5 Tips for Navigating Yoga Online

Sometimes life throws a curveball. A situation comes up that you have no control over, and you have to change how you do things. A perfect example of this kind of situation is a Covid 19 Lockdown. Everything closes. You've got to work from home and can't go and see people. Exercise options change. You cant go to a class. Dealing with this change requires you to be flexible (pun intended). If you want to take a yoga class, it's going to need to be online.

I believe there are many benefits to the online yoga setup. Some of them being :

• Practice when and where you want. You choose the timetable.

• You choose the length of the session. If you only have half an hour, you do just half an hour. This kind of freedom could allow you to practice every day.

• You get access to a wide variety of expert teachers offering a wide variety of styles and energy. You get to choose the kind of class you want.

• There's no need to spend big money on activewear. You can wear whatever you want. If you want to do a class in your underwear, you can. How awesome is that :)

• A very cost-effective experience. You get great bang for your buck.

There is lots to love about practising online. It can pose problems, though. 

As I've been walking around Bondi recently, I've run into many regular students who come to live classes. We get chatting about how yoga is going during the lockdown, and it's common to hear that the whole online yoga thing is a struggle. What I hear from these people is something is missing from the online experience. 

In a live class, there's great energy in the room. It feels good to be around like-minded, health-conscious people. The group energy in a live class makes it much easier to lift and put in 100% effort. Going from a high vibe yoga class to looking at a screen in your lounge room or bedroom can seem, dare I say it. Boring :) It's just not the same. And that brings me to my first tip for yoga a home.

5 Tips for Online Yoga  

1. Yoga at home is not the same as in the classroom. They can not be compared. It's going to be different. This small but significant mental shift will help yoga online be a more fulfilling experience.

2. Practice outside if you can. Going somewhere for your session can make it feel more like a special occasion. Find a park or someplace by the sea. Being outside, breathing in the fresh air, soaking up vitamin D and getting your feet on grass, sand or rocks will significantly enhance the overall feel good from the class.

3. Have a special project. Choose something to focus on. What could you work on? If you have tight hips, do only hip opening classes. If you want to achieve an inversion or arm balance, do some extra work strengthening your arms and core. If you're going to learn the handstand go after it. Now is the time. This ties in nicely to the point above. If you are outside in the park doing a class, take advantage of the soft surface. It's an excellent opportunity to practice the handstand.

4. Take the time to organise some killer playlists. Pull together music that makes you smile and makes it joyous to be on your mat. You can play music and listen to the teacher. If making playlists isn't your thing, put on one of my playlists which you can find on Spotify. Here & Here.

5. Become a person who practices every day. There's a little trick to this. You don't always need to lock in time for a whole 1-hour class. Online you will find many shorter sessions. If you throw some shorter ones into your week, you may find it easier to get a class in every day. You can become a yoga everyday person :)

Below are three excellent online series to check out. These all fit into the 

SPECIAL PROJECTS AREA

Highway to Handstand: Learn how to handstand online during the lockdown.

Greatest Hips : Short hip-opening sessions. Every class is 100% focused on getting your hips moving freely. If you have tight hips this will help. Big time. Get started now.

Hybrid Yoga Workouts: These sessions are common yoga flows with extra upper body strengthening elements helping you get strong and flexible at the same time.