My idea of yoga is Yoga Mind and Body by Ali Mcgraw, I have been using it for years and lately added Yoga Shakti by Shiva Rea. Aside from these 2 I do pilates. Imagine my surprise the 1st time I did MTV Power Yoga, I could not keep up. My heart was surging like a race horse and all those downward facing dogs made my arms tremble, add to that my shoulders ached. For the 1st few times (about 4x or more) I just did the sun salutations and called it a day. I have done half the workout more times than I have done the entire work-out, but I liked it and it was getting easier so I kept doing it.

Earlier this year I gained weight and went up to 52kg. Bear in mind that at 5ft 3 inches that's in now way large, but on my frame gaining 2-3kg makes me feel slow and heavy. For some weeks now I have noticed that my clothes are much loser (I have lost quite a few inches) and I am back at 49.5 kg. I started doing MTV Yoga in June and continued doing it on and off until the middle of August and havent done it since then, now its October 3rd.
The reason I am writing this review is I ran into someone today who I havent seen in 2 years and after a few minutes they commented that my face had gotten quite slimmer. I came home and for some reason it clicked that the only thing I did new this summer was that I started doing power yoga (and drinking green tea). So today I decided to do the workout again after stopping for about 6 weeks and lo and behold I could finish the entire yoga workout!!! No shaking like before (ok just a tiny bit), my arms didnt hurt from the downward facing dog, and all in all my body had gotten a lot stronger. Even though this DVD is FAST I was able to do it with some semblance of elegance and without getting completely out of breath.

Think of this DVD as strength training, aerobics, and flexibility workout in one, using yoga moves. If you are looking for meditative yoga movements to slow down and find your spirit then this is not it. If you want to get stronger, work you heart, and stretch your body then you have the right DVD. I absolutely love this work out now because I can get stronger without lifting weights and I can raise my heart rate without doing all the jumping and high impact stuff.
I dont recommend this workout for beginners. I was not a beginner to yoga when I started, nor was anywhere close to being overweight, and I am relatively fit (I have been commuting by bicyle for the last 4 years). Even so, this workout worked me over to the point where I had to quit half way many times. That being said, if you already have experience with yoga you can start using this DVD and sloowly build your way up. Stick with it and you will get stronger, the shaking will get less and eventually stop, and your breathing will be less haggard and become more even, and you may drop some inches. That was the result I experienced.

I personally LOVE this video. It's one of the best yoga videos ever! That said, it is not a typical yoga video. It is POWER yoga and it is very challenging. She moves fast through the salutations and the standing postures. But it slows down a little for balances, twists, and bends. I say it might be ambitious for a beginner because the first time I did it, I found it a little hard to follow. And I had done yoga (although mostly Hatha) before. But once you get through the first time, it gets easier and easier to follow. I like that it is only about 45 minutes long and afterward you feel like you really got a good workout. I also like that the bonus ab pilates workout is only 10 more minutes. Overall, I think it is a fabulous video for those looking for a challenging 'yoga-cardio' workout.

After having my second baby at the age of 32, I tried many different exercise routines to lose weight (my other favorites are Crunch and FitTV workouts with Ellen Barrett and Kendall Hogan). I borrowed MTV Power Yoga from the library and was immediately addicted - my first workout got me sweating profusely but left me with a feeling of exhilaration, rather than leaving me tired. Kristin McGee gives great instruction, especially with breathing cues. I was able to follow along from day 1 despite having minimal prior experience with yoga. After doing MTV Power Yoga 4-6 times per week for a month, I lost the last stubborn 5 pounds and was able to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes.

Love the DVD, but some advice. I am a beginner and I just decided to make the move from beginner to 'power' yoga. I DO NOT recommend this DVD if you are a beginner and you haven't become thoroughly familiar with her other mtv yoga DVD, the red colored one. In fact, together they are both great. I recommend starting with the red one, then after at least a month of practice with it you can move onto the blue one. But don't go blue first, unless you are 'practiced'. AND, even when you are getting good with the red one and you wanna' move onto the blue one, watch it through first, just to figure out the complicated moves 'cause she goes fast. But, this is a great DVD, buy it, and you will work your arse off...

It is a challenging yoga routine but McGee doesn't know right from left and everything is hurried. My guess for a reason for the fast routine is the ADD of the target audience of teenagers. Try Brian Kest.