The ancient practice of Yoga has comfortably become a favourite among wellness seekers as it helps you to cope with the stress of modern life. Nothing seems to slow down, from your personal goals to milestones at work! You may like racing, very well, but your body and mind needs time to rejuvenate, right?
Yoga is one of the best ways to destress and energise your mind and body. To enjoy the benefits of yoga, it is best to learn the yoga poses (yoga asanas) well and practise. Many look at self-learning of yoga, and if you are one among them, this article is sure to help.
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One of the simple ways to learn and practice yoga, especially at home, is to start with following youtube videos on yoga asanas. And there are several good ones out there available for free!
Here is an insight into two popular free online yoga classes suitable for practitioners of all levels. We hope it would help you immensely.
Do not confuse online yoga classes with virtual yoga classes conducted by yoga instructors. Especially during the Covid-19, many instructors have gone virtual!
1. Yoga with Adriene
Yoga with Adriene is one of the best free online resources available that enables easy access to the world of yoga. If you are an absolute beginner, this is where you ought to start, with Adriene’s videos on Foundations of Yoga series.
Start With Beginner Tutorials
Adriene clearly explains the most basic poses, such as the child’s pose, corpse pose, mountain pose, and easy pose in separate short videos for each. So, it will be ideal for you to start with the basic poses.
Then, you can proceed to learn further using her videos on standing forward fold, runners lunge, plank, cobra, and a downward dog that form the basis for the sun salutation sequence.
Move On To Sun Salutations And Other Basic Poses
Once you get familiar with the poses that are required to do a sun salutation, you can attempt her video on Sun Salutations or the Surya Namaskar. She has also put together basic poses on heart-openers, hip openers, arm balance, backbends, balance, twists, and inversions under the foundation category, where you can get a glimpse of what it is like to try each of these variants of yoga.
Now It’s Time To Practise Yoga Sequences
Yoga sequence is the order in which poses are arranged, and each sequence will have a specific effect on your mind and body. The number of poses varies from sequence to sequence.
When you are comfortable with the basic poses, you can look at practising yoga sequences. You can visit Adriene’s YouTube channel to find a vast collection of videos. Believe us, you are bound to be spoilt for choice.
You can choose any video practice depending on how much time you can spare; there are ones as short as under 10 mins to an hour-long class. It is also possible to find one based on what you feel like focusing on a particular day. Whether you are looking for a quick stress buster, or a relaxing, gentle sequence, or maybe a vigorous vinyasa flow, and you can find one you need. There is even a short 6-minute routine on “yoga at your desk” to practice yoga during your work breaks!
The Final Word
Adriene typically starts her videos with an introduction about the pose or sequence and then starts with demonstrating the same at a good pace. So, you might be a beginner or someone who wants to learn a sequence- Adriene makes it easy for anyone to follow. The Yoga with Adriene videos are highly engaging and tend to make your practice fun. There are several downloadable collections as well available on her website that can be handy when you need to practice offline.
2. Five Parks Yoga – Yoga Amidst Nature
Five parks yoga by Erin Sampson has a comprehensive collection of video series shot at beautiful locations in Costa Rica, Colorado, and Nicaragua, making it highly refreshing. Coupled with Erin’s soothing voice giving the cues, you will find your yoga asana practice incredibly grounding and calming.
Wider Choices To Cater To Different Needs
Similar to Yoga with Adriene, at Five Parks Yoga too, you will be able to find videos based on,
- the duration
- the body part to focus on
- intensity level
You can choose one that best suits your needs for the day and practice the same right at the convenience of your home.
Things To Remember When You Learn From Five Parks Yoga
- Check The Poses In The Sequence Beforehand
At Five Parks Yoga, most of the videos will be suitable for beginners. However, it is good to check the yoga poses covered in the video to understand if it will be ideal for the level of practice you are currently in.
- Take A Break If You Are Not Comfortable
No worries though, you can always go ahead and do a sequence. If you cannot get into any particular pose, take a break in a downward dog or child’s pose and join Erin on the next pose.
This scenario could be especially true for those under the Peak pose build-up series wherein a set of poses will be practised to get into an advanced-level pose towards the end, such as hanumanasana(splits-pose) or handstand, which is typically out of bounds for a beginner.
- Assess Your Ability Before Moving On To Next Level
You think you can do a seqeunce. You start doing it, but, midway you are not confident. What do you do now?
While it is still good to go with the flow, caution has to be exercised. With yoga, there is always a risk of injury. So, be intuitive and assess if the pose is for you at the present level of practice you are in. Attempt it following the cues from Erin for each step and back off if you need more practice to get there.
Now, Erin Can Make You Sleep Too!
As an add on, Erin has started adding videos on bedtime stories, recited by her just as a parent would to their child, that can help you calm down and relax. You can perhaps follow it up with a Yoga Nidra or a yin yoga video for a restful sleep after a long day!
Both the tutorials mentioned above are our personally picked choices. You can follow either of them or both depending on your needs and preferences.
Word Of Caution
You must be aware that yoga when practised right can offer huge benefits. However, when practised wrong can cause injury to your body. From the breathing techniques to the counter poses, there are several aspects of yoga that you need to know.
Though online classes are suitable to start and continue yoga, it is always recommended to learn with a teacher in a studio class. because that is the only way where the teacher can identify any mistakes and help you correct them.
They will also be able to provide modifications for you if you have any issues during the day, such as back pain. So, it will be ideal to attend a few classes in a studio whenever you can to complement your regular practice using the online sessions.
Images from canva.com
