Whilst nothing beats getting to class and having your teacher in the room with you to guide and adjust your poses; online yoga classes are becoming increasingly popular. Many yoga teachers have realised that by utilising social media, they are able to reach out to a wider range of people and engage with those who may not practice yoga otherwise.
Online yoga classes are great for a number of reasons:
- It’s not always possible to get to your favourite class if you have a busy schedule and by practicing at home, the class can come to you. Often it can be difficult to find the motivation for self-practice and an online yoga class can be a great compromise.
- Classes can be expensive (especially in London!), and sometimes the pennies just won’t stretch far enough to pay for a studio class. Online classes are often free on YouTube or ask for a monthly subscription via a streaming site, which usually equals the price of one studio class.
- Online classes are wonderful if you are new to yoga or feeling insecure about your yoga practice. Home practice can allow you to gain confidence and build strength until you are ready to join a studio class, or give you an alternative way to practice on days you’re not feeling up to group yoga. You also don’t need any fancy kit, just a yoga mat, (or even a towel works if you’re just starting out).
Adriene Mischler | Yoga With Adriene
Adriene Mischler is a yoga teacher from Austin, Texas. She’s an actress (like me) and has built a large and loyal following through her YouTube channel, Yoga With Adriene. Her classes range from beginner tutorials to longer and more advanced vinyasa practi
ce.
What I love about Adriene is that she creates classes to suit your mood. For example, yoga for when you are sick, for the mornings, for when you’re feeling the winter blues, for hangovers, for runners (the list goes on!). Whatever kind of day you’re having, I guarantee that there’s a yoga video to suit your needs on Adriene’s channel and this is the type of teacher I aspire to become when I finish my training.
Adriene’s warm personality and sense of fun shine through in her videos, making her classes the most accessible and enjoyable I’ve found online. She gives simple explanations and guides you through the practice without getting tied up in technicalities (perfect for beginners), but also allowing time for pose progression for more experienced yogis.
Recommended Videos:
Start with the Gentle Morning Yoga video. (This video inspired my own morning yoga practice ‘Good Morning Yoga’ which I will eventually upload when I’m brave enough!) It’s only twenty minutes long and the poses are nice and gentle. It will give you a good sense of her teaching style and hopefully will inspire you to continue with her other online classes.
It’s definitely worth trying her 30 Days of Yoga challenge. I know, yoga every day sounds like a lot. It’s actually surprisingly easy and is great motivation to get you up and onto the yoga mat. (Don’t worry, it starts off gently, building to harder sequences as your strength and flexibility increase).
Rachel Brathen | Yoga Girl
Rachel Brathen, otherwise known as @yoga_girl, has built a huge following through social media. Like many others, I discovered her via her instagram account, which boasts a collection of impressive yoga poses against gorgeous island backdrops. However, her popularity grew due to her 
ability to acknowledge the ups and the downs of life, and to find a true connection with her followers. I love how she seamlessly combines the elements of physical, emotional and spiritual yoga practice.
Rachel teaches strong, well-rounded classes which you can find on OneOEight.tv, her new wellness streaming service. The site offers tools for physical asana practice, meditation and mental wellbeing, nutrition/healthy recipes and more. It’s a brilliant online community who have come together to inspire and encourage people at home.
Recommended Videos:
I love Simple Poses to Calm a Busy Mind on Rachel’s YouTube page. It’s a great sequence for beginners as the poses are very straightforward and is also a wonderful short practice to quieten the mind before going to bed. I am wildly jealous of the beautiful scenery surrounding her in this video!
I can also recommend Handstands 101 as a great step-by-step tutorial for anyone struggling with their handstand alignment. I personally struggle with my alignment in inversions such as handstand and headstand due to my overly bendy back (we’ll talk about that another time) and would often rely on a wall for support before finding this tutorial.
Sunflower Yoga 