Anyone else out there taken Gary Kraftsow’s Viniyoga?  I’ve been doing this at home the last few days with his DVDs.   I like the pace, simple but descriptive enough instructions.    He also gives an in-depth anatomy and bio-mechanics.  He also has all kinds of graphics about anatomy and the body.  It’s a lot of yoga, instruction and education on one DVD.  There are actually a few practices on each DVD.  For example, I have been watching the Yoga for Low Back Pain DVD and there is a sequence just for low back pain and sciatica, a sequence for hip pain and also a strength building sequence for low back pain and hip tightness.

Yoga master Gary Kraftsow developed protocols for a recent National Institutes of Health-sponsored study of treatment for back pain. This  two-DVD series is based on this work and on his 30 years of experience as a yoga therapist. The detailed instruction, gentle repetitive movements, and focus on moving with awareness and the breath make these ideal practices for a wide range of people, including those who may not have pain but can benefit from strengthening and stabilizing their backs.

Yoga Therapy for the Low Back, Sacrum & Hips

There is also a more detailed practice workshop on there but the pace is slower and he is more explaining how to do the pose, which means he only shows how to do the pose on one side so you can’t follow the flow of it since you are left to your own devices to do the pose on the other side.  That’s fine if you want very detailed instructions on how to do each movement but it’s not as flowy if you just want to do the practice.

He has quite a few poses where you are kneeling on your knees, which is fine for me.  I’ve found that my very overweight students are not able to do the kneeling poses or poses where you are on all fours since that is too much pressure on your knees and for some on their wrists.