But a big shortfall here: the breath sequencing is not given the same attention. In certain poses, as with the boat-and-bow, the breath sequence is maintained from start to finish. But in others, it is more of an afterthought. Though Shetty does suggest, in her introduction, that you must continue breathing normally throughout, this is not repeated later on as many times. Breath sequencing is a very important, if not one of the main pillars, of yoga instruction.
Most practitioners, especially beginners, tend to hold their breath while focusing on a particular move. So, even if breath sequence was not given in step-by-step fashion -- again, an extremely difficult part of yoga instruction and script-writing in such work-out DVDs -- it would have added value to the entire exercise if the suggestion to continue normal breathing is reiterated throughout.
I wondered, however, why the shoulder-and-neck practices were placed towards the end. In most schools, they would make sense upfront, as a warm-up.
You can also see the difficulty in compiling a set that appeals to both the beginner and advanced level of practitioners: Some poses like chakrasana, for instance, may simply not be learnt looking at a video but must be learnt under the personal guidance of a yoga instructor.
Also see: Beat that headache with yoga!
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