Sara Ivanhoe’s 20 Min Yoga Makeover: Weight Loss

Comments

1. E. Lamb says:

   May 13, 2010 at 12:35 pm

   I love this, and all, of Sara Ivanhoe’s videos. I tried a couple of other videos and they were too hard for beginners. Some of the moves are hard to flow at first, but come on! That is what practise if for. I’ve been doing the videos for about a month and my stomach is almost flat, my legs are more shapely, and I feel the difference in my food cravings (aka less), even though I have not lost any weight. I think that she’s a great instructor!
   Rating: 5 / 5
2. Beth Cholette says:

   May 13, 2010 at 2:56 pm

   In 20 Minute Yoga Makeover: Weight Loss, instructor Sara Ivanhoe connects various series of poses–or vinyasas–in a flowing manner. Although she repeatedly states that the addition of movement in the poses (namely moving the arms while inhaling and exhaling) will keep your heart rate up and contribute to weight loss, the practice isn’t nearly aerobic enough for this purpose. However, the practice is suited to those who prefer movement rather than static poses. Instructor comments: Sara Ivanhoe comes across as similar to in her Crunch videos–if you liked her down-to-earth style (although sometimes she is seen as a bit patronizing), you will probably like her here as well.

   Sara begins with a chair pose vinyasa, adding arm movement and a forward bend and linking the series with breath; this is followed by a standing backbend combined with forward bend series. Next comes a vinyasa that is repeated throughout the workout: you move from plank to cobra to down dog, again combining the series with breath. From a 3-legged down dog position, Sara leads you into several series of standing poses: she begins with triangle/revolved triangle, moves on to warrior/side angle pose/revolved side angle in the next series, and finishes with crescent lunge/revolved crescent lunge. She completes the plank-cobra-down dog vinyasa between each series, eventually substituting upward dog for cobra. Finally, the practice ends in a seated position with head-to-knee pose and a brief hand mudra. Overall, this is a nicely flowing 20-minute practice with a standing pose focus.
   Rating: 4 / 5
3. R. Esposito says:

   May 13, 2010 at 3:16 pm

   This is my favorite routine from Sara Ivanhoe’s Yoga Makeover series (although my husband swears by the Flat Abs workout).

   This short, invigorating workout is a perfect practice for a busy schedule. It’s a true 20 minutes.

   The routine consists of vinyasas with added arm movements to, supposedly, increase the calorie burn. Initially, these are fairly typical sequences: mountain to chair to forward bend to mountain, or chaturanga to up dog to down dog to chaturanga. But once things get rolling, Ivanhoe adds in extended leg (3-legged) down dogs and standing twists such as revolved crescent lunge and revolved triangle. I love standing poses and these additions allow me to push my edge in a short amount of time. A real treat!

   She ends the practice, rather abruptly, with just one quick seated stretch (single-legged forward bend) and a mudra. The mudra doesn’t quite “seal in the practice” for me, so I usually do my own final relaxation.

   Ivanhoe has a warm, unaffected charm and doing her workouts is like practicing with a friend. Some video fitness enthusiasts have complained that her measured speech and use of colloquialisms appear condescending, but I just don’t see it. I like her unpretentious style.
   Rating: 5 / 5