Tara Stiles: This is Yoga

The Bottom Line

Those who are new to yoga and want an effective workout, but who aren't necessarily interested in the traditional "body meets mind" style, should like Tara Stiles: This is Yoga. The series is far more modern than most beginner-aimed videos, and emphasizes the physical and health aspects of yoga rather than the spirituality.

Trainer

Yoga rebel. In recent years, model-turned-yoga instructor Stiles has received plenty of attention from popular media outlets for being a "yoga rebel." Throughout the four videos in this series, she focuses more on the physical and health benefits of yoga than the mind-meets-body spirituality on which many older videos are based. Reviewers appreciate her modern take and say Stiles leads interesting, effective routines. She can move quickly from one move to the next, users say, which may make this DVD more difficult for those with absolutely no yoga experience. However, instruction is detailed enough for beginners to advance to each pose.

Workout

A challenging routine. Whatever your fitness level, you should be able to find the right fit in one of the four DVDs in this series: Daily Yoga for Everyone is a one-hour strength-building routine followed by 30 minutes of relaxing flow yoga; Beginners Yoga for Everyone is a 30-minute basic routine followed by two relaxing routines; AM/PM Yoga for Everyone is four routines based on the time of day; and the Complete Yoga Library for Everyone is a guide through each of the various poses. Reviewers say each session feels decidedly "modern" and can be made more challenging whether you're new to yoga or have practiced for a while.

Materials

Unique backdrops may be distracting. One of the most striking things about Stiles' This is Yoga are the incredible settings; one routine is done on a balcony at the Standard Hotel in Hollywood. While some of the backdrops are lovely, a few users call them distracting, and the unusual camera angles can affect viewing the movement and positioning of the poses.