Namaste
*Author’s Note: upon initial publication, we were very quickly corrected on Instagram by Brigette S. I used the word “chatarunga” to describe myself lying on my back when, in fact, the correct word/pose is “savasana.” Thank you, Brigette!
Yoga.
Prior to about two years ago, I had very little experience with yoga. Sure, I’d visited the odd yoga studio from time to time, jumping in on the free “Saturday Beginner Class” with a buddy or two, but I’d never really held to any long-term commitment to the practice.
In fact, one very distinct memory stands out from a yoga studio that I visited in Tucson, AZ (which is already a hippy-leaning town if there ever was one). The Saturday class was being “substitute taught” by one of their guest instructors, and towards the end of the session as we lay there in *savasana with our eyes closed, the subtle drone of an accordion began. It was hard enough to keep a straight face, but shortly after the accordion started, the teacher began to sing. Bear in mind, the lady leading this class was your average suburban “soccer mom” stereotype, so to hear her start singing some sort of improvisational tantric yoga song accompanied by an out-of-tune accordion was too much. My friend erupted in laughter, we immediately stood out like idiots, and we left with our yoga mats tucked between our legs.
Fast forward to New Years 2023. As with anyone in the fitness space, New Years is, for me, a time full of resolutions and ideations about various adjustments I can make to my routine to level up leading into the subsequent 365 days. For this particular year, I got it in my head that I was going to commit to doing at least 20 minutes of yoga every single day. I couldn’t tell you where that idea came from other than a faint recollection that I was dealing with some lingering lower back soreness and decided that a renewed interest in consistent mobility work would somehow be the key. Turns out I was right. Here we are, nearly three years later, and I can safely say that while I may not have hit my DAILY target, I have managed to maintain a consistent yoga practice in addition to my regular scheduled training sessions most days out of a given week.
So, with that all being said, the purpose of this article is to share with you a handful of resources that I have found useful to 1) stay committed but also 2) make the barrier to entry as low as possible for those of you out there who might express interest in taking advantage of all the goodness that a consistent “movement practice” has to offer.
As a quick note, I’ll add that we are neither sponsored nor endorsed by any of the resources below. These are literally just areas of the yoga-sphere that I have found helpful.
The Tools
This is the exact yoga mat that I have, and it costs a whopping $15. Yes, you can certainly spend more (go figure, it’s Lululemon), but you absolutely do not need to. While there are some purists out there who will claim that you do not need a mat to practice yoga, I find that the padding, and also just the framing of the thing, help with alignment and overall comfort. It also helps prevent you from slipping too much as you start to sweat.
$8. Look at us. I have a singular yoga block, but admittedly, I don’t use it as often as I should. The purpose of these things is to basically “bring the floor to you” such that you can find stability in some poses that might otherwise require you to reach all the way to the floor.
$5. Or you can use a belt. Or a shirt. Or a towel. Or a snake. I do find that straps or strap-like-devices are helpful when it comes to holding isometrics that might otherwise cause tension (think hamstring stretches, arms behind your back, etc.).
The Teachers
Here is perhaps the best-kept secret in all of Yoga-dom: you can go a hell of a long way for absolutely no cost. Best estimates have the Milky Way containing anywhere from 100 to 400 billion stars, and I have to assume that YouTube has an equal number of free yoga videos at your disposal. You will inevitably find instructors who’s styles suit your taste, but as a starting point I will give you a handful of my personal favorites.
Do I believe that their names are actually “Brie” and “Flo”? No. Do I care? Also no. This couple is a powerhouse in the online yoga space, and for good reason. Breathe and Flow is actually the only yoga service that I paid a subscription for during the previous three years, although by no means do you need to do the same in order to take advantage of their free catalogue. Perhaps my favorite offerings are their “30-Day” yoga series and their “Yoga for Men” collection. They also have a healthy collection of yoga “lifestyle” videos, getting into meditation, mindset, etc., if that’s your thing.
I can’t tell if Tim is for real or if he’s some sort of super-chilled-out parody Yogi from California. Regardless, his stuff is good. His delivery is unlike any other that I’ve seen in the YouTube yoga space…very relaxed, very approachable, and very much not taking himself too seriously. Honestly, it’s quite a refreshing take in a space full of practitioners who feel totally comfortable proselytizing to you about “heart center,” “being one with the universe,” etc., from the comfort of their living room in downtown Austin.
Speaking of Austin, TX…Adriene is like the OG YouTube Yogi with well over 13 million subscribers. If you put the word “yoga” into your search bar, chances are her videos are the ones that pop up. A super-approachable style, she is often accompanied by her dog, Benji, and will use any excuse to remind you that she is, in fact, from Texas. Jokes aside, I would argue that Adriene is probably the best place to start if you’re brand new to all this. Nothing about her is intimidating, and I mean that in a very good way.
While Julia’s stuff isn’t exactly yoga in the purist form, I have to include her in here because she may be my absolute favorite in terms of mobility content. Her style represents a very different corner of the YouTube movement space: non-vocal, lo-fi techno videos with no-nonsense but very effective movement sequences that are easy to follow along. If you want to “do yoga” without running the risk of someone seeing you following along with a yoga video in the gym, this is for you. I also give her a special shoutout for her short “warm up” and “cool down” sequences that I use all the time in my own training.
Honorable Mention: Dylan Werner
If the aforementioned channels represent a nice entry point into yoga, Dylan’s practice is the gold standard in what consistent movement work can enable you to achieve. I haven’t yet subscribed to any of Dylan’s stuff, but if you want to be inspired by the sheer beauty of someone casually going from a plank to a single arm handstand, Dylan is your guy. Yoga can get a bad rap for being “lame” or “too soft” or whatever, but I guarantee that if you are reading this, Dylan is stronger than you are. Let that sink in.
Closing Thoughts
I fully recognize that yoga…or any movement practice, really…can be a bit of a tough pill to swallow for some of you. It’s not sexy, it doesn’t feel like training, and oftentimes starting something new means submitting yourself to vulnerability and short-term embarrassment.
What I’d recommend is starting in your own home. Give it 20-30 minutes a day. Literally type that into YouTube: “20-minute beginner yoga video.” You’ll be shocked at how many results you get back. Commit to doing that at least twice a week for a month, and you’ll be well on your way to touching your toes.