Heather Seininger's Yoga Pregnancy: Pre and Post Natal Workouts is basically the polar opposite of Jennifer Wolfe's Prenatal Vinyasa Yoga, which I practiced with and reviewed yesterday. Whereas Wolfe's program seems intended to be as close as possible to a real and vigorous Vinyasa yoga practice with a few modifications, Seininger's program is short, easy, and seems more focused on giving pregnant women the basic stretches for back, chest, neck, and hips that they need to deal with everyday pains and prepare for labour.
The video also includes a postnatal workout, which I didn't try for now. But the prenatal workout is just right when you really only want a stretch and a bit of strength building. Seininger has a very calm voice, and she matter-of-factly instructs you how to enter each position, each time giving you a moment to center yourself and find your balance. There are warrior poses, but here you have time to get into proper form and to check your foot placement. Every asana is done carefully, purposefully, and without rushing. There is a brief (too brief!) shavasana at the end. There are modifications shown for third trimester, and these are usually cued verbally as well.
If you've done any kind of yoga at all, this probably won't challenge you too much. But it's perfect maintenance for days when you want something light, and a good way to start the day.
Labels: prenatal, workout, yoga
