While this tape by Rodney Yee might seem a bit overwhelming for someone brand new to yoga, it is certainly more of a beginners tape in the area of power yoga. Just try the first Bryan Kest tape "Energize" or Baron Baptiste's "Hot Yoga 1" (which are both also fantastic) and you'll quickly see the difference in terms of its intensity and the length of the practice compared to the Yee tape. A tape that would be perhaps better for a newer student of yoga who would like to try a "power" style might be Yoga Zone's "Introduction to Power Yoga" which has a flow style but is perhaps a bit less overly intense than the Yee tape. In general the Yoga Zone tapes are quite excellent and many are broken down into two 20 minute sessions which make them very easy to fit in for those with very little time.
Anyway, back to the Rodney Yee tape:
This Power Yoga "Stamina" tape is one that I enjoy doing on those days when I want to do more of a "Power" practice but don't have the time or perhaps the energy to do something more intense.
It has a really great flow and covers many of the basic standing poses along with variations on Sun Salutations as well as back bending postures such as "bow" and "Camel".
What's also really nice is that it's just about 22 or so minutes once you get past the three minutes or so of introduction (I like to use that time for some simple twists and light stretches before the main routine starts) so it's a routine you can always fit in timewise.
Anyway, I would recommend this tape for someone with a little bit of Yoga experience who wants to "up the tempo" a bit and yet doesn't have the time or perhaps the stamina or energy on a particular day to do a longer, more intense routine. I think that anyone though can benefit from a routine like this even if it is their main yoga practice because though it is short it is pretty thorough and will certainly yield positive results done on a regular basis.
As far as the complaints about not wanting to do the tape because of Yee's tight bathing suit... If you're doing the routine and focusing on your breath and the poses, you won't be concerned with looking at the screen except for an occasional reference and hence you won't be too concerned about his choice of attire.
One last thing, regarding the fact that the tape keeps repeating certain poses. For those new to yoga, that is actually very much standard in terms of yoga practice which incorporates "vinyasa" practice which consists inserting up-dog and down-dog between other poses in order to keep heat in the body and it also helps to "re-calibrate" ones body after other poses as well as builds strength and flexibility.
If you'd like to add variety into your practice, other relatively short yet challenging yoga routines I'd recommend are Baron Baptiste's "Unlocking Athletic Power" and Rainbeau Mars "Pure Power" and "Pure Sweat" from her "Sacred Yoga" 4 tape set. Also Yoga Zone's "Fat Burning" tape is a 20 minute routine that will push you pretty hard for such a short practice.
Namaste
