3 Ways to Yoga Without Springing for Classes
Touted as a way to get fit and relax at the same time, many people are curious enough to try yoga at least once. However, the thought of public yoga classes can be a turn off for some of us. Maybe there’s no yoga studio where we live, the price is too high or we’d rather practice alone. Maybe the idea of an in-air fart is too much to get us into that yoga studio. Maybe there's no place to drop the kiddos. Fortunately, there are other ways to learn and practice yoga from the privacy of home. Here are three free or low-cost alternatives we found.
Yoga Lessons on YouTube or Streaming Services
For those who are not sold on attending a class or simply want to try yoga alone, sampling a few workouts on YouTube can help us break into the practice. SarahBethYoga is a YouTube vlogger who offers a variety of options to choose from. These include early morning yoga warm-ups, yoga for flexibility and even stretching certain parts of the body.
YogaWithAdriene is another channel that offers workouts targeted for specific needs, such as stress, weight loss and back pain. Try out different channels — don't just watch them. Get in there and see how it feels.
A similar option is to start using a streaming service. There are a variety of yoga workouts you can access in this way, such as BeFit or the Daily Burn on Amazon. If you already take advantage of one of these services for other health and fitness needs, you can try yoga with no additional cost. Even if you don’t, and would like to subscribe, the cost for one month is usually less than one class at a yoga studio. Yoga with the Daily Burn can help you feel encouraged to practice every day, or you can turn to well-known trainers for help, such as Jillian Michaels through Amazon’s BeFit.
Use a Yoga App
There’s an app for just about everything these days, and that includes yoga. There are a variety to choose from, both free and paid. For those just starting out and not sure if they want to commit, SimplyYoga offers workouts that range from 20 minutes to an hour, with audio and video, and doesn’t require you to pay for anything. PocketYoga, on the other hand, is a paid option that allows you to enjoy yoga with an instructor. It offers voice and visual instructions, so you know what to expect as you glide through the movements. These are just two yoga apps, but it’s enough to get you started if you’re a beginner.
Free or Low-Cost Yoga Classes
Not that tech-savvy or prefer the idea of interacting with actual people as a part of your yoga routine? If so, another option is to find free or low-cost yoga classes in your community.
Try checking out the following places:
- Churches. Churches have begun to offer free “holy yoga” classes, though these classes are often religious, there can be good yoga in there, too, if you're inclined to accept the religion or are able to ignore it.
- Colleges. Some colleges offer free or low-cost yoga classes to students, alumni and staff members. Taking a non-credit yoga class at a local community college can also help reduce the cost.
- Community center. Check with a local community center to see if they offer free or discounted yoga classes. If they don’t, suggest the idea. For those over a certain age, senior centers may do this, also.
- The YMCA. The local YMCA may offer classes at a lower rate in comparison to other fitness centers or yoga studios and often they have "classes only" memberships or memberships on a sliding scale or which are subsidized.
- Free trials. For those feeling unsure about whether or not yoga is right for you, ask to sit in on a yoga class at a local studio or fitness center. They often will allow newbies to try it out for free or for a small one-time fee.
Yoga has a host of benefits, so cost shouldn't keep anyone from participating and trying to find out if it's for them. Apps, streaming workouts, YouTube and free or inexpensive classes throughout your community make it possible to find a new workout that works for even a tight budget.
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