DVD Review: Iron Yoga, Anthony Carillo
Jul. 24th, 2009 09:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
muck_a_luckThis morning I took my second crack at Anthony Carillo's Iron Yoga. The disc combines power yoga with strength training. You do the routine with dumbbells. One hour.
I can't decide if I hate this disc or not.
First, a disclaimer.
The first time I did this disc, I ended up in the emergency room. Click here for the gruesome details. Essentially, the strain of the Tree sequence angered my pre-existing, but undiagnosed, umbilical hernia.
Moving on!
I believe that this is more about the "iron" and less about the "yoga." This was definitely a strength routine. I did it this morning with one pound dumbbells. I think I could have handled it with five pounds, but even with just one pound, I suspect I will pay for it tomorrow in lack of ability to lift my arms over my head! :) Mr. Carillo exploits yoga stances in the feet and legs to build leg strength, then works you through various arm strength moves. Think bicep curls, lat pull downs, chest flys, military presses, etc. The arm strength exercises are laid over the yoga foundation.
There is a strong yoga component, however. Foremost, Mr. Carillo emphasizes breath placement and yoga breathing. Also, the leg strength exercises are built around balancing poses. There is a whole sequence about ten minutes long founded on Tree pose. (God, I hate Tree pose. *sigh*) There is another sequence built around Warrior Three and the leg part of Eagle. He also does a lunge sequence that moves from Triangle, through Warrior II, Extended Side Angle, and finally a deep Crescent Lunge that will have you begging for mercy before the end.
Things I really, really didn't like.
1. Mr. Carillo does not use the standard DVD teaching technique of doing mirror image to the viewer. He gives instruction and follows that instruction himself. I found this slightly annoying. But, this being yoga, I mostly take my cues from the audio, so in the future I will just remember to do that and hopefully won't get too screwed up.
2. OMG. The set is horrifying. But again, this being yoga, I rarely look at the screen, so hopefully it would not be too distracting in the future.
3. Probably 25 minutes of this routine is based on balancing poses. We all know that success in balancing poses depends in large part on being able to choose a fixed point for your gaze. Now, when I do a DVD, that fixed point is often somewhere on the screen. I can often monitor the actions of the instructor in my peripheral vision. Someone should have told the cameraman. He often does very dramatic pans over the class while you are supposed to be balancing on one leg for really long periods of time while flailing your arms around holding weights. NOT HELPFUL, Mr. Camera Person.
4. Mr. Carillo often does not use yoga terms to describe postures. He moves very slowly through changes, with lots of explanation. I don't see what it would have hurt for him to actually SAY the words Warrior II. Or Chaturanga. Or even PLANK, a phrase used not only by yoga practitioners, but also strength trainers. It would have been much easier for me when I was following verbal cues, if he had just thrown in the names of the postures.
Things I really, really liked:
1. Mr. Carillo's instructions are very clear and I felt like I got a lot out of his teaching style.
2. Despite the fact that it nearly KILLED me, he does a very slow Sun Salutation, holding each pose for five breaths before transitioning to the next. I enjoyed this challenge, in a sort of masochistic way.
3. Mr. Carillo uses Child's Pose for final relaxation, rather than Savasana. It was a nice, pleasant, relaxing change.
4. Since I finished, I have felt extremely relaxed. Almost like I had a great massage.
Overall, this was easily some of the least enjoyable yoga I have ever done. This may in part be personal preference. I have stated before that I enjoy faster-moving flow-type routines.
Still, considering how good I feel now, afterwards, I think I might like to work this into my practice, maybe once ever couple of weeks. Mix things up a little. Work up to heavier weights. Get to be better friends with Tree pose.
I can't decide if I hate this disc or not.
First, a disclaimer.
The first time I did this disc, I ended up in the emergency room. Click here for the gruesome details. Essentially, the strain of the Tree sequence angered my pre-existing, but undiagnosed, umbilical hernia.
Moving on!
I believe that this is more about the "iron" and less about the "yoga." This was definitely a strength routine. I did it this morning with one pound dumbbells. I think I could have handled it with five pounds, but even with just one pound, I suspect I will pay for it tomorrow in lack of ability to lift my arms over my head! :) Mr. Carillo exploits yoga stances in the feet and legs to build leg strength, then works you through various arm strength moves. Think bicep curls, lat pull downs, chest flys, military presses, etc. The arm strength exercises are laid over the yoga foundation.
There is a strong yoga component, however. Foremost, Mr. Carillo emphasizes breath placement and yoga breathing. Also, the leg strength exercises are built around balancing poses. There is a whole sequence about ten minutes long founded on Tree pose. (God, I hate Tree pose. *sigh*) There is another sequence built around Warrior Three and the leg part of Eagle. He also does a lunge sequence that moves from Triangle, through Warrior II, Extended Side Angle, and finally a deep Crescent Lunge that will have you begging for mercy before the end.
Things I really, really didn't like.
1. Mr. Carillo does not use the standard DVD teaching technique of doing mirror image to the viewer. He gives instruction and follows that instruction himself. I found this slightly annoying. But, this being yoga, I mostly take my cues from the audio, so in the future I will just remember to do that and hopefully won't get too screwed up.
2. OMG. The set is horrifying. But again, this being yoga, I rarely look at the screen, so hopefully it would not be too distracting in the future.
3. Probably 25 minutes of this routine is based on balancing poses. We all know that success in balancing poses depends in large part on being able to choose a fixed point for your gaze. Now, when I do a DVD, that fixed point is often somewhere on the screen. I can often monitor the actions of the instructor in my peripheral vision. Someone should have told the cameraman. He often does very dramatic pans over the class while you are supposed to be balancing on one leg for really long periods of time while flailing your arms around holding weights. NOT HELPFUL, Mr. Camera Person.
4. Mr. Carillo often does not use yoga terms to describe postures. He moves very slowly through changes, with lots of explanation. I don't see what it would have hurt for him to actually SAY the words Warrior II. Or Chaturanga. Or even PLANK, a phrase used not only by yoga practitioners, but also strength trainers. It would have been much easier for me when I was following verbal cues, if he had just thrown in the names of the postures.
Things I really, really liked:
1. Mr. Carillo's instructions are very clear and I felt like I got a lot out of his teaching style.
2. Despite the fact that it nearly KILLED me, he does a very slow Sun Salutation, holding each pose for five breaths before transitioning to the next. I enjoyed this challenge, in a sort of masochistic way.
3. Mr. Carillo uses Child's Pose for final relaxation, rather than Savasana. It was a nice, pleasant, relaxing change.
4. Since I finished, I have felt extremely relaxed. Almost like I had a great massage.
Overall, this was easily some of the least enjoyable yoga I have ever done. This may in part be personal preference. I have stated before that I enjoy faster-moving flow-type routines.
Still, considering how good I feel now, afterwards, I think I might like to work this into my practice, maybe once ever couple of weeks. Mix things up a little. Work up to heavier weights. Get to be better friends with Tree pose.
