How does an online yoga class work?

Do you get a little nervous when you think about joining an online yoga class for the first time? or joining a new online yoga class? Lots of people worry about:

• Are there other people? Can they see you? Can you see them?

• Can you see the teacher? Can the teacher see you?

• How do you “attend” the class?

• Do you need mats & props? What if you don’t have mats & props?

They’re really common questions about attending a new class so I thought I’d answer some of them for you:

1. Checking in – when you book into a class there are some health & wellbeing questions to answer. These are things that can change day to day so you should share how you feel on the day. This is important information as it allows me to take into account any specific adjustments for you and how we can work around that together to keep you safe & strong in your mind & body.

2. “Attending” class – once you’ve booked into an online class you’ll receive a confirmation email that includes a link that you will click to attend your class using a tool called Zoom.us. It’s a video conferencing tool that means you can see & hear what I am doing in real time.

You have the option to have your camera on or turn it off, everybody makes a different choice depending on what they are comfortable with. If your camera is on I can provide you with personalised feedback for your movement patterns.

I’ll take some time before class to say hi, welcome you to the space, let you know where things are, and to find out a little bit about you. I’ll ask you how your body is feeling today and how you’re doing.

During the class, everybody will be set to mute in case there are any unexpected noisy visitors - dogs, kids, deliveries, unexpected phone calls etc.

3. Space – It’s amazing to have a dedicated yoga space at home but it isn’t always practical. I get it, I lived in a 1.5 bedroom flat with my husband and cat and my yoga kit went in & out of hidey places all the time.  You need enough space to stand up and open your arms to the side and in front of you. Not sure if you have enough? Stand on the spot, raise your arms so they are inline with your shoulders and spin in a circle. That is how much space you will ideally have.

4. Yoga mat & props – In my in-person classes there are a range of props available to students, but you may not have these at home. The key thing you need is a yoga mat or a large bath towel and a cushion is handy as well. You can read or watch a video all about the different yoga props for creating your home practice here

5. Adjustments & Feedback – if you have your camera on during class I will be able to see how you move and I will be able to give you personalised feedback for your movement patterns. Feedback will be for the group and if needed, I will let you know what you can do to uplift your physical yoga practice.

6. Music, a little bit of it – Music doesn’t travel that well through video and audio-conferencing tools. You will receive a link to a Spotify playlist that you can listen to at your place or you can choose your own music for the class.

In the Yoga Basics course, we start without music. When people start yoga they often find there’s a lot of information to absorb and music can be another layer of complexity for them. As you progress through the Yoga Basics Course music will be dropped in.

7. A reset phase – we have all been in different states before we step onto the mat to start the physical yoga practice. To allow you the opportunity to “step into your mind & body” we start the class with a reset. This includes taking some time to connect to your breath, scan your body, to think about the intention for your practice, and then we move into the flow.

8. Lots of options – I provide lots of options for each pose/ movement in the class. Each person in the class is different and we won’t all be able to do the same things. I start at the lower end of the spectrum and then invite you to add a little more IF your mind & body is open to it on the day.

9. No medals – I often say “Listen to what is right for your body… today. There are no medals in yoga”.

10. Why? – As we move through the flows and into different poses, I will drop in why we are doing it, what the benefit is and how it can help you. It won’t be with every pose as we wouldn’t get through very much, but it will be as often as possible and with different poses/ movements each time. This is to provide you with an opportunity to learn about your body – if you want to of course.

11. Closing the eyes – At different stages in the class I will invite you to close your eyes or to take a low gaze if you are comfortable to do so. This is an opportunity for you to check back into your mind and body as we move through the class.

12. Savasana/ Relaxation – I encourage you to stay for this final portion of the class as it allows you to “lock-in” what you have achieved/ created/ discovered/ built/ felt… in your mind and body through your yoga practice. This can then help you to carry that with you as you step off the mat.

Those are the highlights and the commonalities of an online yoga flow class with Forever Body Yoga. Is there something else you expected or want to know about?

I hope that helps you to feel more confident to attend your first online yoga flow class, with me, or another teacher.

Kirsti x