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| Greetings. I am new to this board and hoping one of you might be able to help me out. I have been practicing ashtanga yoga for about nine months. I am also a triathlete, so exercise is a regular part of my life. I want to continue my yoga practice but for a variety of reasons am unable to attend classes. I'm looking for a DVD and am wondering if anyone has any experience with David Swenson's First Series ... Thanks for your input.
Cheers,
Kara |
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| Awesome. If you have been practicing and know your way around the first series, this is a great dvd to use at home.
Richard Freeman's is also great. Just a matter of taste.
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| I use it at home all the time. It's absolutely fantastic, great value for money. |
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| I have questions about this, too. I've heard that both the Swenson and the Freeman DVDs are very good, but how do they compare when it comes to the details? The instruction, the background music, the visuals, etc.? Are there beginning chants? How long is the final savasana? Do they allow for a full vinyasa between the right and left seated postures? Are modifications offered? Is there a difference in pace?
Some detailed descriptions of these DVDs would be wonderful, if anyone has thoughts or suggestions.... |
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| Th Swenson dvd doesn't have any chants, there is no background music. It offers lots of modifications and does keep telling people not to push too hard. It also has full vinyasas between left and right side seated postures. It also has a decent savasana at the end. The visuals consist of him demonstrating the postures. I must say I don't really look at it, I just listen to it most of the time. |
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| Swenson's Short Forms would be a good choice too if you are short on time. It has a 15, 30, and 45 minute routines to follow. I like the fact there is no chanting, or music. i could play my own. Music can make or break the flow.
I plan to buy all of Swenson's DVDs.
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| I also recommend Swenson's laminated practice cards that go along with DVD's. There is also a "short form" card that suggests a recommended set of postures if you are short on time. It shows asanas for 15, 30 and 45 minutes. Of course, the cards will only be helpful if you have been practicing Ashtanga for a while and know the asanas well. |
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| The book has all this, too, in the back. Short "thumbnails" of the entire series, then the short forms.
What I like about Swenson's video is that it just plain looks homemade. Freeman's is slower and I think forces one to slow down.
I don't look at them, either, since it's pretty tough to practice Vinyasa yoga, watch a TV screen and avoid crapping out your neck.
C. |
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| There is not ashtanga yoga where I live. I have been practicing "flow vinyasa" for little over one year and am interested in mixing up my home practice. Is this 1st series better seen in video vs book? Obviously it would be best seen in person that being said which would you guys pick?
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| Book, IMHO.
because it's dumb and dangerous to try to keep up with a video when you're learning something new.
However, and that said, because you've already been practicing, there is a strong degree to which you'd be able to follow a video without looking, as long as you've been taking classes from someone who uses the Sanskrit names for asana. Ashtanga is (traditionally) conducted in Sanskrit. When you'd come to an asana you don't know, though, you'd best stop the video and treat it like a book as you move in and out.
I really love David Swenson. I'm hoping he comes to the DC area again to do his teacher training. I took it once already and it changed my practice in immeasurable ways. Now, 3 years later I'd love to take it again with a more experienced eye. It's totall and 100% technical training, which you just don't get elsewhere.
Christine |
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| I agree with Christine, it is dangerous to perform asanas while watching the videos. Also, your breathing rhythm usually doesn't match that of the instructor. I don't have the book, so cannot compare it to videos, but must say that videos worked really well for me. I watched the instructions first; then, rewinded to some moments in the practice that seemed particularly important, or the once that I had troubles remembering. After that I turned off the video player and did my own practice using laminated cards as a guidance. If in the midst of the practice, you suddenly realize that you have forgotten a detail, don't despair. Do it the way you think is right and then look up a video/book and correct yourself later.
I have read yoga books and watched multiple instructors on the video tapes, and dynamic visual illustration seems to be a better option for me. However, I think it is very much a personal preference, so choose something that is the most beneficial for you. Anyway, you are probably aware to which type of instructions you respond better to, books or videos.
Edited by mkotya 2005-01-03 11:49 AM
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| It is definitely true that we have different learning styles. I sent Mr. Tourist to the video store recently to rent "Festival Express" which we had looked at the previous day. I said "remember we talked about it being the fesitval train in Canada way back...had Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead and all those guys...blah, blah, blah..." and he had no recollection of it whatsoever. Luckily I described the exact location in the video store and he found it ok. Once he got home it was "Well if you had told me the cover had big boobs in a tight tee shirt I would have remembered it better!" Tried to tell me it was because he is a "visual learner" but I think it has more to do with being male 
Really interesting movie, BTW. The extra features on the DVD are great. |
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| jebaz - 2005-01-03 1:19 AM
There is not ashtanga yoga where I live. I have been practicing "flow vinyasa" for little over one year and am interested in mixing up my home practice. Is this 1st series better seen in video vs book? Obviously it would be best seen in person that being said which would you guys pick?
The DVD would be my choice. David gives great instruction and its good to see how he goes in and out of each asana. |
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| where can we buy the dvd? I'd definitely buy this one - not to watch, but to do my Ashtanga at home... I usually end up rushing through the moves a-la Power Yoga, if I don't have the audio to slow me down.
I also have the book and use the thumbnails to practice to if I want... |
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| You could always buy them from David's website:
http://www.ashtanga.net/
Go to online store and choose DVD's.
Also, your next door health food/holistic medicine store should have them. If not, I am sure they will be happy to order them for ya. Good luck!
Edited by mkotya 2005-01-14 10:21 AM
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David Swenson's Ashtanga Yoga DVD
