Total Yoga: The Original

Featuring yoga teachers and husband and wife team Ganga White and Tracey Rich of the White Lotus Foundation, this 1994 classic workout program, boasting superb camerawork and soothing backdrops, still--surprisingly--sets the bar for excellence in this bloated genre. Clear voiceover instruction informs Total Yoga, which begins with a nicely paced warm-up, followed by step-by-step demonstrations of the sun salutation, standing poses, straddle and triangle twists, back bends, inversions, the pigeon and bow stance (and more challenging postures), concluding with a section on deep relaxation. Based on the Vinyasa style of "flowing yoga," the program continually emphasizes ujjayi, the rhythmic breathing technique essential for achieving proper form. The meditative grace of White and Rich is nothing short of enlightening; together they have created one of the most comprehensive and soulful yoga programs available. DVD extras include a 15-minute bonus workout taken from Total Yoga: The Flow Series--Fire (which is also available separately, along with the companion volumes Water and Earth). Highly recommended. Editors Choice. Aud: P. (N. Plympton)