Yoga at Home

I’ve been a little recipe heavy on the blog lately so I thought I would change things up (I also haven’t been cooking!). I was inspired by Karen’s post last week on Yoga at Home. It made me think about my own experience with yoga and how it has changed through the years. I took my first yoga class when I was 16 and it’s played a pretty consistent role in my life ever since. My first few years I stuck to Hatha yoga. The terms were still new and my body was extremely confused by the contortionist acts I was performing so Hatha suited me.

In university I joined the MAA. If you know me well, then you know my obsession with this place. It was conveniently located a few blocks from campus and I was known for taking naps there between class. Don’t worry, I also used the fitness facilities! I’m not sure what caused me to dive out of my comfort zone, but soon after joining the MAA I began taking Vinyasa Yoga classes. Since then there has been no going back. I loved the stretching and relaxation but also the strength-building aspect of Vinyasa.

But then I graduated and moved to New York City. Clearly there is no lack of yoga studies in NYC but I was on a tight budget and my dollar stretched as far as the YMCA. I don’t wanna hate on the Y since it had most of the gym amenities I require, but the yoga classes were really sub-par. And since joining a yoga studio wasn’t an option I took matters into my own hands aka internet yoga!

The MAA must have set my expectations too high because I am not a fan of the yoga at the gym I belong to in Toronto. Fortunately I am now addicted to yoga at home that this is no longer a problem. I have also begun to explore different types of yoga besides Vinyasa. I am constantly discovering new videos and podcasts that I thought it time I share them with you. The one condition? They must be free!

1. Yoga To The People-This is actually a chain of studios throughout the US. They offer free classes occasionally (so check to see if they are in your city) but they also have free online podcasts that are awesome!

2. doyogawithme.com-You will without a doubt find a yoga class you are looking for on this website. You enter the length and type of yoga class and many options pop up. I’ve enjoyed so many yoga classes through this site.

3. iTunes podcasts– Just search for yoga podcast in the iTunes store. Most of them are free. One stipulation is that you must be comfortable with yoga terms since most of them don’t have videos and are often just sound. Here are some of my favourites: Power Vinyasa with Lauren Hanna Foster, Power Yoga with Dave Farmer and Live Love Teach Yoga.

4. Tara Stiles Yoga– A former model turned yoga instructor this woman posts some seriously awesome videos. They are for all different levels and she offers a huge variety of classes. I like to do a couple of them in a row since they are short. They can be pretty challenging at times so if you’re a newbie be sure to stick to her beginner classes.

Namaste

Do you ever do yoga at home? Which classes do you enjoy?