Search - Budokon: Power and Agility Yoga on DVD

Serenity and Power

Rebecca Johnson | Washington State | 10/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The way we do anything is the way we do everything." ~ Cameron Shayne



To be quite honest I wasn't ready for Budokon but I thought it was worth a try. This is a combination of martial arts, yoga and meditation. Instead of holding each position the postures "roll" together in a way that is similar to vinyasa-style yoga. The difference is that with Budokon you are alternating action-packed moves with relaxing stretches.



The practice begins with a five-minute breathing session to calm the mind and body. While this tests your patience it prepares your mind for the highly disciplined style of exercise. You need a completely centered mind to follow the cueing, which is fast and furious. The names of the postures give some indication of what you will experience. Some of the exercises and postures include:



Plank

Downward Facing Dog

Upward Facing Dog

Child's Pose

Side Plank

Dancer's Bridge - takes you from side plank to facing the ceiling

Floating Lunges - jumping from one side to the other

Crow - an intense challenge for the upper body where your entire weight rests on your arms

Kung Fu Stretches - a simple side to side movement to stretch out the legs

Downward Facing Lion

Dancing Lion

Pigeon

Fighting Monkey

Playing Monkey

Kicks

Leaping Leopard

Crocodile

Gorilla

Flowering Lotus

Plough



To complete the exercises you need to have a basic knowledge of yoga and good upper body strength. Your body also needs to be trained to respond instantly to the cueing. If you have a good idea of what to expect it makes everything slightly easier to accomplish. The technique tutorials are a good place to start if you are new to Budokon.



If you are looking for a highly disciplined style of exercise, then Budokon might be something you want to try. This rigorous workout puts the body through a strenuous series of flowing exercises that will leave you energized with a sense of clarity. The practice ends with an extended meditation.



~The Rebecca Review"

Great, innovative workout

Kevin L. Dougherty | Coastal California | 10/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Budokon, Power and Agility is definitely an innovative and unique fitness program that has touched 'home' with me. I study yoga, martial arts and when I need to, meditate. As a person who practices both yoga and martial arts, I was looking for a program that synthesizes both disciplines and this DVD accomplishes this tremendously. It contains both a complete, uninterrupted workout and comes with a tutorial for the myriad of different exercises, both yogic and martial art related. As one who has taken seminars with Cameron Shayne, I must encourage others, too and this DVD gives you an opportunity to learn this splendid art called Budokon. Mr. Shayne is wonderful hands-on teacher, both powerful and humble in his approach. This DVD in a three-DVD series will improve your power and agility, your strength, balance and your flexibility and flow. You will be rediscover and inner athleticism desiring to be developed. I have been practicing all three DVDs (Power and Agility, Strength and Balance and Flow and Flexibility) and must honestly admit that in so many ways my physical abilities and my mental state have improved markedly. Budokon necessitates a strong body/mind thought process that has a synergistic effect on you. Not many yoga/physical fitness DVDs open and close with a meditation like these new Budokon DVDs do."

A great program for advanced athletes

A. Saed | 01/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This program (all 3 DVD's) is a great tool for anyone who is already in good shape and wants to be in awesome condition.



I use these DVD's to supplement my MMA training. Even after 4 years of BJJ and Muay Thai, plus 15 years of staying in shape with conventional fitness routines, this program manages to be exceptionally hard.



The routines in the program are rather unique; they utilize muscles in ways you probably haven't used them before.



Bottom line: if you are already in decent shape, this will help you get in the best shape of your life. If you're a beginner, I would still recommend trying them out. Nothing says you have to be as fast as Cameron Shayne and do every repetition."

For those who have been frightened by other reviews.

D. DeRosa | 07/18/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Since the other reviewers did a great job summarizing the DVD, I mainly just wanted to share my experience. First of all, after reading a few reviews stating that you should already be a good shape to try this, I was reluctant to purchase it. Therefore, I found that it was available on Netflix, and after reading even more frightening reviews about apparently fit people getting their butts kicked by these videos, I decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, it wasn't quite as scary as those reviews led me to think.



Now, you should know that this review is coming from someone whose primary sources of exercise have been running, bicycling, and yoga. However, before today, an upsetting amount of months had passed by where I can't say I did anything I would consider serious physical activity.



I have never practiced martial arts before in my life, but in starting the DVD, I saw many familiar yoga positions being used, particularly during the warm up. This was a definite comfort. As the routine really kicked into gear, I had difficulty figuring out what body parts to put where and in what order--but the DVD includes a fabulous feature, allowing you to view the tutorial for each specific move, then returning you right where you left off in the main video. This helped tremendously. Still, I am far from as fit as I could be, and I know that my execution of the moves wasn't close to perfect. Currently, I lack the muscle control necessary to "float", as several moves demand, but I still felt I was gaining knowledge and the feel of what should be done...and, though I know I didn't look graceful in the slightest, I could feel both my muscles and my stamina being tested.



There are also areas in the routine that combine a few different moves together. These I had more trouble with. My solution was to slowly go through the parts I knew while the instructor was still speeding through them on screen, and looking to him for clues to the transitions I wasn't sure of. No, I didn't end up doing as many repetitions or accomplishing them as quickly, but I did start to get the hang of it.

Toward the end of the video, my energy began to seriously wane, but I did what I could and pulled through.



Overall, I enjoyed the DVD. I found Budokon to be an exhilarating change of exercise technique. No, I did not master it on my first try, but if it was that simple, what would be the point in doing it? I just want to let those of you out there who are interested, but wary that you aren't "in-shape enough" to try it yet, that it's really worth it. Like any other new routine, it takes time and repetition to follow along seamlessly (and to gain the necessary vitality!), but it's a challenge that I am eager to take on (as I intend to purchase my own copy now). I loved the combination of slow stretches with the other fast-paced movements. It brought in what I already enjoyed about yoga, but gave me something that I believe will eventually help me gain the energy I am hoping for."