Search - Sports Yoga Ski With Billy Asad on DVD

Worth Your Money

Caravaggio38 | Tokyo, Japan | 12/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a beginner skier who was injured last season, wants to return to the slopes next season and wants to be a better skier. I'm also an avid yoga practitioner. I was personally putting together a yoga sequence for skiing and running when I came across this new DVD recently. Frankly, I was quite skeptical at buying it as I've seen a number of "Yoga for ..." or "Weight training for ..." that were complete wastes of money. I'm happy to report that Sports Yoga Ski is different.



The yoga sequence consists of poses intended to strengthen, stretch and work out the lower body, abs and hip areas that are necessary to ski (which here, will include snowboarding). It is not presented in a hurried flow, but in a peaceful, unhurried and relaxed style, which both calmed my mind and allowed me to focus on the poses. It also has a short sequence for after-ski stretching, which I just absolutely love.



Billy Asad's instructions are clear and simple. His voice is quite and soothing. There are no yoga philosophical musings, as the focus of the DVD is skiing, not getting deeper into yoga. His short introduction does not have the usual yoga spiel, and goes right down to business - how yoga can help your skiing. As the title suggests, this DVD is all about the physical aspect of yoga. If you are expecting some yogic insights or mantras, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you are serious athlete who wants a sports-oriented yoga practice, you won't be disappointed. Any athlete (skier or not) will benefit from this DVD.



In fact, you don't have to be an athlete to appreciate this DVD. The program is neither easy nor difficult and so is suitable for beginners. I recommend this to any beginner who is for a beginner's program to get him and keep him going. As mentioned earlier, the instructions are given clearly. In addition, the movements are made unhurriedly and with precision without looking robotic or stunted. The camera angles show you how the poses are supposed to look like. While the camera is not static and changes angles, I did not have occasion to complain "I can't see what the heck I'm supposed to do".



I also liked the music. It's not obtrusive, not the typical music of Hindi/African/Arabic origin.



The setting is in front of a fireplace in a ski lodge. I can just imagine myself up on the slopes. The images of skiing and snowboarding are awesome and inspiring.



I do have a couple of minor comments. First, I found some of the poses too short (such as chair pose), that is I would have preferred to stay in those poses a few seconds longer to benefit from the pose. Second, I think that the plank and upward facing dog should have been included.









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Great for any sport!

Mark Edwards | Los Angeles | 08/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a big skier so I wanted to try this. I do the power workout on its own, or the stretching chapter after other sports--bicycling, tennis, running. The stretches are great to keep me from tightening up after the running. I love it!"