Best Advanced Yoga DVDs

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Advanced yoga styles, such as Ashtanga and Vinaya, are known for building strength, further cardiovascular conditioning, and advancing one’s mastery of the practice. Advanced yoga workouts introduce more challenging workouts, targeting different muscle groups and helping beginners and aspiring yoga masters progress in their journey.

However, many people interested in practicing advanced yoga may have specific time constraints or schedule conflicts that keep them from attending in-person practice. Luckily, yoga is widely available in the form of digital learning platforms and can be accessed through online streaming services and traditional DVDs.

Although the use of DVDs for yoga was popular throughout the early 2000s, online streaming services have become increasingly popular and enable people from all across the world to participate in yoga at any time, anywhere.

The following are some of the primary reasons why people have started to use online services and streaming for intermediate yoga over the traditional use of DVDs:

  • Online services are more cost-effective in the long term when compared to a single purchase.
  • Online services provide greater flexibility and more options for the types of classes available and their duration and difficulty.
  • DVDs risk wear and tear, unlike online services.
  • Some online services provide live streaming, which provides a more authentic experience.
  • Many online services provide a community-based approach to yoga through the use of group challenges and communication boards.
  • Streaming and online services provide access anytime, anywhere, unlike DVDs which rely upon system requirements.
  • Most online services provide a multi-faceted learning approach to yoga by accessing articles, blogs, courses, and more.

This article will review the 5 best-advanced yoga DVDs, which include both online services and traditional DVDs. We’ll also discuss some of the most popular advanced yoga poses and review how yoga can build strength.

Comparison of the 5 Best Advanced Yoga DVDs

Best Advanced Yoga DVD: Yoga International

Best Yoga DVDs

Yoga International is an incredibly diverse yoga website that offers live-stream and pre-recorded yoga classes for yogis of all levels. It provides a community-based, multi-faceted digital learning platform where yogis and practitioners can further their practice and gain a more profound knowledge of yoga, meditation, holistic health, and mindful living.

Yoga International currently serves over 300,000 members per day and offers a free 30 day trial for new members. Membership options are available for $19.99/month or $119.88/year.

Members of Yoga International will enjoy access to:

  • 500+ experts in yoga therapy, meditation, persona transformation, and more.
  • Video classes, digital workshops, in-depth articles covering a wide variety of yoga topics
  • 1000+ classes of various lengths, styles, and levels of difficulty
  • Monthly themed challenges and multi-day training sessions are available
  • Live stream classes and offline classes
  • Yoga International app that’s accessible through the phone, tablet, TV

Class options are available for all levels of yoga practice, and there are also specialized classes available for Hatha, Vinyasa, and other significant forms of yoga. Some of its best courses for advanced yoga include Jim Bennitt’s 4-Part Advanced Series and 7-Day Peak Pose Challenge.

Yoga International has received ratings of 4.7 and 4.0 on the Apple app store and Trustpilot, respectively, from among thousands of ratings and is held in high regard by the yoga community.

Pros:

  • 1900+ classes and 500+ expert teachers
  • Live-stream classes and offline classes are available
  • Accessible anywhere, anytime through the Yoga International app

Cons:

  • Some customers have reported issues with customer service and billing
  • Some customers have noticed issues with audio or lagging on the app
  • Customers have mentioned that Yoga International has a small selection for its 60-min classes

Advanced Yoga by Rodney Yee

Advanced Yoga by Rodney Yee

Among the most famous and recognizable yoga series globally, Power Yoga Collection by Rodney Yee is indispensable. I am very confident of this advanced yoga collection produced by Gaiam – a prominent name in the yoga block and yoga mat industry.

As a reputable yoga instructor with more than 30 yoga videos in his name, it can’t be denied that Advanced Yoga is one of Rodney Yee’s best works. The DVD contains advanced yoga routines that will take your practice to the next level.

He guides practitioners who want to advance into building up strength and sequence challenging arm balances, giving you more confidence in the process. He also walks you through a complete series of hip openers before delving into advanced movements.

The routines are great for intermediate-level yoga practitioners who want to advance to the next level. Practice the sequences in this DVD repeatedly, and you should achieve mastery in yoga.

Pros:

  • The product contains three DVD workout programs at an affordable price
  • Rodney strikes a good balance between enhancing the physical and mental benefits of the program
  • The Yoga Burn Part is beneficial for weight loss
  • The movements are thoroughly explained

Cons:

  • Not for beginners

Gaiam Athletic Yoga

Gaiam Athletic Yoga

Matt Giordano, a prominent runner and yoga instructor, guides practitioners and athletes to be on top of their game with this advanced yoga DVD.

This collection contains three 20-minute workout sessions: the first is pre-run, the second is conditioning, and the last is post-run. There’s also a 5-minute bonus video for proper stretching to prevent injuries.

A lot of the runners love this DVD since it makes them healthier and stronger athletes. The active programs allow them to integrate an important stretching session without spending too much time jogging.

Thus, the practitioners experience less pain, fewer injuries, and a more agile feeling than before.

Pros:

  • The conditioning sessions with no rest are very challenging but rewarding.
  • Pre-runs make up for a fantastic warm-up
  • Great and building stamina and endurance
  • Perfect yoga workout for runners

Cons:

  • Some non-runners may not find the workout DVD applicable to them

Advanced Vinyasa Flow Yoga: Strength and Balance by Jenny Rawlings

Advanced Vinyasa Flow Yoga: Strength and Balance by Jenny Rawlings

With 5 different routines of different time frames, this advanced yoga has everything a practitioner could ask for. It targets all body parts virtually, and the poses and routines flow in an organized way. This smart yoga practice will challenge you, enhance your stamina, condition your body, and relax your mind.

I like that I have different routines to choose from since I can quickly adapt them to my busy schedule. It has a single 37-minute exercise, two 1-hour exercises, and two long 75-minute exercises. Every sequence is truly focused on enhancing performance, stability, and control.

However, this advanced workout is designed for more experienced practitioners and any intermediate practitioner who wants to take their practice further.

I like Jenni Rawlings, performance. She is an expert yoga teacher and performer whose smart routines are a manifestation of real mastery.

Pros:

  • The movements are easy to follow; even the advanced routines
  • Jenny never fails to share her insights on advanced yoga training
  • Jenny is a reputable instructor with years of experience in the industry

Cons:

  • More for intermediate level practitioners

Tripsichore Yoga: Uniquely Advanced Vinyasa by Edward Clark

Tripsichore Yoga: Uniquely Advanced Vinyasa by Edward Clark

I love watching the stunning movements of Edward Clark as he performs a perfect asana. Tripsichore uses asana to perform beautiful, graceful, and advanced dance-like actions that are quite pleasant to watch.

If you want an extreme challenge or something unique in your practice, then this DVD would be an absolute challenge and stunner. The DVD contains 5 ½ hours of advanced workout: 6 Tripsichore Yoga exercises, three complete Vinyasa.

The DVD also includes 5 1/2 hours:

  • Six Tripsichore Yoga performance pieces.
  • Three full vinyasa routines.
  • A 90-minute workshop material that teaches philosophy and techniques.

Personally, this DVD has blown my mind away.

Pros:

  • Beautiful and graceful dance-like movements
  • Challenging routines promise great results
  • Three full Vinyasa routines develop balance, strength, and flexibility

Cons:

  • Some practitioners don’t like the dances

Advanced Yoga Poses

Some of the most popular poses found within advanced yoga include:

  • Hand-To-Foot pose (Utthita Hasta Padangustasana)
  • Mermaid (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
  • Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana)
  • Toe Stand (Padangustasana)
  • Wheel (Urdhva Dhanurasana)
  • Revolved Half Moon Pose (Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana)
  • Little Thunderbolt Pose (Laghu Vajrasana)
  • One-Legged King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
  • Compass Pose (Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana)
  • Firefly Pose (Tittibhasana)
  • Flying Crow Pose (Eka Pada Galavasana)
  • Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana)
  • Scorpion Pose (Vschikasana)

Yoga for Strength

Advanced yoga is one of the best forms of exercise for developing strength since it relies upon the recruitment of major muscle groups throughout the body and helps build endurance. Completing poses such as those above enable yogis to build muscle and develop strength in ways that most styles of lifting and other forms of exercise do not.

Best Advanced Yoga for Strength DVD

Several key factors affect which of the above programs is the best-advanced yoga DVD for you. When finalizing your decision on which DVD or program to select, you should consider the following factors:

  • Select a program that provides proper guidance from an expert
  • Make sure the program offers a variety of options in respect to style, duration, and difficulty
  • Ensure that the style and poses are difficult enough if you are advanced in your practice
  • Read reviews on each of the programs online to seek out the pros and cons of each

Thus, it is essential to buy a DVD only from an excellent instructor and do thorough research on the instructor and what people are saying about him before you make a buying decision.

Conclusion

Advanced yoga provides an excellent way to increase flexibility, build strength, and promote physical and mental endurance. Having the best-advanced yoga DVD makes a huge difference in achieving your health goals, and each of the above programs has its key features for those who are more experienced in their yoga practice.

References

Parasuraman, S., Wen, L. E., Zhen, K. M., Hean, C. K., & Sam, A. T. (2016). Exploring the pharmacological and pharmacotherapeutic effects of yoga. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biomedical Reports, 2(1).