Let’s face it, we all have an off day from time to time. On those days, I just want to lay down on the couch and binge-watch Netflix, but, of course, my workout buddies will not let that happen. So we end up picking a yoga class.  Yoga practice is an exercise for both the mind and the body.  It heals and nurtures your pain and injuries, strengthens your core, improves mobility and flexibility, relaxes your mind, and soothes your soul.      

Don’t be intimidated by the overwhelming options for yoga classes on World Wide Gym.  I like to search for classes with the end goal in mind.  One day my friend Amy complained that her back hurt because she sat for too long. We googled “yoga for back pain” and found tons of classes that offered yoga designed to ease back pain or relax the back muscle.  Any issue that you can think of—stiff neck, indigestion, sore muscles, detox, waking up, weight loss, depression, bedtime—there’s a yoga class for it.  

Yoga with Adrienne

With nine million subscribers, Adrienne is an online yoga celebrity, and when you practice yoga with her, you’ll know why.  She is quirky and approachable, and I am in love with her Yogi dog Benji, a blue heeler who is a regular on her videos.  A lot of Adrienne’s yoga classes are very friendly to beginners.  She really wants to promote yoga for all bodies, genders, and souls.  The moves are easy to follow, and you really feel like you are in her living room with her as she guides you through the lesson. Her classes range from 10 to 30 minutes and she also offers a 30 day program to help you keep up your practice.  

https://yogawithadriene.com/yoga-joy-full-body-vinyasa-flow/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phuS5VLQy8c

Yoga with Kassandra

Though Kassandra has only been teaching yoga for seven years, she has tons of yoga videos out there.  One of her specialties is Yin Yoga, a slow-paced and meditative style of yoga that targets your deep connective tissues, like your fascia, ligaments, joints, and bones.  In Yin yoga, you hold each pose for a longer time which helps stretching and to lengthen your body tissues. Kassandra is also really good at explaining the benefits and impact each move has on your body. Sometimes we will pick one of her shorter videos after a cardio workout to stretch out. Other times, we dedicate entire sessions to deep stretching with her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3UA96-84MU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhSpwGwYC_M

Five Parks Yoga

I’ve always dreamed of going to a Yoga Retreat and doing yoga and meditation amongst like-minded people.  Although that option is temporarily postponed due to COVID, Erin from Five Parks Yoga gives you the next best thing: practicing yoga with you at her retreat venues in Costa Rica and Colorado. Just grab a mat and your imagination, and enjoy your yoga retreat without stepping outside of your house.  Her classes typically last longer than 30 minutes, and you get a good and complete yoga practice.  Her classes are perfect for someone who is looking for a longer focused session and is willing to foray into more challenging practice beyond the beginner level.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S4DopxDbX0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3S2SfDU-0k

Boho Beautiful Yoga

There’s nothing better than traveling around the World and practicing yoga in exotic locations like a beach in Thailand, Seaside at Turks and Caicos, and over a cliff in Tibet.  Follow husband and wife team, Juliana and Mark, as they bring us along with their adventures around the world.  The video on location is so beautifully filmed that it rivals top-notch travel channels.  Mind you, Juliana is probably one of the most flexible yoga instructors online. Her classes are harder, and most of us probably won’t be able to follow half of her moves. But that’s ok.  Yoga is an individual exercise that you can modify to better fit your body’s abilities.  In the meantime, you can just let yourself be carried away by the beautiful scenery and soothing sounds of nature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bweuBMPB8pY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7cX_NRCHvY

Lululemon 

Who said you don’t sweat with yoga?  With some of the intermediate or advanced flow yoga routines, you will be moving continuously from one pose to another.  It also takes a lot of strength to stay in each pose for one minute—especially those planks! 

If you are intrigued and feel ready for the challenge, I highly recommend trying the free yoga classes offered by Lululemon.  The videos are shot in a studio setting so you really feel like you are attending a yoga class in person.  The two main instructors, Ally Maz and Ryan Leier are very experienced.  Their moves and poses individually are not too difficult but when they put together the routine, you will definitely feel the workout.    

20 Minute Everyday Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class | lululemon - Bing video

45 Minute Everyday Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class | lululemon - Bing video

Johanna is a mother of two teenage daughters, A1 and A2 and one rescued dog A3.  Wife of an ABC (American Born Chinese).  She came here from Hong Kong as an exchange student and decided to stay and plant her roots here. Outside her work at Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, she likes to cook, travel, swing dance and connect with friends (old and new).