Let’s hear it from the Yoga Inc Online Warriors!

​Fiona

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​Struggling to focus when you do classes online? Or can’t seem to shake off your kids for a bit of privacy? Worried about getting injured? We talk to some of the Yoga Inc online regulars for their tips to doing yoga (peacefully) at home.

Are you the busy mama?
Your kids are either screaming for you or jumping on you during the yoga session. They might even be parading in front of the camera to introduce their stuffed animals to your yoga class. It’s impossible to focus on your practice.

What you can do:
If locking them out of the room isn’t an option, “strategically align your kid’s meal time and TV time with the yoga class timing,” Celeste Phua, mother of two suggests.

Jolene Goh, also a mother of two, agrees. She gives her daughters homework to complete while she’s doing her class. And because she shares her practice space with the rest of the family, she uses noise-cancelling ear phones to block out their conversations.

If all else fails, wake up earlier than them to practice, Celeste says. She’s a regular attendee of the 7.30am weekday class – a great way to start the day, and get your yoga fix without the distraction of kids!

Are you the overworked employee?
Now that you’re working from home, you’re excited to book into a lunchtime class… but ten minutes before you are about to log on, your boss decides to call for an emergency meeting. You try to book in for the late afternoon class and the same thing happens again. In fact, it’s such a regular occurrence that you might as well be tied to your desk back in the office.

What you can do:
Book yourself into a “lunchtime meeting” with yourself so your colleagues don’t bother you, says a Yoga Inc member we cannot name, because she still needs her job. She is quick to add that she does put in a bit of overtime later in the day, to compensate for the time off she took!

Or just do a class before work starts. 7.30am class fan, Yijun Liu, sleeps in her yoga clothes so she can literally just roll out of bed and into the virtual studio!

Are you the tech noob? (or maybe trying an online class for the first time)
Camera in front is easiest for you to see the teacher. But then got crazy flow teachers who change direction and turn to the back. Camera at the side is best for the teacher to see, but not the easiest for you. Where do you place the camera??

What you can do:
Becks and Bryan suggest connecting your laptop to your TV so you can watch the class on the big screen, while your teacher watches you from the computer. If you don’t have a laptop, try a tablet connector. And if that still fails maybe log in with two devices – one for you to see the teacher, one for the teacher to see you (you only need to connect one to audio)

Are you plagued by old injuries?
You’ve had a knee pain or back pain or wrist pain or shoulder pain… or some surgery was done and you are worried that you will do something to hurt yourself again.

What you can do:
“I was apprehensive about doing certain poses at home while dealing with my injuries like bulging disks, a sprained wrist and a leg I had broken in the past,” Freda Lim shares. To settle her uncertainties, she did her first few online classes with a teacher she was most familiar with, so she knew what to expect.

​If it’s your first time trying out a new class, you can always chat with the teacher (with the chat function, not through the mic) before class to ask for modifications. Ultimately, better safe than sorry and the same things hold in the studio and at home: if you are uncomfortable, don’t push it!
 
Are you constantly distracted?
Suddenly feel a need to rearrange your bookshelf? Check your phone? Chat with your family members? We feel you. We also saw you….

What you can do:
Don’t beat yourself up about it. That’s what it’s like practicing at home, and since part of the yoga practice is to be able to learn to focus, you’ve technically got a great training ground.

If it’s atmosphere – or lack thereof – that bothers you, try asking your teachers for their playlists. Do what Shahdon did and make your own! Play the music on a separate device so it won’t affect the teacher’s voice.

If all else fails, do as you would in the studio. Phones aside and/or on silent. Doors locked. Ear cancelling earphones in. And face a blank wall so the birds and trees or nice paintings can’t distract you.

We hope these tips help you get more out of your online practice. So if you haven’t joined us online yet, find out the class prices, check out the schedule, and don’t let COVID-19 and limited studio mats get in the way of your practice!

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About the author
Fiona is a teacher at Yoga inc. She is still single and we want to help her find a boyfrend.