the burn as you lean into your postures and hold them for longer than you may be used to. While a beginner could definitely jump right in and learn a bunch, intermediate practitioners will be in a much better position, and shape, to really go for it and reap the great benefits of this solid yoga workout. This workout depends entirely on what you bring to it.

     

 

Ashtanga Yoga: Advanced A & B Series by David Swensen
Exquisite is all I can say. This is for me less of an instructional DVD and more of pure inspiration. It shows you what your practice can someday take you towards–a lot of intense and dedicated practice, that is. David Swenson is one of my personal favorite teachers out there. I love his alignment and grace and find his instructions simple and to the point. He is a solid and seasoned teacher. Filmed in Maui and set to music, this is an amazing feast for the eyes and soul. I recommend you check it out and be awed by the beauty of these advanced asanas!

 

Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh
This is a more traditional presentation of Kundalini Yoga. Gurmukh was baptised 28 years ago with the Sikh spiritual name that means, “One who helps people across the world ocean.” She has lived up to this name by teaching Kundalini yoga for the past three decades and focusing her classes on developing inner peace and outer strength. This DVD is a nice change of pace from many of the other Yoga DVDs out there. I like this one because her class will definitely push you past where you’re comfortable and then some. The overall impact of running through this DVD is extremely positive and uplifting (on top of leaving you sore and spent).

 

The Biggest Loser: The Workout – Weight Loss Yoga
Honestly, it was the name of the DVD that first grabbed my attention, but it turned out to be a pretty great Yoga DVD, especially if you’re new to the practice. Bob instructs you as if you are completely new to yoga, which ends up being a good thing for everybody. It just really brings you back to your alignment and focusing on the right way of getting into a pose. The participants who practice along with the instructions are probably the best part–they’re just normal everyday folks like you and me. Watching them work hard inspires me to stay in the postures with them. The menus on this DVD are interactive, which means you can tailor the experience just for you. If you want some weight loss action, this is definitely a good option.

   

Dashama – Kids Yoga
It is never too early to start practicing yoga. I have taken my niece to yoga classes taught by an 11-year-old certified yoga teacher where the youngest student was 3! Your kids will love this kind of ‘fun activity.’ This DVD walks your little ones through an hour-long routine that features standing poses, sitting poses and even some more advanced poses that seem incredibly easy for kids to do! It’s fun and happy and will keep your children entertained and flexible.

 

I’ve gone through many different brands of yoga gear and the Gaiam brand has been my favorite now for quite a while. I love their products because of their high quality and reasonable prices, and also the fact that they are organic and well designed. I’ve gotten into their organic bedding line recently, and I swear I’m sleeping better for it!