Shiva Rea is a high profile yoga teacher who is often seen in the pages of yoga magazines. She has made a large number of yoga videos, including her very popular Gaiam Prenatal Yoga DVD.
The prenatal yoga series taught in this video includes modifications for each trimester of pregnancy. Three women, one for each trimester, lead you through a series of poses intended to strengthen and support you through pregnancy and delivery of your baby. Rea, demonstrating the first trimester unmodified poses with beautiful alignment, leads the fifty-minute session, and the women representing the second and third trimesters both have lovely practices as well. Rea’s modifications rely heavily on the use of a chair, and are especially conservative for the third trimester. Experienced yoginis with consistent prenatal practices may find the chair assists are not necessary until the last few weeks of pregnancy, in which case the second trimester modifications continue to be appropriate.
The first section of the DVD focuses on meditation and pranayama. Throughout, there are excellent explanations of the benefits of each pose. Rea also leads a series of Kegel exercises, which are always good to be reminded of during pregnancy. This is followed by a series of standing poses focusing on hip openers, upper body twists, balances, and hamstring stretches. The floor work section includes a series of plank poses, which are great for maintaining your upper body strength during pregnancy, an area that is often neglected in prenatal classes. Finally, Rea leads a guided final relaxation.
This DVD is a great option for pregnant women who like to practice at home. Though the modifications are appropriate for beginners, it is best suited to those already familiar with yoga and would ideally be used to complement prenatal yoga classes.
Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
