Element: Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga [DVD]

Keeping up a yoga practice has really helped maintain my physical, mental, and emotional health during pregnancy. I try to do it 5-6 times per week, once in a studio and the rest at home, so finding good DVDs has been really important.My favorite is Hala Khouri's Radiant Pregnancy, but even the best program can start to feel stale if you do it 4 times a week for months on end, so I ordered 4 others to add to the mix and am reviewing them all here (in order of preference). Element Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga is also an excellent program that is only ranked second because it's shorter and more streamlined than Hala and doesn't offer as much variety (1 prenatal program instead of 3, no restorative poses or meditation), but sometimes simple and straightforward is exactly what you need.1. Radiant Pregnancy with Hala Khouri - 5 stars- Pros: Includes 3 completely distinct programs for each trimester; each program is divided into sections so you can do as much or as little you want each day; Hala provides clear instructions and honest and relaxing dialogue; excellent range of poses, stretches, and movements; one of the few programs that can get my heartbeat pumping while also offering more moderate alternatives if needed; includes Kegel exercises starting in the 2nd trimester.- Cons: Some poses require props, but I used everyday objects from the around the house (throw pillows, picnic blankets, and a towel instead of a strap) and they worked fine until I decided to go ahead and buy the real deal. Only problematic when I travel.- In sum: Wonderful program, highly recommended for all levels of experience and fitness, should be a cornerstone of any consistent prenatal practice.2. Element Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga with Elena Brower - 5 stars- Pros: Clear and concise 30 minute prenatal routine, I can always find time for it; closely resembles a non-prenatal practice in tone and form, but with subtle variations; difficulty is enough to feel productive and strengthened but with well-timed pauses to regroup and recenter; narration is calm and soothing; no props needed; also includes a postnatal program (which I am looking forward to).- Cons: Not much of a warmup before you begin, so may be better suited to people who are already familiar with yoga; not ideal for days when you have less energy and want something more restorative; only 1 routine so you probably need at least one more program if you plan to continue yoga throughout your pregnancy.- In sum: Very good all around program for people who practice less frequently or need more than one routine in their practice.3. Prenatal Vinyasa Yoga and Short Forms with Jennifer More - 4 stars- Pros: The most challenging program I've found and a true vinyasa flow class, very invigorating and energizing; the full length routine is 1 hour and 15 minutes of constant movement (relaxation follows separately); despite challenging movements, subtle modifications make sure you stay stable and balanced throughout all three trimeters, with a model in each trimester demonstrating the correct variation; also includes a partner yoga routine and a separate DVD of "short forms" with 15, 30, and 45 minute routines for when you have less time.- Cons: Would not make a good choice if you only select one dvd, program is too difficult for days when you have less energy, even the short forms (sometimes you just want stretching warm ups and/or restoratives, neither of which are offered in this program); mediocre production sometimes prevents you from getting a good view of the poses, which can be confusing if you're new to this program or to yoga generally; relaxation consists of 15 minutes of guided shavasana, no other meditation or restoratives, with narration I found more distracting than helpful.- In sum: Great option for when you want a challenge and completely doable (don't let some of the reviews scare you off, you can always start with the short forms and work your way up to the full routine), would need to supplement with a more well-rounded option like Hala Khouri or Jane Austin for less active days.4. Jane Austin Prenatal Yoga - 4 stars- Pros: Upbeat and clear instruction; good emphasis on upper body strength in addition to legs and the pelvic floor; does have chapters (though they're not as clearly segmented as Hala Khouri); feel fully stretched and relaxed by the end.- Cons: Only 1 routine; moderate difficulty wouldn't be hard enough for me to choose as my only program (still good as an alternate); pace is a somewhat relaxed and the full hour can feel a bit long; only soundtrack is "om" chanting which I can tune out most of the time but occasionally becomes distracting.- In sum: Good program on the more gentle side but still engages the entire body.5. Prenatal Yoga with Shiva Rea - 2 stars- Pros: Honestly hard to think of many, but I suppose if you are really brand new to yoga and nervous about starting, then this incredibly easy program with demonstrations for all 3 trimesters could be a good option for you. You can also buy this as part of Shiva Rea's "Yoga for Pregnancy" set which includes a prenatal and postnatal routine, so perhaps you'd get more for your money that way.- Cons: Really no challenge whatsoever if you've done even a little yoga or are in otherwise decent shape, it's really just 50 minutes of light stretching or holding very easy poses; on top of that, it's a poorly balanced routine, some parts of my body got no attention at all (lower back, calves, abdomen, arms) while others kept repeating the same movements over and over (hips, side waist, and quads); odd use of a chair in some poses when it really wasn't necessary, and they don't offer instruction for how to do the poses without the chair.- In sum: Skip this unless you are really sure you want to start with the easiest possible program or got it as a gift (in which case who knows, maybe you'll like it).

I'm in the 5th week of my 3rd pregnancy. I gained 45 with my first and was in terrible shape. I didn't loose the weight until after my 2nd pregnancy where I only gained 25, but started overweight. I finally lost all the baby weight and then some and now here I am for #3. I am no where near in great shape, but at least my weight is down and I'm working on it. I promised myself I would have a more healthy pregnancy this time. My diet is great, I just needed to find a workout that I would enjoy and that wouldn't take an hour of my time. I purchased 4 pregnancy workouts - 2 pilates and 2 yoga and I love them all. I looked at pretty much every prenatal workout Amazon has to offer (spent a couple days reading reviews) and am super happy with my choices. All 4 make the workout very personal, the music is great, and there isn't any of that super peppy over acting stuff like so many workouts. They are all well trained in their art and have many years of experience behind them.#1 - Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga with Elena BrowerThis is a great workout! This is my first time doing yoga, though I've done some of the moves in my regular non-pregnancy pilates workouts, and I'm loving it. It has really loosened up my stiffness and made my hips and lower back feel so much better. I thought I was going to die during my 2nd pregnancy because of all my aches and pains. I talked with many of my friends about yoga and what I should look for. They told me about how I should feel it, but not overstretch, to know what my bodies limits are. The breathing really helps. This one also has a postnatal workout I am looking forward to!#2 - 10 minute Solution Prenatal Pilates with Lizbeth GarciaThis really energized me. It uses weights along with great moves and my heart rate was up and going. I love Lizbeth Garcia. I LOVE that you can pick which order you do the workouts in and you can do one or as many as you like! I'm looking forward to the postnatal workout after my beautiful little one arrives!#3 - Pilates During Pregnancy with Niece PecenkaAll I can say is - wow! My legs are out of shape. The ab workout is great and helps me feel open and even helped my bloated feeling pass. The leg work is a challenge and has a lot of different moves my other pilates workouts don't, but I know it will get easier as I gain strength. Some of he movements aren't always the same length, but I still love doing this workout.#4 - Yoga for Pregnancy Labor & Birth with Colette CrawfordI did this today and it really relaxed my body and mind (which I needed as my 3 and 5 year old were running around the house doing crazy things). It's very simple and straightforward and anyone can do it. I feel motivated after doing it and so many pressures are gone. As mentioned in some of the other reviews the girls in it aren't super skinny and that is kind of nice sometimes. She talks a lot about breathing, being in the moment, and just knowing your body. I would recommend this to anyone who just needs some time to learn to relax and do some great stretching to help with aches and pains!I hope this helps anyone out there looking for some great workouts to stay in shape and feel in control during pregnancy. Just a side note, I've noticed working out really helps me control my cravings and wanting to over eat. It strengthens my mind and helps me feel in control.

Received yesterday and did the Prenatal workout today.Man, I didn't realize that not working out for 2 weeks would leave my body so stiff! But this was definitely an eyeopener to where my body is right now. I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant and have been working out before pregnancy and during pregnancy as well. I just didn't find time and energy to work out in the last couple of weeks, which is why I felt the body stiffness when I came to doing this workout.I'll definitely keep doing this every other workout day to keep some flexibility in my body and to just wind down from the more fast paced and energetic cardio workouts I do.For those also wondering, the Prenatal workout is just about 30 minutes long. I'm assuming Postnatal is the same, I didn't check. Total run time on the DVD is 60 minutes, so they are both separate workouts at 30 minutes each.Definitely take a look at this DVD. You won't be disappointed. More for the experienced Yogi, or someone who has some Yoga knowledge at least even in beginner level. If you are coming new to Yoga with no previous knowledge, this will be difficult to follow.

Arrived quickly, no complaints with delivery. I like this dvd I've done it twice and it is enjoyable and a good pace. I just wish there were more episodes one is not enough. would've been nice if she did 4 and perhaps made each one a bit harder so you could choose different ones depending on how you felt that day.Edit - im now 33 weeks pregnant and I LOVE this dvd. Still doing it 4-5 times a week. It is making my whole body / life / sleep easier. I highly recommend it to anyone. Also I am doing 1 prenatal yoga class a week and a lot of the positions are the same so I feel very comfortable doing it at home.

I find this a bit boring and the whole 'put one hand on your belly and one on your heart and feel your connection to your baby' bit a little silly, but this is clearly a workout designed by someone who understands how pregnancy affects your body - every time I complete the routine I can't believe how great I feel. It makes a huge difference for anyone who has pain or discomfort in their pelvis or back. I continued to use this DVD right up until my due date with only minor modifications to accommodate my belly. Looking back, this product was a must-have for me.

Most of the things this woman said were just spiritual garbage, I just want factual instructions on how to move my body, she suggests choosing which lung to breathe out of. She must be a real treat in bed “now please release from your right testicle”, get real lady.

Good yoga routine for someone who has practiced yoga before. The prenatal workout is great for firming up your arms. The DVD contains one prenatal and one postnatal routine. The routines were not very long, around 20 mins each. Easy to fit into a busy daily routine. Personally, I would have liked to have atleast two prenatal/postnatal routines for some workout variance though.