All Rise...

Chief Counsel Melissa Hansen has mastered the art of balancing fitness with awesomeness.

The Charge

Transform your body. Optimize weight loss. Restore balance!

The Case

Tara Stiles leads us through Yoga Transformation: Weight Loss and Balance, so those of you expecting to see Deepak Chopra do a downward dog will be disappointed. Chopra does his part though, not only lending his name to the cover, but also leading a 15-minute meditation at the end of the practice.

Stiles is a more than competent instructor, though not the most personable. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she's no Denise Austin. But if I were her therapist, I'd be giving her a script for Prozac. Her main words of encouragement are "Awesome, you guys." Now, that's not "AWESOME, YOU GUYS!" But rather, "awesomeyouguys." If you need a cheerleader to make it through the tough moves, you should look for a different yogi.

The practice itself is a flow between basic postures, including lots of movement and twisting, making it slightly more aerobic and aimed toward weight loss. It's not going to make you shed pounds by itself, but will certainly be a great addition to your running/walking workouts. If you don't find this on challenging enough, Yoga Transformation: Strength and Energy features more advanced postures. If you are a beginner, modifications are demonstrated for certain poses.

The meditation consists of a brief intro by Chopra, followed by rhythmic music, and footage of beautiful Joshua Tree National Park. (Which you shouldn't be looking at. Close your eyes, you cheater!) Personally, I need a guided meditation, not just pretty music, or my mind wanders.

The specs: 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby 2.0 stereo, both of which are crisp and clear. And if you want to know more about Stiles and Chopra's views on yoga and meditation, a series of brief featurettes are included as extras.

The Verdict

Awesome, you guys.

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