Yoga at home: 4 DVDs worth a try

The harried, the inflexible, the injured or ill can benefit from a smart yoga regimen. The problem is those are the very people who have convinced themselves they are too harried, too inflexible, too injured or ill for yoga.

Yoga continues to widen its arms. Some teachers tailor much of their practice to newcomers or people with health issues. And the market is awash with home videos aimed at addressing the elements and excuses that keep us away.

Newcomers should learn the basics and principles from a qualified yogi or at least attend a beginning class or two. Some people need the communal feeling of classes, but many others feel more comfortable in their own homes, at their own pace and whenever the mood suits them. That's where a good yoga video or two can help direct. Here are four that merit consideration:

Richard Seven: 206-464-2241 or rseven@seattletimes.com

"Yoga to the Rescue: Feel Good From Head to Toe" ($14.99) offers, as it claims, poses and exercises from top to bottom. Anusara instructor Desiree Rumbaugh goes slowly, and provides a calming, full-body stretching workout.

"Our neck, back, shoulders and the rest of our bodies are often in misalignment because of all the sitting, driving, and sleeping awkwardly that we do," says Rumbaugh. "My workout is about finding and returning the body back to its proper alignment."

Her routine is mainly gentle and she explains the why behind the poses, but as with any form of yoga, the viewer needs to be mindful of personal limits. If something hurts, stop or modify, she says, and increase demands on your body carefully and incrementally.

"Yoga for Stress" ($19.99), with Baxter Bell leading the way, aims to "stress-proof" you through a series of relaxing poses. The idea behind the video is twofold: to calm yourself and teach your body to become in tune enough that it will be able to tamp the fight-or-flight response to stress.

Baxter, a medical doctor, leads the viewer through various workouts with the aid of two assistants, one performing easier forms of the poses. He is particularly good at describing each pose.

The DVD includes two 35-minute workouts and a timer that lets the viewer practice at his or her own pace. Baxter also shows three quick relaxation techniques.

"Yoga for Beginners" ($14.99) is just that, an introduction to the basics. Veteran instructor Barbara Benagh leads eight workouts ranging from 10 minutes to an hour.

The video, filmed on the shores of Half Moon Bay in Antigua, also emphasizes proper breathing and the mental aspects behind the poses.

Benagh is the best part of this offering from Body + Soul magazine. She has a soothing presentation and spends considerable time imploring viewers to take things slow and be steady.

"10 Minute Solution Yoga" ($19.98) targets the time-challenged by offering five different workouts lasting 10 minutes each.

As with all of the videos in this popular series, you can customize the sessions, playing them in any order you want. Or you can just do a 10-minute shot. They focus on everything from relaxation to "buns and thighs."

It's a bit light on the inner side of yoga, but it can provide a decent calming tuneup.