Gentle Yoga with Jessica Smith DVD Review

I am a longtime fan of Jessica Smith’s workouts. I have a couple of her DVDs (getting dusty in a box) and am a subscriber to her YouTube channel. So I was excited to see her Gentle Yoga for Balance, Flexibility and Mobility, Relaxation, Stretching for All Levels DVD listed as the “best” on Amazon. I had never tried one of her dedicated yoga practices before, in favor of her other workouts, and I looked forward to seeing whether it was indeed the “best yoga DVD.”

I purchased the digital streaming option instead of the physical DVD, but the content is the same. And there is benefit to the streaming option: You can purchase just the section that appeals to you without getting the DVD’s entire four-part series. I completed one of the four 20-minute sections per day to experience each piece on its own (thinking that many people looking for a gentle yoga practice aren’t interested in an 80-minute practice but would rather ease into it).

Here are my thoughts, first on each section and then on the overall program.

Section 1 – Neck and Shoulders

The focus of this section is to “let go” of tension in the neck and shoulders. The sequence was easy to follow and accessible to most people looking to try a gentle yoga practice.

However, there are a couple of areas that I feel could have been improved.

For one, though the program is not being sold as chair yoga, this particular section could largely have been performed while seated—on the floor or a chair. This strikes me as a missed opportunity, one that would have opened this practice to others who require an even gentler approach to yoga. A brief statement at the beginning saying that they could sit for many of the arm-stretching poses would have been helpful.

And though this section’s focus is on the upper body, Smith gave few cues about the lower body. For example, in one instance Smith brings students into an almost Warrior I Pose without providing any instruction as to how to position their feet. There were also several breath cues that were opposite to what I would expect. For example, I would expect an inhale cue with Upward Facing Dog, instead of exhale.

Section 2 – Back and Chest

This section aims to open the chest to provide improved posture and pain relief. Overall, Smith’s sequence delivered. By the end I felt more open and the slow pace was definitely gentle.

The only areas that I felt could be improved in this section relate to the inclusion of two more advanced poses without modifications. For example, Smith included Fish Pose, and while it can be gentle it can also put a lot of strain on the neck—and therefore is not appropriate for those with neck problems. She should have provided a modification. Also, Smith included Revolved Chair Pose with your elbow coming to the outside of the opposite knee. Here she did offer a modification of not going down too deep. Even so, this is not a gentle pose and I think to keep with the theme she should have instead offered a standing twist or, if she wanted to keep chair pose, kept the twist open and the squat not as deep.

Section 3 – Knees and Hips

This section’s goal is to “unlock” your joints and find freedom in movement from your hips to your toes. The sequence is built through predominantly standing poses and stretches, ending with a couple of seated poses.

The purpose of this section is unclear. It references unlocking your joints. Is it intended to be for people with a locked knees condition? There was no mention of locked joints in the video nor was this goal discussed. So, this focus is unclear and therefore this section fails to meet the objective.

I found the sequence to be well paced but several of the poses Smith included are not for beginners, like Half Moon and Dancer. While she did use a chair to make them more accessible, I question whether they have a place in a gentle practice. And if they do, there should have been more preparatory poses to make the body more prepared for them, especially for those performing this section as a standalone practice. For example, before doing Dancer Pose I would expect to be taken through some back and shoulder extension poses first. I feel the back and shoulders were not ready for Dancer Pose.

At the conclusion of the section, in Mountain Pose, my low back was a little pinchy and felt somewhat compressed—not released and more mobile—the result, I assume, from flexing the back too much without proper warm up.

Section 4 – Total Body

This section aims to provide a full-body stretch that allows you to connect to your center—in this case center of your being, not core/abdominal muscles. The sequence is well paced and incorporates an even mix of standing and down-on-the-mat poses. The strongest pose of the sequence is Warrior II, which is a powerful pose but accessible for most people.

This well-rounded section, however, had a couple of minor flaws. Toward the end many of the poses were not held as long on the second side. This generally isn’t an exact science but it was quite noticeable. Also, the breath cues were, again, not as I would anticipate in several of the poses, like Chair Pose where I would expect to exhale as you sink down and inhale as you come up.

Overall: What I Liked

Smith’s pace is one of the best features of all four sections. She smoothly flows from one pose to another and doesn’t make you feel rushed. This lends to the feeling that this is, as advertised, a gentle yoga practice. Smith has a calming voice and transitions you well through the sequences.

The ambiance is nice and tropical, set next to a pool with running water and surrounded by trees and candles. The video and sound quality are good; Smith is clear and gives decent instructions to move you into the poses.

In general, her sequences are fitting and follow the gentle theme. She seems knowledgeable and you feel confident in her instruction.

Overall: What Could Be Improved

Generally, while I liked Smith’s pose choices, there were a few that were surprising in a gentle practice, specifically Revolved Chair Pose and Dancer Pose. I can see some avenue for including them but the modifications and/or progressions to prepare for these poses were absent.

I also had some difficultly with some of the cues (or lack thereof) Smith provided. There were modifications she could have provided to make the practices gentler and she didn’t provide that guidance, and certain cues were not as I would expect, especially in regards to the breath.

The Knees and Hips section was the least enjoyable for me and I feel it missed the mark in terms of what it was trying to accomplish (based on the description). I actually felt a little worse—not better—after the practice.

This DVD is marketed as a yoga video but parts of it felt more like a workout of yoga poses and stretches. For example, I would expect a yoga class to include Savasana (Corpse) Pose. It is essential in processing the practice, even if just for a few breaths. A final resting pose is also quite gentle and excluding it is a disservice to those trying to actually have a yoga practice at home.

Final Analysis

Overall Gentle Yoga for Balance, Flexibility and Mobility, Relaxation, Stretching for All Levels offers a slow and gentle yoga practice by Jessica Smith, whose fitness videos are a staple in my living room. The price of the DVD (or steaming access to all four sections) is about the same as the cost of one yoga class in a studio. It is a great value for someone seeking basic stretching at home using yoga poses.

Section 3, however, was the least beneficial for me, and I would likely skip it if I were looking for a quick gentle practice at home. And if I was recommending this DVD to one of my students, I would give them a heads up on certain modifications and breathing preferences that I have…in addition to encouraging them to take Savasana at the end.

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Review: Gentle Yoga with Jessica Smith