Yoga offers a lot of benefits to the mind and body, but unless you know the proper form and techniques of yoga, you can’t enjoy the full benefits of this type of exercise.
Joining a yoga class is actually expensive and a bit terrifying if it’s your first time. If you don’t have the time, money, and experience, you can start with yoga DVDs.
The best yoga DVDs for beginners should have a nice selection of routines and a good instructor. The movements should be easy, and the pace should be slow enough to follow for beginners. For your convenience, check our reviews and guide below.
Quick Answer:
1. Gentle Yoga: 7 Practices for Your Day
If you’re 40-70 years old, then Gentle Yoga is your best choice. This DVD offers seven yoga routines and a separate session for relaxation. The total run time is about 192 minutes.
What we love about Gentle Yoga is its breathtaking scenery which features large trees, mountains, and rivers. This is great for beginners because the yoga poses are easy to follow.
2. Yoga for Beginners: Poses for Strength, Flexibility, and Relaxation
If you want to learn more about yoga and its advantages, Yoga for Beginners is a perfect DVD for you. It features four parts of yoga routines for strength and flexibility; warm-up, standing poses, sitting poses, and restorative yoga. This DVD is good for beginners because its pace is slow and the movements are easy.
3. Jane Fonda: AM/PM Yoga for Beginners
If you want to build strength and improve flexibility, Jane Fonda: AM/PM Yoga for Beginners is the perfect match for you. There are five parts in this video which totals to 50 minutes of run time. These yoga videos for beginners are also good for mature people.
Editor’s Pick: Best Yoga DVDs for Beginners
![Jane Fonda: AM/PM Yoga For Beginners [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xQjwIAmjL.jpg)
Beginners’ Yoga DVDs Buying Guide
Choosing a yoga DVD might be a bit overwhelming given the many DVDs on the market today. You need to make sure that the routines and the instructor fit your purpose. To help you with your first purchase, here are a few things you need to know.
Benefits of Doing Yoga at Home
A lot of studies indicate that yoga is a safe and effective method of increasing physical activity. It mainly improves strength, balance, and flexibility. It also helps reduce the risks of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, body pains, depression, and stress.
If you’ve never been to a yoga class before, you might want to consider following a yoga DVD to learn the basic poses. The best thing about doing yoga at home is you can get familiar with the poses at your most convenient time without the intimation of other people. You also have the opportunity to press “pause” or “rewind” if you find a pose a bit difficult.
Another beauty of doing yoga at your house is you don’t need to wear expensive yoga clothes and fancy accessories. Just pick your most comfortable clothes and you’re good to go. Best of all, you don’t need to spend on yoga classes.
How to Choose the Best Yoga DVDs for Beginners
Know What You Want to Achieve
Yoga has a lot of styles such as Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin/restorative. Some styles are more difficult than others, while others may focus on a specific area, like breathing. No style is essentially better or more original than the other.
The key is to choose a style that fits your fitness level and personal goals. For beginners, you may need to choose slow-paced and detail-oriented yoga styles like Hatha, Iyengar, Sivananda, and Viniyoga. Hatha is also good for building strength while Vinyasa offers a good combination of strength and stretching.
There are also yoga DVDs that serve more specific purposes, like those of older people. Once you determine what you want, it would be easy to choose the best yoga DVD in stores and online.
Research!
The usual way to shop for yoga-centric DVDs is to check the previews. Although they give you a slight glimpse of the content of the DVDs, this may not be enough. The best way to learn about the quality and contents of the DVDs is to read reviews on magazines and the internet(like you’re reading this review post).
What to Look for
DVD Cover
It’s important that the DVD cover has a clear description of its contents because the description will influence your decision. No one likes to purchase a DVD that doesn’t fit their purpose. The best yoga DVDs should clearly state the skill level, routines, run time, and instructor.
Instructor
You’ll need a credible teacher for yoga or you’ll end up breaking your bones. The instructor should be a certified yoga practitioner and have a long experience in this field.
He/she should be able to describe the pose and give tips for the proper form and breathing. It’s a plus factor if the instructor’s voice on the DVD is also soothing and calming.
Fewer/No Complex Movements
Not all yoga DVDs are made for all skill levels. As a beginner, you’ll want the movements as less complex as possible. Check the contents of the DVD and make sure that it offers beginner’s routines.
Plenty of Programs
The number one enemy in doing yoga alone is boredom. To keep you hyped and excited every time, look for a yoga DVD that offers a lot of sections, programs, or routines. It’s even better if the programs are of different styles of yoga.
Basic Yoga Equipment and Supplies You Will Need
1. Yoga mat: This mat will give you the right cushion to perform all types of sitting and lying yoga poses. Its sticky surface will help you maintain the poses without your feet going into disarray.
2. Comfortable clothes: Choose a shirt that’s form-fitting but not too tight. For more convenience, wear a tank top. Your pants should be stretchable and made from lightweight fabric. Loose fitting shorts are also perfect for yoga.
3. Yoga strap: A good yoga strap will help you with stretches, it’s an effective way to get self-help when doing yoga in your home as it provides better posture, support, and alignment. A good alternative for a yoga strap is a towel.
4. Yoga block: This prop is great in bringing the ground closer to you. It can help support your back and head and help you settle to a difficult pose if you’re a beginner.
8 Best Yoga DVDs for Beginners Review
1. Gentle Yoga: 7 Practices for Your Day
Gentle Yoga offers seven yoga routines and a separate relaxation guide which runs to a total of 192 minutes. The routines are (1) morning energy standing movements, (2) evening practice poses, (3) lying practice, (4) balance improvement, (5) core strength floor work, (6) standing poses, and (7) desk work poses. All of them are conducted outdoors amid large trees, a river, and in front of a mountain lake.
The instructor of the video is Jane Adams, a renown yoga practitioner for healthy aging. Jane does all the poses and uses a voice over to give instructions. Despite the music in the background, you can still hear her directions clearly.
It’s also the best yoga DVD for seniors from our review article.
PROS:
- Beautiful background scenery
- Easy to follow
- Clear and precise instructions
- Yoga videos are divided for easy selection
- A great selection of yoga routines
CONS:
- The video quality is a bit outdated
Best For:
Gentle Yoga is perfect for those who are 40 to 70 years old.The yoga routines are easy to follow and they can help strengthen your whole body as well as correct posture and improve overall health.
2. Yoga for Beginners: Poses for Strength, Flexibility & Relaxation
Yoga for Beginners is a DVD of yoga poses that improve strength, flexibility, and relaxation with a total run time of 65 minutes. The DVD has four parts; warm-up sequence, standing poses, sitting poses, and restorative yoga. To follow these routines, you’ll need several props, such as yoga mat, pillow, and towel.
The teacher of this DVD is Kanta Barrios, a certified practitioner of yoga and meditation for more than 30 years. She does all the poses on a wooden platform in front of a body of serene water. The routines are easy and there’s no loud background noise to distract you.
PROS:
- Peaceful setting
- Easy to follow movements
- Clear instructions
- Unobtrusive background music
- Nice, slow pace
CONS:
- Poor camera angles
Best For:
Yoga for Beginners is perfect for those who want a simple setting. There’s no fancy props and outfits. It’s also good for those who want to improve flexibility and learn more about the benefits of yoga.
3. Jane Fonda: AM/PM Yoga for Beginners
The Jane Fonda: AM/PM Yoga for Beginners is another good alternative if you can’t attend a yoga class in a studio. With a total run time of 50 minutes, you’ll get three morning workouts for abs and back strength and two evening workouts for mobility and relaxation. All these routines aim to improve your flexibility and build strength.
The instructor of this video is Jane Fonda, a popular actress who also works as a fitness guru. She has four students at the back, making you feel like you’re in an actual yoga class environment. Prepare some lightweights because you’ll need them in the strength section.
PROS:
- Good for strength and flexibility
- Clear and thorough instructions
- Real class environment
- The movements are easy to follow
- Charming and warm instructor
CONS:
- Doesn’t focus on proper breathing
Best For:
Jane Fonda: AM/PM Yoga for Beginners is ideal for seniors who want to get started on yoga. The movements are easy and the instructions are very clear. This is also a good alternative for a studio yoga class.
4. Element: Hatha & Flow Yoga for Beginners
Hatha & Flow Yoga for Beginners features two programs; Hatha and Flow. The Hatha session is a nice stretching routine that helps improve your flexibility. The Flow session is a bit challenging with some strength building and core exercises. The total run time is about 67 minutes.
The yoga instructor of this video is Tamal Dodge, one of the youngest and most renowned yoga instructors worldwide. He is very encouraging, especially on the challenging routines, and focuses mainly on proper breathing. There’s a slight breathing sound that helps you sync your own breathing with the movements.
PROS:
- Lovely Hawaiian view
- Soothing and relaxing music
- Helpful breathing sound
- The instructor explains clearly
- A good program for strength and flexibility
CONS:
- The flow session is a bit hard for beginners
Best For:
Hatha & Flow is best for intermediate and beginners who want a bit of a challenge. The flow session offers powerful workout routines that benefit those who are overweight and beginners to fitness.
5.Yoga Stretch for Beginners & Beyond
This DVD contains a wide variety of yoga stretches to improve stamina, build strength, and increase flexibility. It offers two programs; AM energizing flow and PM relaxing flow for 30 minutes each. The AM program is a sequence of stamina building exercises and poses while the PM program is a relaxing sequence of yoga postures.
You’ll need a yoga mat for the AM program and a pillow, towel, or yoga strap to perform the PM relaxing flow program. These things will gently aid your body to do deeper stretches and increase your range of motion. The routines are filmed outdoors in front of a serene pool and swaying trees under the direction of certified trainer Jessica Smith.
PROS:
- Beautiful setting
- Relaxing music
- Gentle, relaxing routines
- Detailed and clear instructions
- Good stretches from morning to evening
CONS:
- Some movements are difficult for beginners
Best For:
This DVD is great for yoga beginners or intermediate-level exercisers who want to stretch comfortably and painlessly. It fits those who want a nice stretching routine to go with other workouts.
6. Rodney Yee’s Complete Yoga for Beginners
Another good video to do yoga at home is Rodney Yee’s Complete Yoga for Beginners which features four practices to build strength and increase flexibility. The four sections are beginner, flexibility, energy, and relaxation with a total run time of 80 minutes. The basics routine is very helpful for beginners because it shows the right pose and common errors of yoga.
You’ll probably need a strap for a couple of the poses. The one who teaches the yoga poses is American yoga instructor Rodney Yee. His voice is very soothing, and his instructions are easy to follow.
PROS:
- Rodney has a very calming voice
- A good sequence of routines
- Clear and precise instructions
- Fast 20-minute sessions
CONS:
- Some poses are difficult for beginners
Best For:
This DVD is ideal for yoga newbies who want to know the basics of yoga. It teaches you the right foot and hand placements, as well as common errors that you need to avoid.
7. Element: AM & PM Yoga for Beginners
People with little/no yoga experience might love the AM & PM Yoga for Beginners DVD. This DVD has two parts; AM for invigoration, strength, and revitalization, and PM for balance and relaxation. Each part is about 30 minutes long which totals to about 60 minutes in run time.
The instructor of this DVD is Elena Brower, a yoga and meditation teacher since 1999. Elena has a calming voice and she gives clear instructions for yoga beginners. For some poses, Elena recommends adjustments to some basic poses to match the fitness level of newbies and advanced exercisers.
PROS:
- Clear instructions
- Routines have a good flow
- Good sound and picture quality
- Pleasant sound and setting
- Plenty of stretching and breathing
CONS:
- Not for people with arthritis
Best For:
This DVD is great for beginners under 40 years old. It has many stretching poses which may be difficult for people with arthritis. Nonetheless, this DVD isn’t boring.
8. Yoga Boost: Beginner’s Yoga System
Yoga Boost is a great way to start yoga in your life, even if you’re inflexible or out of shape. There are four sections in the video; Sharpen, Strength, Sweat, and Stretch. All routines are clearly explained, and modifications are given for those who aren’t flexible enough to touch their toes.
The instructor of this video is Dean Pohlman, the founder of Man Flow YogaTM. Unlike other yoga instructors in this list, Dean doesn’t use a fake smooth voice. Instead, he uses his real voice to talk to you all throughout while holding a pose.
PROS:
- Modifications for inflexible people
- Instructions are clear and precise
- Lively atmosphere
- 25-30-minute sessions are divided well
- Helps you lose weight and gain muscles
CONS:
- More talking than action
Best For:
Yoga Boost is ideal for men and women who are out of shape and lack the flexibility to do basic yoga poses. The instructions are very straightforward, and modifications are provided to suit the skill level of beginners.
FAQs:
Q: What are the most essential yoga poses for beginners?
The most essential yoga poses for beginners are:
- Mountain pose: This is merely standing still on the ground.
- Downward facing dog: This pose builds strength and flexibility to the whole body.
- Plank: This pose uses your hands for balance and the whole body for support. It’s good in strengthening the abdominals.
- Triangle: This is a great standing posture to strengthen your legs, open up your lungs, and stretch your waist side.
- Tree: This is standing with one foot and helps you improve focus.
Other important poses for beginners are warrior 1, warrior 2, seated forward bend, bridge pose, and child’s pose.
Q: How often should I do yoga?
As a beginner, one hour every week is enough to experience yoga benefits. If you practice yoga for more than an hour, you’ll surely enjoy more benefits. We recommend you do yoga 1 to 1.5 hours every 2-3 times a week.
Q: Can old people do yoga?
Yes, no one is too old for yoga. You can start yoga even if you’re 70 years old. Most of the yoga beginner levels are catered for the older population. For example, Gentle Yoga: 7 Practices for Your Day, and Yoga for Seniors with Jane Adams.
Similarly, if you have children who want to learn yoga, there are also the best yoga DVDs for kids.
Q: Can I do yoga even if I’m not flexible?
Sure, you can! Contrary to what most people believe, yoga doesn’t require you to be flexible to start it. You can be as stiff as a log and do the basic poses. Over time, you’ll find that regular yoga sessions will help increase your flexibility.
Conclusion
Of the eight best yoga DVDs for beginners that we reviewed above, our favorite is the Gentle Yoga: 7 Practices For Your Day. The yoga routines are very easy to follow and you can enjoy the relaxing scenery of the background. This DVD runs for a total of 192 minutes, covering all the basic yoga poses to improve core strength, balance, and posture.
A great alternative is Yoga for Beginners because it’s pace is slow enough for beginners. It features four parts; warm up, sitting poses, standing poses, and restorative yoga. These routines help you improve strength and flexibility.
Allen Wei is someone who believes in living his best life, focusing on balance, happiness, and relaxation. He fosters a positive lifestyle in terms of his body, mind, and environment, and he is a huge proponent of learning to be balanced via relaxation techniques integrated into our busy lives.
