Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown [DVD]

Despite a lot of reviews criticizing Jillian's approach to yoga I bought Yoga Meltdown. I thought this dvd gave you an awesome workout in a half hour and thought it was the perfect dvd to for busy people looking to fit in a quick wokout. It is not too difficult of a workout but its not easy either (and I am in decent shape and do lots of yoga). Jillian's approach to yoga may not be as traditional as some other yoga dvds out there, but she doesn't advertise it to be traditional style yoga and does not claim to be a yoga instuctor. What to Expect: 1) Repetitions incorporated into traditional yoga poses, as well as holding each pose for 15 seconds. 2) Lots of plank variations and chaturanga push-ups (can be difficult for people with shoulder pain/injuries or very out of shape people)If it's hard for you work your way up using the beginner variations 3) Interval training: your heart rate will go up and down burning more calories 4) Fast paced yoga workout: If you are a beginner to yoga I would recommend watching it first to get an idea of what the proper form is because Jillian does move through the poses quickly and it can be confusing to figure out if your doing it right if your new to yoga. 5) EXPECT TO SWEAT, BURN CALORIES AND FEEL SORE THE NEXT DAY. What NOT to Expect: 1) A traditional yoga practice: This dvd is not a traditional or relaxing yoga dvd, this dvd was meant to be more of a gym style or a fusion of traditional yoga poses and interval training. I love traditional yoga but I bought this dvd expecting it to be what it is, which is a gym style yoga practice. If you buy this dvd expecting a very traditional yoga practice with meditation, a lot of stretching and holding poses for a significant amount of time you WILL be disappointed. If you are looking for more traditional yoga dvds don't look to this, look to Shiva Rea or Sadie Nardini both are well-known, certified yoga instructors and offer great selections for different types of practices depending on what you are looking for. Shiva Rea is associated with Shakti types of yoga, while Sadie Nardini is associated with a Vinyasa style yoga. However, I highly recommend this dvd if you are looking to add something fresh and different to your yoga practice or regular workout. Though Jillian is not a yoga instructor, if you expect a gym style yoga routine that is gonna kick your butt Yoga Meltdown will not disappoint you. Traditional Yogis: I know Jillian is a little out there with her boot camp style training but yoga teaches us to be open to new things in life and this dvd is worth a try even if you're used to the more traditional style yoga or if you're just not a fan of Jillian. It still delivers an awesome workout for your whole body.

I received yoga meltdown in the mail yesterday, and tried it this morning. I disagree with one review that noted this dvd was for people experienced in yoga. First, there are two levels, the 2nd is considerably way more advanced in a shocking, inspiring sort of way ( i took a peek after completing level 1) & in level one you are even shown how to do a simpler version of a pose, so that it's bearable if you're just starting. So, I am writing this feedback as a complete beginner...I have never meditated or practiced yoga in my life - only familiar with some poses for stretching and strengthening I just started doing over the summer like the warrior pose. Most of my weight loss exercise habits have consisted of spending anywhere from 1 to 3 hours at the gym starting with cardio machines followed by weight machines afterward. What I didn't realize until now is that I wasn't achieving the toned look, not even the feeling of getting toned, so when I say a complete beginner, I mean having no background in yoga & just getting started on building strength all over my body. Given that, and if you are a beginner too, & checking out your options, "yoga meltdown" is not discouraging. Yes, I had to pause a few times because keeping some poses longer than 3 seconds starts to hurt & I had to manually pause the dvd to watch how to have the right form & form throughout a move sequence. It was still FUN and you'll probably be surprised or enjoy doing a new pose or new stretch that you've seen before in health mags but don't do because they either look too hard or too simple. I can only say that as with any fitness workouts that challenges your current fitness level, once you learn the moves/poses & be consistent, you will get better at it; maybe I can compare it to muscle memory in addition to improved strength & you won't have to take breaks or pause the dvd anymore! P.S. Do you get a good heart rate workout? YES. I had a cup of water I had to sip maybe once & in one of the plank moves, my arms started to slide of the yoga mat because they were getting sweaty! However, my right wrist ( I have slight wrists) started to hurt during the side planks but it will get better over time with strength. Favorite part of the workout was at the end (I think it was an advance warrior pose position) and Jillian's few words of wisdom.

A little background. I have been doing yoga in a not-so-serious fashion for about ten years now. Usually you can find me with the Rodney Yee or Shiva Rea DVD, or doing yoga at work. I'm no yogi - I've never done a handstand or had more than 2 limbs off the ground at any one time. But I do love to do yoga - it makes me feel so relaxed, strong, flexible and of all the workouts I do, it's the only one that has never hurt me. I'm also a huge fan of Jillian Michaels. I love her attitude. I love to watch Biggest Loser. And I've been using 30 Day Shred for two years now, off and on (alas, I keep straining/pulling/hurting various things if I do that every day). So, take two things I love - Jillian Michaels and Yoga - and put them together? Well, it's like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (only healthier). On Jillian's new DVD, she offers two 30-minute workouts, one to start out with and one to advance to. Like her other DVDs, each workout offers both a beginner and advanced exerciser to follow besides Jillian, who cues the movements and points out the correct alignment on her demonstrators. Jillian's yoga workout is quite strenuous, as it takes poses and turns them into strength-training exercises. For example, she will take a Warrior II and make it into a lunge sequence so that you are going in and out of the bent knee. Then you hold that pose. I have mainly worked with the first workout, and it is structured into three segments, plus a warmup and cooldown. Each segment consists of 3 poses, done as described above, followed by a sun salutation flow. Jillian knows how to properly describe the movements and she makes it accessible to a non-yoga person (or so I would think). She uses more sports/fitness terminology. In fact, it sounds a bit funny when she tries to use yoga terminology, and she even jokes about that. I think this video will put some people at ease who may have been afraid of yoga. And people who didn't want to do yoga because they thought it didn't burn calories? They may enjoy this video as it's bit more uptempo than your average video, Bryan Kest aside. This one is a keeper!

I've ordered many products from Amazon but rarely do I write a review. However, I felt the need to comment on this one. I'm a fitness junkie and have done just about every type of fitness program there is in gyms and at home. I own dozens and dozens of fitness dvds. I've done yoga off and on through the years, but have not practiced it enough to be nearly an authority. I initially tried yoga many years ago because I was impressed by pictures of so called yoga bodies in various magazines, but I was never able to find a program that seemed to be the right fit for me. Many of them had their benefits and I enjoyed them, but they were either too slow paced or involved poses that I couldn't master. Quite frankly I've never really wanted to do a head stand, but I did want some of the other benefits that come from the practice. I was never a big Jillian fan (haven't done any of her programs) and was reluctant to give Yoga Meltdown a try. I enjoy lifting heavy weights and high intensity cardio, but every so often my interests change and I want to try something different. In the last several years I've begun to learn about the benefits of strictly body weight training but it's hard to find a variety of dvds that focus on this and present a challenge. I wanted something that worked my muscles more deeply but still left me feeling like I had good workout. This one caught my eye, I was impressed by the brief video so I went for it. I was pleasantly surprised from the start. I began with the level 1 just to get a feel for it and worked up a good sweat. It was paced just fast enough and presented enough body weight resistance to make me feel like it was worthwhile. The repetitive movements in some of the traditional yoga poses gave my muscles quite a workout. To me that's what had been missing from some of the more traditional yoga programs that I've done. We moved through the poses and though my body was obviously challenged I didn't feel like I was working towards that "yoga body", it was more just deep stretching. I understand the obvious mental benefits of doing yoga and other types of exercise and I appreciate them, but for me the primary focus is maintaining a high level of physical fitness. This program presented just the right mix of using your own body resistance to build strength and to sculpt and give your muscles a deep stretch. This program may not be for everyone for as others have stated if you are a yoga purist you won't enjoy it. There is no soothing music or chanting or calming voices with words of wisdom. But if you want more of an athletic yoga program this might work for you. I believe it will be a nice addition to my workout library. I only gave it 4 stars because after doing it I wished that it could have been 45 minutes instead of 30.

Let me begin this review by saying I am a runner, not a yoga purist. For years I found yoga to be too slow and boring to do regularly, in spite of all the health benefits that I would have reaped from doing it. Fortunately, Jillian Michaels has changed my attitude about yoga (and my husband's) and she did it in three ways. First, this yoga routine is by no means slow (or boring). Jillian has us working in traditional yoga poses, but instead of just holding them, we begin by "repping it out." For example, we begin working with warrior pose by repeatedly straightening the front leg and pushing out with our hands before holding the position. Second, this routine benefits runners in that it is both a strength and stretching routine. Jillian has us doing planks, chaturanga push-ups, sun salutations,etc. I like that I can kill two birds with one stone using one thirty minute video. Finally, if you have ever struggled with piriformis issues or tight hamstrings, doing the Level 1 routine may change your life. I was starting to develop tightness in my right hamstring and found that it disappeared the more I completed the Level 1 routine. It was almost like a miracle. Additionally, working barefoot through this routine seems to be strengthening the tendons around my ankles, which had begun to snap angrily at me, especially in the mornings. This sensation is slowly disappearing as well. You will read critiques of some of the goofy things Jillian says during the video (like asking, "Who's your daddy?") To this I say, it doesn't matter what goofy things she says, it only matters what she requires you to do. Fortunately, she requires you to hold poses and stretches that will make you stronger and healthier. Now that Amazon instant videos can be saved to your devices, you can take this video with you and do it just about anywhere (like a hotel room after a half marathon or to the park with your running friends). If you are a runner, I say buy this as soon as you can.

I have been doing Jillian workouts on and off for 5+ years, but this year I have also incorporated some beginner yoga to improve my flexibility and better strengthen my core and stabilizing muscles. I also needed an option one or two days a week that involved less jumping/ impact because my knees were starting to get sore with non-stop interval training. I did "Yoga for Beginners with Barbara Benagh" twice per week for about 3 months to properly learn the yoga poses and get more comfortable with it, then felt like I was ready for more of a challenge and wanted to feel like I was getting a workout on my yoga days. This Yoga Meltdown DVD does just that. She really does incorporate true yoga poses, but she adds reps along with holds and you really do feel like you get a workout. I am intermediate fitness level, but to feel like I get a really truly challenging workout I need to either do both Level 1 and Level 2 back to back, or do a 30 minute video like one of the Shred levels and then do Level 1 or 2 of Yoga Meltdown. Since I got this video last month I have really really enjoyed doing it and I actually look forward to the days I get to do one or both of these workouts. I don't use yoga to do a lot of meditating or "mind clearing" but I have become a firm believer in how it can improve your fitness level and functionality. For those that have mentioned that this is tough on the hands/wrists/elbows- yes it is, but it does seem like if you work into it with modifications that it actually gets easier as those areas become more strong. Still, if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, or tennis elbow, I would say this is not for you.

I bought this video to shake up my workouts. I tend to stick with more HiiT and bootcamp type exercise programs -- Jillian Michaels is a favorite of mine and I also love Barry's Bootcamp (another one I recommend to readers). Anything that is super effective and challenges me in 30 minutes is ideal, especially for this working/busy mom! I'm not a yoga person, will tell you that up front, but I do have a lot of back and knee pain so I thought I'd try this video -- being a fan of JM DVDs. WOW is all I can say. The first time I completed it, I thought... I barely worked up a sweat and it wasn't worth doing again, but I gave it a second try and I'm glad I did. Once I got through the first time, I could work harder the next go around -- having learned the moves. Don't expect to be dripping wet with sweat on this one, but DO expect to be challenged and SORE. She mixes in pilates and yoga moves for a very intense 30 minutes. I'm only on level 1 and I mix this video in my weekly routines at least one day. My back/knees always feel so stretched out and purely wonderful afterwards... so relaxed. And, my arms (always my weakness)... holy smokes. The push up, which I believe she refers to as the chaturanga, as part of the level 1 program is much more intense than I'd ever imagine. I can see a difference in my arms and abs with this video after only 2 weeks. That 6-pack is fighting its way through! I love 30 day shred and Six Week Six Pack and enjoy this one too! I have yet to be disappointed with a JM workout.

UPDATE: Having done the second workout in this video, I think it would be dangerous to do unless you're pretty comfortable with fairly advanced yoga poses, and you know your own body well enough to know your limitations and how to work around them. Little to no guidance is given for poses where you could really hurt yourself if you're not doing them right, such as crow pose. I took it down from 4 stars to 3 because these workouts are marketed as something that anyone can jump in and do, which is not true if you don't want to wreck your joints. Below is my original review for the first workout in the video, which still stands. Note: I am not an orthodox yogi or a purist -- I'm into whatever reason people want to get involved in yoga. This DVD includes 2 workouts, which consist of yoga poses alternating with yoga-inspired HIIT sequences (because it is, you know, Jillian Michaels). It is NOT a beginner workout by any means. In my opinion, 30 Day Shred Level 1 is easier than Yoga Meltdown Level 1. It would also be helpful to have done some yoga in the past, because the video does not go into a tremendous amount of detail about the poses -- although they are all common poses, so even if you've only taken a few classes, you should be in good shape. But if you're starting from scratch with fitness, or with yoga, I would skip this DVD and come back to it later. That said, do be sure to try this, because it's a really fun workout! It's busy and interesting enough that the half hour goes by VERY fast, it does work your whole body, and the advantage of including the yoga poses and balancing moves is that you're working your little muscles in addition to your big ones. Unlike a lot of Jillian's other videos, there are no mandatory jumping moves -- although there are still a number of lunges and lunge-like maneuvers, so it still may not be the best idea for folks with bad knees. Jillian takes a gentler tone here than usual, which is nice (I like her workouts but I'm not a huge fan of the barking and yelling), and another surprisingly pleasant thing: She's not the best in the room at all the moves. In fact, for a few of them, she can barely do them. So if you get tired of looking at fitness instructors who don't even seem to be trying, while they're telling you to sweat and struggle, you might find this reassuring. It's 4 stars instead of 5 because I do think there are a couple of bad things: -- The "beginner" variations aren't always easily visible, and some of them don't actually make the move any easier. In a few cases, I even think the "advanced" variation is the easiest. -- The cool-downs are really quite bad. They're very short, and the stretches largely target your hamstrings and hips, after you've been working your whole body hard. I just turn off the video at that point and do my own thing. tl;dr -- it's not purist yoga, and it's not for beginners to fitness or to yoga, but it's fun and it WILL work you out!

This is my first Jillian Michaels workout purchase. Very happy with the Yoga workouts included on the dvd. Her instructions are very clear (I like her firm tone) and there are 2 workouts (Level 1 and 2). You will definitely build good strength and tone from the moves. A good challenge.

di potermi appassionare alla yoga.. invece Jillian ci è riuscita. Non solo mi sono appassionata, ma riesco a fare buona parte delle posizioni ... e la mia autostima sta crescendo insieme alla mia autostima. Consigliatissimo!

This is a fantastic workout if you are looking for a change up to Jillian's usual dvds. I have been doing her 30 Day Shred and 30 Days to Ripped workouts but was looking for a change of pace to switch it up and after reading other good reviews on this dvd, I decided it might be just what I was looking for. It is definitely not a calming, relaxing yoga session but Jillian takes traditional yoga poses and methods and intensifies them so that you still feel like you challenged your body. It does get a little fast paced towards the end but if you have previously done yoga then you will have no trouble following along. For those who have never done yoga, after a couple of times you should be able to pick it up. This dvd worked muscles in different areas to the standard Jillian workout which was great and at the same time it provides some fantastic stretching moves. Definitely recommend!

Exactamente lo que pedí, está en español no como otros que compré en Amazon

simple et efficace comme tout les dvd de jillian MICHAELS,pourquoi demander un roman sur des cours que je recommande tout simplement.