Element: Hatha And Flow Yoga For Beginners [DVD]

Fantastic DVD. As a total newcomer to yoga, I have to say Tamal Dodge is a very good instructor. The instructions are clear, and I like that there are modifications where needed if you have short hamstrings so you don't end up hurting yourself. The Hatha section has been great as a beginner - easy enough for any level to follow. The Flow section however, I tried, but I couldn't complete it, I found it too difficult for me at the moment. I will come back to it though once my strength and flexibility has improved a little. Will definitely be looking out for more Tamal Dodge DVD's in the future. This has been a great introduction to yoga - I always feel so relaxed afterwards!

I do like Tamal. I like that he isn't all over the place and that he shows his postures/poses very well. I love the 'tone' and over all feel of the dvd's. However, I do the second session first, and the first one last. It's not *quite* what I am after, but is a good addition to my collection. Thank you Tamal! It is a lovely dvd and session :)

Straight forward, goog instruction. Lovely setting and instructor has very gentle and relaxed tone,. I'm a total beginner and found the hatha section easy to follow and great way to begin. Tried the flow section but common sense dictates I will stick with first section for a few weeks before trying again, need to work on getting basics right and work on my balance. I'm looking forward to progressing as I really enjoyed it. Felt well stretched after a session. As he says - no rush.

Nice but I don't think its for begginers also It is nice when the voice is actually tellin with side of the body is done its most of the time oposite if you need to look at the screen can be confusing bor a beginner.

I have a lot of the element DVDs and this is one of the best (along with Mia Togo and Elena Brower). The instructions are clear and easy to follow, the flow is beautiful. Tamal is a great instructor and it's the perfect start to a day. It's a great stretch for the body and calming for the mind. Nameste and Aloha.

Well produced dvd in a peaceful setting without distracting conversation and activity. I like his voice and style. Also like that he is not talking while doing. The speech is voiced over the movie and somehow this makes it easier to follow along. I bought this to do some easy home yoga while recovering from long term illness and restoring muscle strength and inner balance. 2 lessons that you can do in sequence or separately and though this is definitely aimed for novices, it can also be helpful for those with experience who need to get back on the mat. Enjoying this and will order another by same teacher.

I have never done yoga before and will admit I am not very fit so I wanted something to ease me into yoga. The Hatha section was good for a beginner like myself, I struggled of course but was able to follow the moves and keep my balance even if I couldn't push my body as much as I'd like. The Flow section however I would not say is for beginners. I found it extremely difficult, there was a lot of pressure on my wrists and I found the transitions between moves too fast. But overall I am happy with the DVD for the cost. I will continue to practise and hopefully the Flow section won't be so hard as time goes on.

The DVD keeps stopping and turning itself off part way through the exercise programme. Really frustrating.

I bought this beginner video and am very happy I did. I find the poses and directions very easy to follow. It has helped my tight glut muscles relax so I no longer have any problems with pain in my legs. It is a total body stretch and I like the fact that I can work up to the Flow section when I am stronger in my upper body. Tamal's voice is very soothing and pleasant. He integrates all the proper names for the poses and explains what each pose is accomplishing for your body. It is very informative. I recommend this video highly. It is well thought out. I have been using the video for several months and wanted to send this review for others that are looking for a beginner session. I always check the ratings for advise a product when I am looking for something. Gail

Both of these practises are great for a beginner like myself. He goes slowly enough that you can get into the poses and offers some variations. He talks a far amount about breathing and accurate alignment, but his voice isn't annoying like some exercise DVDs. I have back and neck issues and am not very athletic, but I can see these really helping me because it's easy enough that I can do them. I also have some restorative yoga DVDs, and this is a completely different style of yoga, but was still relaxing. I am still going to try getting to yoga classes at a studio when I can, but this allows me to improve by daily practise and I can fit it in after a day at work without getting a babysitter or having to drive somewhere. If you need a relaxation method and a way to cope with back pain but you're hesitant to try yoga because you would be caught dead in leggings, looking like a goof at a studio, surrounded by perky millennials in their matching outfits....ugh. Give this DVD a try. The instructor is young but not annoyingly cheerful. He wears normal gym track pants and a Tshirt. It is filmed outside in his garden and the music is just sort of there, but not overly loud or intrusive and his instructions are excellent. I have a yoga strap but my 6 yr old son did these practises with me using a towel. Really, it's easy enough for a 6 year old to follow along....not super fast transitions. I've had a cervical spinal fusion and I have other back issues, too, but it's not super hardcore (I'd still check it out with your own doctor first.)

Easy to follow, clear explanations

I am very new to yoga, and by that I mean I have been practicing with "beginner" DVDs for the past month. This is one of my favorite beginning yoga DVDs. Tamal has a great voice, and explains why you're doing certain poses and what health benefits they give you. I also enjoyed the scenery and background music. One thing I love is that he emphasizes focusing on your breath by audibly breathing so you can follow along. I find this extremely helpful as I constantly forget to breath and need a reminder. You can get so much more out of your routine if you focus on breathing! There are (2) exercises on this DVD. The first I feel any beginner can keep up with. The second was extremely challenging for me, as I am very much out of shape, but it really gives me a great work out and something that I can work towards as a goal. The only thing that would make this DVD even better, is a short "what not to do" guide on these poses. I previously watched one of Rodney Yee's beginning yoga DVDS and he had a section on what you should be doing and what not to do on the poses before he even started the exercises. Since I'm doing this at home, I found this guide extremely helpful! All in all, I will be looking for other DVD's by Tamal - he was wonderful!

I like the way everything is approached. It is a nice relaxing experience. You must remember that the teacher is very experienced and that you will not be able to do the stretches and "exercises" as well as him. Do what you can and keep it up! Be positive. I have only done the routine twice so far and like how it went. It took a lot of years of self abuse to get my body in this shape , and I know rehab does not happen over a short period of time. That is the key word.....time.