Yoga to the Rescue - Feel Good from Head to Toe

I've had a seriously, stiff neck for 5 years, so much so, that I tended to move my whole upper body when glancing right or left, instead of just turning my neck. The shoulder and shoulder blade problems started when I was removing wallpaper and painting walls and have lasted over 3 1/2 years now. The pain has been intense and intractable. Various specialists diagnosed me with ailments such as myofascial pain syndrome and tendonitis, and sent me to a pain therapist because they were concerned that I might commit suicide. One pain specialist told me there was nothing they could do for me! Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Morphine, nothing worked. I've been to chiropractors, acupuncturists, pain clinics, physical therapy, water therapy, deep muscle massage while doped up on lots of pain killers, anti-depressants, and muscle relaxers. Are you getting the idea that I've been trapped in my own hell for a long time now? Six weeks ago, I found the neck and shoulder exercises from "Yoga to the Rescue" from Comcast On Demand and tried slowly and tentatively, the "neck strengthening" floor exercise twice and my stiff neck disappeared! It just stopped! I was so excited that I did the "wall stretch" exercise for my shoulders and the pain eased. I immediately ordered the DVD and now every day I do those two exercises even if I do not have time for the entire video, and the pain eases a little bit more. When I do more than my beat-up upper body can handle and I start to feel sore, I find a place to do a quick version of the exercise I need and get immediate partial or total relief and go out and try to catch up with my long-neglected life again. Thank you, Desiree, Cheryl

It sounded like a good way to ease into yoga with my muscles being so tight. And the positions are great! However, the hostess does and intro for each pose and goes on and on about it and there is no alternative way to watch the DVD. I wanted to hear the intros a couple times and then play the poses without all the chatter after I'd learned them.

This yoga DVD is very different from most that I have bought. It is less like a workout DVD and more like a visit from a yoga physical therapist. Desiree Rumbaugh outlines a series of different yoga poses and shows how they can be used to treat a variety of physical problems that we get from modern life. Most of the poses are familiar (warrior, triangle, etc...); however, she goes into greater depth about how to do the pose properly. She does not rush, and she gives each pose a complete description. She shows positions for the more advanced student and she has a guy who shows the beginner poses. This DVD would be good for any age or any level. Desiree Rumbaugh is a very pleasant and understandable guid to yoga!

I bought this DVD on the strength of Sharon's review, as I always respect her views. I tried it last night, and found it very good but also very spotty. I do't think it's really aimed at most beginners. To be honest, her language would probably throw most yoga beginners. How many of us know how to interpret "Raise and widen your groins"? there's a lot of this type of language, which sometimes baffles me a little - and I've been practising different types of yoga for many years now and have a huge library of books and DVDs.... Something I really don't like is the unevenness of timing. The inner shoulder stretch for instance is held for a very short time on the first side and then a relatively long time on the other side. This happens in other segments, to the extent that I would replay a segment and work opposing sides. And the long explanations/introductions re benefits etc of the upcoming poses eat into pose time and could have been integrated into the actualy posture segments - this is done a few times, but not enough. Anyway, I see this as a great dvd for someone who's practised a while, and can take what they need from it and adapt to their own practise. I shan't be using this as a whole again, but I will integrate things I've picked up into my own sessions. Beginners would need to watch this a couple of times before trying it, because there are times when it would be difficult and harmful to watch the DVD.

This is not what I expected I wanted a sixty minute workout I will continue to make it work but prefer a class like setting

This yoga tape stretches out your entire body- I woke up the next morning feeling all stretched out and GREAT! My back felt absolutely phenomenal! What I liked is she did a lot of backbends which opened up my back & spine and also she stretched out my wrists and the arches of my feet! I have a lot of foot issues so this was soooooo AWESOME! Great tape- I highly recommend!!

Desiree Rumbaugh, Yoga to the Rescue This is anusara teacher-extraordinaire Desiree Rumbaugh's first video offering. Workshops with Desiree are always fun and challenging. Even though she's good at giving everyone a door into the practice, the sessions I've had with her have been somewhat yoga-goes-to-the-circus. In any event it was a bit of a surprise for me to see that her first video is therapeutic in approach and is such a good one too. Desiree illustrates very clearly how the home practitioner can build strength and increase flexibility safely, as well as work toward healing injuries, physical imbalances etc.. Yoga to the Rescue is definitely geared toward the beginning practitioner, but I'm a long-time practitioner who has completed teacher training and have still been using parts of this vid in my home practice. She reminds me to do stuff I don't like to do but should, like toe-breaker (although I wish she had spent more time in this one) and she has interesting ways of doing some standard poses. I have to say her way of presenting reclining twist, as more of a shoulder stretch than a core strengthening completely changed the way I approach that pose. Isn't it strange how a simple thing can make such a big difference. There's some really nice forward bend stuff. She shows it done with toes elevated (that anusara/Iyengar stand by) to help PF and then with hands clasped behind you to open the shoulders. You don't often find really detailed instruction in forward bend and it's nice to see it here. Again, if you're looking for fast flow you won't find it in Rescue.. You won't find dancey. It's just solid foundation stuff -- even to the natural curve of the lumbar spine. If you've taken a lot of anusara classes, as I have, you'll be familiar with most of this material -- but I still found some surprises. I like that it really does start with the head and end with the feet by the way - a real change of yoga pace. I realize not everyone uses videos like I do. I get most of my non-self-generated yoga from my regular classes. I use media in pieces, worked into my own home practices. I often deviate from the video instruction or pose and I often stop the player so I can insert an inversion practice, or some arm balances or some wheels...or whatever. And I'm not into flow, except the one I follow in my own head. Rescue is well-chaptered so it's ideal for adjusting to individual needs. However, I've done it a couple of times as designed and it works fine that way too. The production is attractive. Desiree appears a little stiff at times, but no big deal. The music sucks - wish there were a music-off option (something I think all yoga, pilates etc vids should have) so I could play my own. The video contains about 50 yoga minutes. Desiree's solid base of training and experience (anusara and Iyengar) inform her practice and her teaching.

If you're looking for a flowing work-out, this is not the DVD for you. This is actually a series of stretches with explanations for how each one works and is very disjointed. If you're accustomed to Vinyasa or Ashtanga yoga, you will be as disappointed as I was. There's no actual work-out, just the demonstration of stretches. Definitely not well suited for experienced yoga practioners.