Anyone wanting to get in shape like the stars need go no further than Bryan Kest's home-video workouts. Kest teaches wildly popular yoga classes in Santa Monica, California--so popular that stars like Rhea Perlman, David Duchovny, and Elisabeth Shue willingly sweat alongside the hoi polloi in Kest's packed, ancient loft studio. If you don't happen to be in the neighborhood, not to worry: Kest's yoga videos are nearly as good as being there. Volume 1, Energize, is a beginner-level class that nonetheless is smartly designed to provide challenges for all levels of users. Kest's Jersey-boy voice at first seems in contrast to the serene environment and inner-peace objectives, but it gradually becomes soothing and hypnotic in its own right. Stretches and strengthening moves are alternated with just enough repose to keep even first timers on track. After mastering Vol. 1, practitioners can go on to Volume 2, Tone, in which Kest turns up the intensity, holding a variety of twisting poses for long stretches of time. It's OK to take it easy, rest, or modify the routines to your ability, which is part of the reason the tape is so useful. You won't be turned off as a beginner-to-intermediate practitioner, but there's plenty of room to challenge yourself as an advanced athlete, too.

One of the best

I am a 26 year old of average fitness. I would consider myself a beginner, although not a true beginner. I found this DVD to be one of, if not the best Yoga DVD available. The workouts are exceptional and are not only relaxing but very effective for conditioning and strengthening (having come from years of weight conditioning). You can make these workouts as hard as you want by pushing the edge further. In fact, I have only stuck with the first of the 3 included workouts because it has been good enough for me and I have seen consistent improvements in my strength and flexibility for some time now. I amazed to think that there are still 2 more workouts. It will take some time for me to feel comfortable completing all of the 50 minute sessions.

There is a lot of depth in these 3 workouts, unmatched by any other videos of the same price and quality. Kest's instructions are encouraging and the most thorough outside of the most beginner of Yoga DVD's. I don't get as lost as I do in other videos, and when I do, I can generally look up and see some appropriate examples of how to make the right adjustments. The video does a great job of making you feel like you are dropping in on a live class where the instruction is also being directed at you.

The quality of the video is average and the indexing of the workouts is basic, that is, there is no way to get straight into the workout without first hearing the intro speech by Kest, which although is useful, can get old after a dozen times. I just fast forward to the right time index and then I'm set. Additionally the music and the outfits are a bit dated. All around, however, these small details don't bug me, I don't think it's in my right yogic mind to make those a concern. The workout is superb, the instruction, in my opinion is unmatched in its thoughtfullness and detail, and Kest's personality and way of speaking becomes fairly endearing after some time.

There are better videos for true beginniners, like the Yoga for dummies series, but after you've passed the level of those, which is often fairly quickly, I highly recommend you get Kest's Power Yoga and keep it for a while. You can probably jump into the video after a few weeks of beginner instruction and it will take you years to feel like you are comfortable with the entire video. A great value all around. Get it.

Good workout but annoying commentary

I decided to buy this DVD when my regular yoga studio was bought out by a gym and non-gym members could no longer attend.

ADVANTAGES
I would agree with many of the previous reviewers - his workout is really good. I started at the beginner level and what he led us through was on par with what I was doing in the beginning level classes I was taking at the yoga studio. He leads you through a lot of stretches and poses that exercise different parts of your body, which I really liked. At the end of the workout, I always feel relaxed and flexible.

DISADVANTAGES
The biggest problem I had with his workout video was his extra commentary. He verbally leads you through the poses, and that part is actually very helpful. Just by listening to him, I can often do exactly what is on the screen. What drove me nuts were the parts where he starts rambling on and on about only doing what your ability could do and how this was okay and that was okay and something else was okay. I just wanted him to lead me through the pose, and not ramble on about karma and whatnot.

Overall, his workout is quite good, if I could figure out how to edit out the parts where he just talks!

An Enduring Favorite

I live in a remote area, have no access to a live yoga class and rely entirely on video instruction. Over the years, I have complied an extensive library of instructional yoga videos/dvds, and this series remains one of my favorites. Kest is a fabulous instructor who narrates his class with a clean sense of timing and a knack for saying what the student needs to hear at the precise moment. If you are a total beginner, however, this may not be the best place to start, because all three sessions are fairly challenging, and the pace is too fast for somebody who is still learning the sequence of a vinyasa. For the intermediate student, however, I cannot recommend this instruction highly enough. The sequencing just "feels right"; it flows naturally. The music is the perfect mix of energizing and calming, reflecting the practice itself. I come away from this practice feeling pleasently "wrung out" and having worked up a good sweat every time. All three sessions are roughly 1 hour in length.