YogaVibes instructor Faith Hunter
Long gone are the days when you purchased a yoga DVD on a whim only to find out it wasn't what you were looking for at all. Yoga on demand, streaming classes and mp3 downloads make it possible to practice no matter where you are, as long as you have at least five minutes.
I always found watching DVDs distracting. Poses were never explained quite enough and too often I ended up watching the videos instead of practicing. Many of the yoga video sites are actually filmed during a real class with real students, so you feel like you're actually in a class. Having been burned one too many times by bad DVD choices, I was late to the game with all the great yoga at home options It wasn't until last summer, with about five family members in town and no spare time to stop playing tour guide, that I found myself getting in a 20-minute class first thing in the morning thanks to
YogaDownload. Now I never stress about not being able to make it to class or what I'll do when traveling, because I know one of these sites will keep me balanced.
YogaGlo- Like most yogis on the go, Derik Mills found himself frustrated while stuck in traffic trying to make it to yoga on time. But, instead of getting all bent out of shape, he created
YogaGlo, HD streaming classes that you can play at 2 in the morning or 2 in the afternoon. For just $18 a month (the cost of a drop-in class at most studios), you have access to YogaGlo's classes, which are filmed on location at the YogaGlo studio in Santa Monica, California. Plus, you can choose your class, led by YogaGlo's staff instructor and guest teachers such as John Friend or Shiva Rea, by style, length or level.
YogaVibes- Unlike YogaGlo,
YogaVibes doesn't have a studio set in one location. They work with teachers all over the country, giving them cameras to shoot their own classes for the site. But this is no YouTube for yoga, instructors include Kathryn Budig, Ana Forrest, Sadie Nardini and Chicago's own Sara Strother, so you can believe you'll get an amazing class experience. In addition to streaming videos, YogaVibes also has free instructional videos, a Beginner's Vibe section for newbies and a Recovery Vibe section that focuses on the power of yoga while kicking addiction. You can stream one class an unlimited amount of times for 14 days for $10, stream five classes as many times as you like for $20 a month or go all out and have access to all videos for $25 a month.
YogaDownload- I've mentioned
YogaDownload, an mp3 class site,
quite a few times on this blog. I like that I can keep classes on my iPod, so if I happen to (gasp) be somewhere with no internet, I can still practice. Membership fees range from $2.95 a week (unlimited streaming and one download) to $19.95 a month (unlimited classes and downloads).
Gaiam Yoga Club- Build a strong home practice with Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman with the
Gaiam Yoga Club. For $65 every 13 weeks, you get access to videos, pose guides and podcasts featuring Colleen and Rodney showing modifications, alignment tips and sequencing so you can create the ideal private yoga class. There's also an online community for members with occasional video chats with Rodney and Colleen.
ExerciseTV- If you have cable with OnDemand, you've probably seen
Exercise TV. Each month, Exercise TV offers over 20 hours of free workouts, including videos from celebrity trainers Harley Pasternak, Jillian Michaels and Jackie Warner from Bravo's Workout. Recently Exercise TV partnered with New York yoga gym chain Yoga Works for exclusive yoga classes and yoga core toning videos. There's also pilates, Bollywood dance, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader workouts and family fitness videos. If you don't have cable or you want access to their entire video collection, an All Access Pass is $9.99 a month.
5 Comments
Patricia Biesen said:
Love this post! I'm definitely going to check out YogaDownload.
Maya Henderson said:
Thanks, Patricia! Let me know how you like it!
gorawhavefun said:
Oh wow - these are great- but so many options! Which is your favorite Maya? My month at the Dailey Method is just about over and I'm looking for what to do next :)
Maya Henderson said:
Thanks! I think they're all great. Honestly! However, I just found out you can use code SARAVIBES2010 for 20% off at YogaVibes! Definitely check that out! I took Sara's class today and she was amazing! A really inspiring teacher, so I'm sure her class at YogaVibes is great. Let me know what you think!
DorotheeRoyal said:
Awesome! Thanks for this post, it is super helpful and I'll definitely check out some of these sites.
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