Sara Holliday's Prenatal Yoga Series

AFAA-certified prenatal fitness instructor Sara Holliday is the teacher for this near two-hour yoga course, broken down into three parts: “First Trimester” (0-12 weeks), “Second Trimester” (0-24 weeks), and “Third Trimester” (0-40 weeks). In each 25-to-45-minute segment, Holliday combines traditional yoga poses (such as salutations, downward dog, and camel) with more generic exercise moves that focus on gentle stretching and bending, as well as the importance of deep and controlled breathing techniques (the first trimester part is shot on a set with billowy curtains and candles, while the last two are filmed outdoors). Holliday's calm demeanor and positive running commentary about the pregnancy experience will help encourage participants, who will benefit from reduced stress and pain during labor and improved posture and muscle tone (not to mention the fact that the workouts “build a foundation for losing weight fast”). Recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)