"Crunch —The Perfect Yoga Workout: The Joy of Yoga & Fat-Burning Yoga" features two DVD workouts, both led by Sara Ivanhoe.

Whether you are a beginning yoga student or just want to brush up on your technique, the following yoga DVDs, books and products can skillfully guide you through your practice.

Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies (Available in DVD and VHS; DVD includes a bonus 10-minute workout; 46 minutes) A fun program for anyone who is ready to try yoga and just need a jumping-off point. Informative and easy to follow, this DVD will teach you everything you need to know about breathing, postures and modifications of yoga’s basic poses. Then you’ll learn how to put the poses together for a yoga session. This program is a great way to learn yoga form and finesse. Sara Ivanhoe’s informal, friendly style is perfect for beginners as they become familiar with yoga.

Crunch – The Perfect Yoga Workout: The Joy of Yoga & Fat-Burning Yoga (Available in DVD and VHS; however, VHS version includes only the “Joy of Yoga” program; 77 minutes). A fabulous two-program workout that starts you off with the “Joy of Yoga” — a 35-minute routine for beginners using easy postures, followed by “Fat Burning Yoga,” a program that moves a little faster and is your next step toward progressing in yoga. Sara Ivanhoe teaches both programs, and her solid commentary and cueing brings an upbeat approach to yoga.

Yoga Zone — Yoga Basics for Beginners (VHS; 38 minutes). A great introductory program that covers all the basic poses that you’ll find in any yoga class. Two workouts are included and team-taught by master yoga teachers Michelle Bren and Al Bingham, with a focus on learning correct form and breathing.

Yoga Made Easy (MetroBooks, 2002) by Howard Kent. This 160-page book is easy to understand. It takes you through 12 months of beginning a yoga practice, with lots of explanations and clear photos of the yoga postures.

Yoga Zone Introduction to Yoga: A Beginner’s Guide to Health, Fitness, and Relaxation (Three Rivers Press, 2000) by Alan Finger with Al Bingham. You’ll get a great overview of yoga philosophy, the benefits of yoga and how to begin your practice, plus detailed instruction on basic poses along with helpful tips and modifications. A 224-page book packed with valuable information and posture illustrations!

The Little Yoga (Warner Books, 1999) by Erika Dillman. Perfect for those new to yoga, this 208-page book features more than 40 illustrated poses for improving stamina and flexibility, along with breathing exercises to help reduce stress. Also included are 10 workouts, from a quick pick-me-up at the office to a more in-depth program for home. Written with an upbeat and understanding attitude, it’s a fast read for the busy beginner.

OM Yoga in a Box Created by Cyndi Lee, director of OM Yoga Center in New York City, this get-started yoga kit has everything you need to practice at home. The box contains two compact discs: an instructional CD with a 70-plus-minute yoga class (or four shorter, targeted classes) plus 68 flash cards, showing you correct posture and alignment while describing benefits. These flash cards, created especially for beginners, are divided into sections: Warm-Up, Sun Salutation, Standing Poses, Seated Poses, Back-Bending, Finishing Poses and Relaxation. Also included: a 6-foot yoga strap to assist you in getting into postures, a candle, incense and an incense holder.

Tags: Alternative medicine, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Entertainment/Culture, Exercise, Human behavior, Human Interest, Indian philosophy, Meditation, Mind-body interventions, Vihangamyoga, Yoga, Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine