May 7th, 2009 
Royce Linford Yoga practice in the western world is perceived as a form of escape from the material and money-oriented life we live. Therefore, a yoga class can easily turn into an oasis of peace and tranquility, a refuge from the crazy rhythm of the day. People who for one reason or another cannot attend an organized session, still have the possibility to learn something from a yoga DVD.
The DVDs that are on the market today cover a wide range of topics and styles and address the different needs of people: there is yoga for beginners, yoga for traveling, a complete yoga workout, yoga to help pregnancy, and last but not least even yoga for curing disease.
A yoga DVD can have both good parts and bad ones in it, just remember, watching a video is not the same or as good as getting personal instructions from a teacher. In direct sessions the trainer can point out and correct what you do wrong in a posture and you can ask questions to understand one aspect or another, whereas a DVD mainly lacks the possibility for direct interaction and the benefit resulting from it. Probably this is the reason why the level of a yoga DVD is usually a very basic one, teaching users relaxation, breathing techniques and all sorts of meditations.
It is not uncommon to hear about injuries developed by people whilst using a yoga DVD to practice and an asana. Generally the teaching and experts don’t recommend this kind of product, because in the early learning stages there is a need to keep things simple. Yoga teaches and trainers are generally the ones who use the information on the yoga DVD. The superior knowledge level allows them to grasp the information and process it in a more advanced way.
It is fair to say some trainers use a yoga DVD in their classes as a teaching tool, but the applications per se vary according to the structure of the course and the way the instructor sees fit. If you have less than six months of yoga practice, then it is safer not to rely on a yoga DVD to work out exercises alone.
Even after six months to a year, you may still have a few difficulties in putting a technique into practice, therefore, try not to do not push your self to much, and be sure to remember that yoga is about to gradual development and enjoyment.
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