What are the best yoga or pilates DVDs youve used?
 

I'm a beginner, so not looking for anything too intense, but wondering where to start and what you guys think the best DVDs are for either yoga or pilates?

Gaiam.com has quite a large selection, I like their am/pm yoga for weight loss, yoga and pilates for abs dvd, and kundalini yoga. I especially like the kundalini b/c it's very "free form", there's no need to be flexible or coordinated with that one....two things I'm definitely not :p.

Hey Lizzy, just wanted to say thank you. That website has so much stuff! Bought a beginner's AM/PM yoga dvd, beginners pilates dvd and a yoga mat. I'm excited!

I love Winsor Pilates as well as Anna Caban's pilates (Gaiam). The Winsor series can be challenging, but even their advanced workouts have a modification available for every exercise!

DVD are really good...
 

...but I really recommend finding a class and teacher to get you started.

I know not everyone lives in an area where there are instructors, but if possible, nothing beats working with a teacher when you get started. It will ensure that you are doing the poses correctly, that you aren't causing any damage to your body. And a teacher will help you find safe modifications to poses that are just a little beyond your reach. There are several poses such as the warrior series and a number of the bent knee seated poses that can damage you knees if don't do them correctly - a teacher will guide you so that that won't happen

Once you have a little fundamental training, a home practice is wonderful and you can skip the classes.

Yoga can be the very best exercise there is, and there are many styles to fit your needs, but it does take a little knowledge.

classes would be wonderful, if i could afford them. Sort of in a bad way financially (a college grad with only a bi-monthly stipend from an internship and living at home). So, dvds are more affordable than classes, esp here in NYC. im lucky that i live in a place where there are tons of classes... but they are pretty expensive. I know there are free classes from time to time in the city, but unfortunately they tend to fall during the hours i work and they happen pretty rarely.... but i completely get what you are saying. It's true of any exercise, if you aren't doing it right your not going to get the results you want. unfortunately, this is the best i can do right now. fortunately, my dad is a life-long health nut lol and even worked as a personal trainer years ago. So i have some help at least to lead me to not hurt myself!

I here you
 

Classes can definately put a dent in the wallet. I would imagine that in NYC you really could spend a fortune for some fancy-schmancy studio.

One of the interesting things I have learned in yoga is that sometimes if you really want something, like a free class at a conveinent time and location, and tell youself that you would definitely take advantage of such and opportunity, the opportunity often just appears - like magic. Trying not to sound too new agey here, but a lot of time when you ask the universe for a favor, it will indeed deliver. You just have to be open to the possibility. It doesn't really work for greedy things, but little things that would make you happy sometimes do.