Anyone wanting to get in shape like the stars need go no further than Bryan Kest's home-video workouts. Kest teaches wildly popular yoga classes in Santa Monica, California--so popular that stars like Rhea Perlman, David Duchovny, and Elisabeth Shue willingly sweat alongside the hoi polloi in Kest's packed, ancient loft studio. If you don't happen to be in the neighborhood, not to worry: Kest's yoga videos are nearly as good as being there. Volume 1, Energize, is a beginner-level class that nonetheless is smartly designed to provide challenges for all levels of users. Kest's Jersey-boy voice at first seems in contrast to the serene environment and inner-peace objectives, but it gradually becomes soothing and hypnotic in its own right. Stretches and strengthening moves are alternated with just enough repose to keep even first timers on track. After mastering Vol. 1, practitioners can go on to Volume 2, Tone, in which Kest turns up the intensity, holding a variety of twisting poses for long stretches of time. It's OK to take it easy, rest, or modify the routines to your ability, which is part of the reason the tape is so useful. You won't be turned off as a beginner-to-intermediate practitioner, but there's plenty of room to challenge yourself as an advanced athlete, too.

yogalady

Bryan Kest is the best!
This is the best yoga series ever!
I had tons of shoulder and neck pain and doing this has really loosened me up. I NEED to do my Bryan Kest once a week at least. I have been doing this for over 3 years now and it's still the best video series out there. Plus there are 3 workouts on the DVD so you can progress from the first to the third and then pick whichever one so you don't get bored. I love this video! If you have and neck and shoulder tightness, you need to do these videos. They may be challenging at first but it will feel like a nice massage the more you do them!

He talks too much. Period.

Based on previous glowing reviews, I bought this DVD. Mistake. Mr. Bryan Kest simply talks waaay too much. I couldn't make it past the first ten minutes without getting seriously annoyed. He goes on and on with empowering messages, which isn't really what I want to hear. I tried doing the workout twice, but stopped after about 15 minutes each time because I got too irritated with his incessant chatter.

Utterly Awesome!

This is by far my ultimate favorite yoga DVD. Most other DVDs I own either flow too quickly from one pose to another (for example MTV's Power yoga) or simply don't challenge me enough. I would not call Bryan Kest's workouts great for beginners. A sense of some yoga knowledge is really needed. Bryan Kest's workouts are challenging. Even the first of the three videos, I would call intermediate. If you are looking for a beginner workout, I would give Rainbeau Mars a gander.