[.ca] Yj: Backcare - Yoga Journal -

Three workouts focused on maintaining a healthy back:
Excellent yoga instructor Rodney Yee offers this 3-part workout focused on strengthening back muscles to maintain a healthy back. He utilizes props (blanket, bolster, chair, brick, strap) to make the poses more gentle and accessible to those at all levels of fitness (although absolute beginners should stick to his previous video, Back Care Yoga for Beginners). The first 16-minute section concentrates on simple stretches to warm up your back muscles. Poses are done either while lying on the floor or in a seated position, and Rodney uses a blanket to increase range of motion. The second workout is a bit longer (around 18 minutes) and places greater emphasis on strength moves. It begins with simple backbends (eg, cat pose) and moves on to standing poses modified by use of a chair; it ends with a series of lying stretches. In the final workout, Rodney uses a wider variety of props, including TWO chairs and both the blanket AND the bolster. This is a slow-moving, approximately 16-minute practice which focuses on relaxation through practicing a small number of poses for a longer period of time. At times, Rodney's reliance on props is a bit distracting, particularly while you are trying to relax during the final section. However, he always allows ample time to relocate the props inbetween poses, and his use of the props is definitely beneficial at some points, such as during the second practice. Rodney's manner is extremely calm and relaxing, and his voiceover is always perfectly in sync with his on-screen performance. One minor criticism is that he doesn't offer mirrored instruction, but this is easily ignored given his otherwise excellent cuing. Overall, this is a very good workout by a master yoga instructor.

Not as good as the original:
I was disappointed in this DVD. I also own Rodney Yee's first back care workout "Back Care Yoga for Beginners" (1998, VHS), which is much better. "Yoga for Back Care" relies too heavily on props, moves very slowly, and doesn't cover enough poses. If you're looking for a good back care workout, go back to the original tape.

Not as good as the usual Rodney Yee..:
I had Rodney's original Back Care video and I bought this DVD to use for business travel so I could play it on my laptop in my hotel. It was WAY too slow moving for me. I plan to return it to Amazon. I was very disappointed.

Good DVD:
This DVD has really helped me with my back problems. The excercises shown are gentle and useful. I have chronic back pain, and in order to avoid, and not take pain killers, I do yoga. I have used this DVD, and as soon as I finish one of the three routines, my pain is gone. The only thing that I don't like about Rodney's approach on this DVD is that he shows some very weird excercises, and sometimes you feel like you aren't doing anything. The first routine feels like you didn't do a thing. The second routine is great. The third one has a lot of akward positions, for which you need a chair and a king size pillow. I have never been to a yoga class where you need such items, so I find it weird, and not too effective. However, overall, it is a good DVD (but he has a better DVD, try the Yoga for Athletes, also from Rodney. It is excellent.)

Gentle and Excellent:
I checked here for reviews before buying this. There weren't any, so I took a chance. I'm glad I did. And since no one else has posted a review, I finally decided to in case anyone else would like a user's opinion. When I first tried this routine, I didn't think it was going to do much. It is very conservative. But it is also very safe. It avoids some of the front bending and stretching postures that can be dangerous for low back problems. Yoga Journal's routines often go in and out of postures faster than I like, and at first I wasn't sure I liked that aspect of the routine either. Ater doing this routine for about a month, though, I can say that my low back discomfort has eased off greatly. This DVD gets the credit. It is an excellent combination of equalized stretching on both sides of your body, plus relaxation for your upper and low back. The entire workout runs nearly an hour, which I don't always have time for. But it is broken into three segments, so you can do one or two only. Still, make the time for the full routine if you can. It's worth it. You don't need to do it every day. A few times a week has been enough for me to feel the benefit. Finally, the setting is beautiful, the production quality is high, and Rodney Yee is a pleasant presence (important for something you listen to over and over again). I highly recommend the DVD for anyone looking for back-related flexibility, relaxation, and restoration.