One of the best ways to “take” lessons with some of the top yogi instructors in the industry is by purchasing their DVD.
It doesn’t matter if you live near their studio or not; it doesn’t matter if it’s midnight or 1:00 p.m. Having the freedom to learn from the best in the comfort of your own home whenever you can fit it into your schedule is priceless.
So, with all of the different choices out there, how do you pick the best yoga DVD for your skill level, age, and schedule?
Read on to find out how to narrow down the choices and to see which DVDs our yogi experts recommend.
Top 10 Yoga DVDs Comparison Chart
| Picture | Name | Great For… | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Gentle Yoga: 7 Beginning Yoga Practices for Mid-life with Jane Adams | Mid-life Audience | $$ | 4.7 |
 | 2. Yoga Stretch for Beginners and Beyond | AM or PM Relaxation Sessions | $$ | 4.7 |
 | 3. Namaste Yoga: The Complete First Season[DVD] | Warm Up, Cool Down, Relaxation | $$$$ | 4.6 |
 | 4. Biggest Loser: Weight Loss Yoga | Weight Loss | $ | 4.5 |
 | 5. Power Yoga - Total Body Workout | Experienced Yogi | $$ | 4.4 |
 | 6. Viniyoga Therapy for the Low Back, Sacrum & Hips with Gary Kraftsow | Lower Back Problems | $$$ | 4.4 |
 | 7. Rodney Yee's Yoga for Beginners | Beginners | $$ | 4.3 |
 | 8. Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown | Weight Loss | $ | 4.3 |
 | 9. Yoga for the Rest of Us: Easy Yoga for Arthritis | Seniors, Arthritis Sufferers | $ | 4.2 |
 | 10. Yoga For Beginners | Beginners | $$ | 4.1 |
How to Choose the Perfect Yoga DVD
We know selecting the best yoga DVD is difficult when you have so many choices in front of you. Here are some additional factors to consider if you’re still having trouble choosing.
The Instructor
If you’ve never heard of the instructor – maybe you’re new to yoga, or you are used to the voice, style, and techniques of another – listen to a sample of the DVD first.
It’s important to feel completely comfortable with the person on your screen so you can benefit from the workout. If you are annoyed or frustrated, you’ll just end up turning it off, and hence wasting your money.
Length of the Session(s)
For many of us, time is of the essence. If that’s you then we recommend numbers 1, 2, and 3 in our table. These options will help you fit in a short yoga session to keep you focused and energized.
Do you have more time to dedicate to each session? If so, consider number 5 or either of the weight loss workouts. Some also have a mixture of quick morning or evening routines along with a few extended routines for a more thorough yoga experience.
Skill Level and Age
Your skill level and age obviously play a big role in the decision process. Choose a workout that will challenge you but that you’re still comfortable with.
Gentle Yoga: 7 Beginning Yoga Practices for Your Day with Jane Adams, for example, is designed with the middle-aged yogi in mind. Read more about it in our review section below.
Yoga for the Rest of Us: Easy Yoga for Arthritis with Peggy Cappy would be ideal for users over 50 and into the golden years.
Another great DVD for this age range is Yoga over 50 with Barbara Benagh. It didn’t make our list since, ultimately, we thought that Barbara’s beginner yoga DVD was better (number 10), but we wanted to mention it since it’s still a great DVD.
Top 5 Best Yoga DVD Reviews
1. Gentle Yoga with Jane Adams
Jane Adams’ Gentle Yoga DVD is great for beginners, especially if you’re between 35 and 50. The moves are gentle, as the title suggests. Those who aren’t as flexible won’t overdo it as they work to strengthen and stretch the body.
The video consists of seven different practices, along with an 8-minute relaxation session that you can do whenever you’re feeling a little bit tense. Jane has been practicing yoga since 1978, so we had no doubts about her expertise or experience as an instructor.
Since each of the seven practices runs for a different length of time, you can pick and choose which one you prefer based on the amount of time you have at your disposition. We loved the 19-minute practice “Relief from Desk & Computer Work”. We know many others will benefit from it too seeing as how so many of us work in an office.
If you were looking for a more relaxing approach to yoga that doesn’t request overexertion of the body, then this is the right DVD for you.
2. Yoga Stretch for Beginners and Beyond
After having a master yogi like Jane Adams take us through the gentle aspects of yoga, we found the youthful Jessica Smith’s approach to appeal more to younger beginners.
We thought that it was equally as relaxing as the previous DVD. The main difference is that it contains only two complete practices while Jane Adams’ had seven. However it will still help you improve your strength, stamina, and flexibility.
These practices were designed to help you energize and prepare your body for the coming day or to help you unwind once the day is over. If you’re new to yoga, you should start with a DVD like this that doesn’t ask you to perform difficult poses that might result in an injury.
You can watch the introduction to the video here to get an idea of what you’ll be learning.
3. Namaste Yoga: The Complete First Season
If you don’t have a lot of time in your day and you would like a complete series of practices to follow, then Namaste Yoga is a good match for you.
Kate Potter uses two different styles of yoga in these practices – Hatha and Vinyasa. The DVD is recommended for both beginners and advanced practitioners alike. You’ll have the opportunity to learn the Revolved Triangle Pose for the intermediate yogi, the Crane Arm Balance for the more advanced yogi and the Warrior 3 pose for those who are in the upper beginner phase ready to transition.
After watching it, however, we weren’t sure that the complete beginner would be able to keep up with the series and enjoy it. It can move a little fast if you’re not familiar with any poses at all, which might leave some of you feeling frustrated.
If you’ve done yoga in the past and want to jump back on the bandwagon, this is a great choice.
4. Biggest Loser: Weight Loss Yoga
Many fans of the show “The Biggest Loser” pounced upon this DVD when it was released. People from all walks of their weight loss goals can benefit from the poses and tips in this video because they provided you with regular and modified version of each pose.
They provide you with three different yoga workouts, each 55 minutes long. There is also a 5-minute warm-up and 5-minute cool-down available that we highly recommend you do.
The difficulty levels vary, as some moves are simpler while others will challenge even the experienced yogi.
Keep in mind that this is not designed to make you feel relaxed. It is designed for those who want to shed pounds. If you stick to this DVD and work hard to improve, it will provide you with results!
5. Power Yoga – Total Body Workout
Rodney Yee has a variety of successful yoga DVDs on the market, and this is probably our favorite.
You’ll need to have at least an hour to dedicate to yoga when you buy this DVD. Unlike the other DVDs with short versions of a variety of practices, this one includes just one session.
Would we recommend this for beginners? No. Some beginners enjoyed the DVD, but it is more suitable for someone ready to progress to the next phase of yoga.
There is no doubt that Rodney is a master instructor and the video is enjoyable. Be prepared to sweat a little bit, especially if you haven’t been practicing yoga for a while!
