Great product!

I'm unsure of what strange smell some folks talk about or what is mentioned on the instructions paper that comes w/ it? It seems to smell just fine sort of like a new carpet or the interior of a new car.

However for those who are still concerned about the "new smell" the product comes w/ an instruction paper that tells you how to get rid of it.

Ironically it's not all that different than how to be-rid the new car smell.

This product works perfectly fine & quite big actually. Maybe that's because this is my 1st yoga mat ever. Lol! I like this product & encourage others to get this too.

I used it for the 1st time this past Wednesday at the free yoga class in the park by the bay.

Very nice & the one I ordered not only came from Gaiam Co. but it also matched the yoga bag I got for it too!

This is an excellent product for beginners & for experts!More detail ...

Noticeable results

I purchase the kettlenetics program when it first came out in June 2008. Within the first week I started to notice a difference. It is a fun workout that targets all different muscle groups. One con that I did have in the beginning was that I had trouble following the routine. I am not naturally coordinated and have no dance background so while following the quicker paced movements might be easy for some it took me a few days to be able to get through the routine. If you are going to do this program I also recommend additional cardiovascular training. I was not in shape at all when I started and could barely get through a video without stopping to catch my breath.



Overall if you are willing to put in the time and the effort this is a great tool to get slim and tonedMore detail ...

good value no smell

We were concerned about all the talk of mats smelling so horribly when new. This mat does not smell bad or noxious. Very little smell at all.More detail ...

Another great workout from Tanja

I loved this one it is like all of Tanja's workouts filmed outside and she is inspiring as always. She laughs and makes you feels great.

There are three parts front body back body core.

There were some interesting new core moves incorporating the cord that I liked.

Also you can easily take this dvd and cord with you when you are out of town or on vacation (I will!).

And you can't beat the price of this set $15 for the dvd AND the resistance cord!

Let Tanja get you moving.More detail ...

Not Worth It

I have been doing Bikram yoga for about a year now and needed something longer than a normal bath towel. Instead of buying the expensive yoga towels I went for Gaiam's and have not been too impressed. It does absorb much more than a normal towel but does not stay put on top of the mat in between poses which causes me to constantly fix it leaving me with little if any resting time. I suggest buying the expensive towels for it's worth the cost in the end.More detail ...

Pretty Yoga Bag

This bag is very pretty and the coordinating mat is a lovely match. I only gave it 4 stars because it doesn't quite fit the yoga mat. It may stretch over time but it was a bit of a pain to get the bag closed over it.



That being said it is easy to carry holds the mat and looks quite lovely while doing so.



If you own yoga bricks or other accessories this bag will not fit them. It will fit a small wallet or cell phone in the front pocket so this bag is ideal if you travel light!More detail ...

Good Beginner Program

I bought this with the hope that it would mimic Refromer exercises without having to pay $2000-$3000 for and actual reformer. What the band does is make classic pilates exercises easier rather than adding much resistance. If you are a beginner it is a good place to start but if you are already expereined with Pilates mat work you will get a better workout by doing the mat series alone.More detail ...

great workout!

the pilates sculpting ball and accompanying DVD are great. the ball is much smaller and easier to store than large stability balls and is great for providing balance and some resistance. Ana Caban has you add the ball to various standard pilates positions making you focus on having better form when doing the exercises. More detail ...

Awfully thin

This particular mat did not mention how thick it is. It gives the dimensions of it rolled up I guess which is probably some indication but it made no sense to me at the time of purchase. I am disappointed at how thin the mat is. I have not yet taken it out of its wrapping but will probably not return it because with shipping charges it is barely worth it. I have been doing yoga for many years and am retiring a mat I have had for five or six years. It is pretty thick and I can't imagine this one will be satisfactory. I can't recommend it. I will update this review after I use it if I use it.More detail ...

Best Yoga Bag for big mat!

I love this yoga bag! It is machine washable and therefore easy to clean. It also snaps fully open so I can easily put my extra long extra thick sticky yoga mat in the bag. It's plenty big to toss my towel tee and water bottle on top of my oversized mat. Plus the outside zippered pocket is great for keeping my keys wallet and cell handy.More detail ...

Tanja is great as always

This workout is shorter than the others that I own by Tanja but there are two workouts on it one "regular" and one that is designed to be done with a partner (so I guess if you would do them both in one day you would get your long workout). And then there is an ab workout. All use the 4lb ball and engage the abs a lot. I loved the regular and the extra ab workout the ball is always included in the exercise to enhance the effect. Tanja is inspiring and the scenery is gorgeous. I haven't tried the partner workout but I would love to if I had somebody to do it with.

I totally recommend this dvd as all the others with Tanja.More detail ...

Uneasy start but it got better and better

At first I wasn't so sure about my purchase but I watched the little video and it looked really good. I like the instructor and that the workout was filmed outside (it's a nice change of scenery compared to my other workout dvds which were all filmed indoors). The workout has a "relaxed" feel the music is really nice and the instructor is somewhat quiet but the workout itself is not relaxed! I like that about it. I did the whole workout - but you can also do it in segments of upper body lower body and abs and I really feel like a got a good whole body workout.

I like to keep my workout interesting and the disc and resistance cord (and the whole dvd in general) are different from your usual weights and cardio.

I struggled at first with inflating the disc I wasn't sure how much air I needed and during the workout I had to adjust the air when I noticed that my disc wasn't inflated enough.

If you want something "different" and not your usual cardio + weights this is definitely it. The dvd makes me feel like I want to go outside and exercise in the fresh air now.



EDIT 04-20-2008

This has become one of my favorites I just love Tanja!!!!!

I am going to buy more of her workout dvds (I already bought the balance ball workout).More detail ...

This Tree of Life is Losing its Leaves!

I have had this mat for three months using 3-4 times a week for a 1 hour class and it falling apart coming into pieces all over and now on my clothes. I have never had this happen with a mat and I have three other ones I still use that are nearly 5 years old. But this was a gift and I guess I broke it in! And I am only 158lbs and not used in a power yoga class...just a standard Astanga.More detail ...

WONDERFUL KIT!!!

This Living Arts Yoga Kit is great! You get everything you need to get started at a great price! If you bought all of the pieces seperately it would cost much more. The mat is very high quality as are the yoga strap and blocks. You will get years of use from this set. The video will go through the use of props with you and help you understand their uses better. We reccomend this to everyone!More detail ...