A very different type of yoga workout
This video was my first experience with kundalini yoga, which I found to be different.  Throughout the practice, there were only a few yoga poses which I recognized from my prior practice of hatha yoga for the past several years.  This workout placed an even greater emphasis on breathing than my other yoga tapes; specifically, the "Breath of Fire," a rapid form of inhaling and exhaling which is purported to result in all kinds of benefits.<br /><br />The workout is broken down into four approximately 17 minute segments.  Ravi Singh provides instruction but does not participate--he sits on a cushion in the corner while model Catherine Quinn performs the movements.  The first segment (which is actually about 22 minutes) serves as a warmup, and it begins with simple breathing and stetching.  The Breath of Fire is introduced here, but little instruction is provided on this technique.  Left Nostril Breathing is also used, and the segment ends with a lying relaxation (Ravi notes that you can skip to the next section if you prefer to keep active).<br /><br />In Segment 2, called "Fight Fire with Fire," there is an even greater focus on the Breath of Fire, which is performed while holding various static positions--eg, lying on your back with your head and shoulders up and one leg raised.  This 17 minute segment ends with practice of the Cooling Breath.  The third segment, "No Impact Aerobics," is very similar, and it repeats some of the exercises from the second section.  Some new exercises are added, such as a modified pushup on one leg--it's fairly easy to perform, but there are many repetitions.  There is more practice with the Breath of Fire, and the Serenity Breath is also introduced.  This segment ends with another lying relaxation and comes in at about 15 minutes.<br /><br />The final segment is titled "Your Life is in Your Own Glands," and thus the exercises are specifically designed to stimulate various glands.  Following these movements, there is an extended period of seated meditation as well as an extended lying reaction for a total of 16 minutes.  (Brief periods of meditation and relaxation--including rolling up and down on your back to relax your spine--are also interspersed throughout the workout.)<br /><br />What I liked about this workout was how the energizing bursts using the Breath of Fire were combined with periods of meditation and relaxation.  However, I found it hard to believe that the practice would have the weight loss benefits which Ravi Singh repeatedly claimed; in fact, I didn't like the fact that Ravi was so focused on weight issues throughout the workout.  I also found it strange--and even somewhat condescending--that he just sat in the corner providing instruction during the workout.  His overall style just did not mesh very well with me, including his tendency to spout off in rhyming couplets.  This workout might be better suited to those already familiar with kundalini yoga rather than newbies to the method like myself.<br /><br />NOTE:  There is an updated version of this workout called "Fat Free Yoga--New & Improved" which features Ana Brett, not Catherine Quinn; see Ravi Singh and Ana Brett's web site (raviana.com) for more details.