Best Yoga Video

Best yoga DVDs for intermediate to advanced yogis

It's hard to discuss yoga videos without mentioning Shiva Rea, one of the most well-known yoga instructors in the country. She specializes in Vinyasa, a style characterized by the "smooth way that the poses run together and become like a dance," according to About.com's Ann Pizer. Rather than focusing on individual poses, Vinyasa postures flow together and are synchronized with the student's breathing.

Rea offers a variety of yoga DVDs based on her Vinyasa style, but Shiva Rea Daily Energy (*Est. $16) earns more recommendations than any other yoga title and is our best reviewed yoga video. It includes seven 20-minute practices that can be mixed and matched, plus core and forward-bend sessions and several shorter meditations. More magazine and Woman's Day both call Shiva Rea Daily Energy one of the best, and it earns excellent user ratings.

At Amazon.com, more than 150 owners give Shiva Rea's Daily Energy an average 4.5 stars out of 5. They say the DVD is perfect for busy individuals who don't have time for an hour-long practice. "I often work more than 50 hours a week and don't have a lot of free time, therefore the 20-minute segments are perfect for my lifestyle," says one.

In addition, the mix-and-match approach increases variety and keeps the video from becoming stale. Woman's Day editors like that these sessions can be used alone or combined to create a customized workout. Shiva Rea's Daily Energy also gets high marks for its quality production, complete with excellent sound and a soothing indoor setting. The instructor voiceover can be turned off, which is a huge plus once you become familiar with the sessions.

Most reviewers say that because the workout is challenging, it isn't a good fit for beginners or those new to yoga. The poses can be modified, but unlike other yoga videos, modifications aren't demonstrated. Others say Rea moves quickly between poses and can be hard to follow unless you're already familiar with yoga. As such, intermediate and advanced yogis are impressed with the workout, especially some of the challenging backbend sequences. Rea has a very spiritual, New Age style that puts off some viewers.

If you're a Shiva Rea fan, experts also recommend Shiva Rea Yogini: Vinyasa Flow Yoga for Women (*Est. $16) . Like the Daily Energy video, Shiva Rea Yogini includes a variety of sessions that can be mixed and matched to create a customized workout. Designed specifically for women, the Yogini DVD contains five Vinyasa yoga sessions, including routines that focus on standing poses, backbends and meditation.

Shiva Rea Yogini is also best suited for intermediate to advanced yogis. It features some challenging poses, and Rea assumes most viewers already know how to properly align their bodies. While it can be challenging, Shiva Rea Yogini is less vigorous than some of her other DVDs, some users say. They also rave about the video's outdoor setting in Hawaii. "The setting alone -- under a Hawaiian waterfall -- is worth your attention," says Today's Diet & Nutrition magazine. However, not all aspects of this yoga video will be for everyone; in one meditation segment, Rea encourages a breast self-massage, reports ThatsFit.com.

Trudie Styler's Warrior Yoga (*Est. $11) is another video recommended for intermediate students and above. The instruction comes from James D'Silva, a celebrity trainer who has worked with big names like Madonna, and Styler accompanies him through the poses. The DVD's two workouts include a 50-minute total-body routine and a 25-minute express session. Styler's husband Sting provides the soundtrack and the video is filmed outdoors at their Tuscan villa. Warrior Yoga is based on Vinyasa yoga and features classic poses like downward-facing dog, child's pose, cobra and plank.

Reviewers at Amazon.com, where Warrior Yoga earns 4 stars out of 5 after 15 posts, say the yoga poses flow together nicely. D'Silva gets high marks for his soothing voice and precise instruction, and most say the video is very relaxing. "The verbal instruction is so professional and specific it felt like a private lesson," say editors at FitSugar.com. Some viewers would prefer a more vigorous workout, and although some of the poses require a good amount of hip flexibility, some want more of a challenge. "I would use this class on days when I just want to stretch and not work too hard," says one Amazon.com user. In the longer class, all of the poses are done first on one side before being repeated on the other side, which some viewers find repetitive.