Essential Guide to Iyengar Yoga Online - Part II
Online Yoga for Beginners
It's widely accepted that a regular yoga practice is a good idea for anyone wanting to improve their physical and mental health. But as a beginner looking to get started in the world of yoga, the options can be incredibly overwhelming.
If you are keen to try yoga but you also don't know where/what/when/how to begin, I FEEL YOU.
The first challenge that a newbie typically faces is simply that there are so many different styles of yoga to choose from!
Yin yoga, corepower yoga, hatha yoga, vinyasa yoga, and our favourite - Iyengar Yoga, are a few of the many yoga styles that a simple google search will quickly reveal. In this post, I'm going to expose my personal bias - I'm going to tell you why Iyengar Yoga is exceptionally well-suited for beginners.
I'm also going to share with you why online classes in the Iyengar method are some of the best yoga videos you will find on the internet! Spoiler alert: as far as beginner classes go, no one teaches the foundational poses better than a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher (more on this below).
And then finally, once we work through all of that, I have a special message specifically for those of you who are NERVOUS about trying online classes.
If you've ever thought:
"I'm a beginner and if the yoga instructor can't see my body, won't I hurt myself?"
"I'm a beginner and so how will I know if I'm doing the yoga poses correctly?"
"I'm just starting my yoga journey and I may have questions. I want to connect with a teacher and ask questions."
Make sure to read right to the end. This blog post is for you!!!
xo, /stephanie.
P.S. Are you new to Iyengar Yoga and looking for classes? Check out my online course: Iyengar Yoga Fundamentals
Why is Iyengar Yoga an excellent choice for beginner students?
Iyengar Yoga emphasizes mobility, stability, strength, and alignment. It is taught systematically and in a progressive manner, ensuring that no student is left behind.
In an Iyengar Yoga class, it's quite common for different students to be doing the same pose in different ways. That's because inherent to the Iyengar method is the idea that yoga is NOT one-size-fits-all.
Certified Iyengar Yoga Teachers are skilled at empowering students to make decisions on the mat that best respond to their own needs, whether that be for example, responding to a cranky knee, addressing low energy, or acknowledging their bodies' proportions.
BKS Iyengar, after whom the Iyengar method is named, pioneered the use of belts, yoga blocks, chairs, and other simple household items in yoga. The strategic use of these props has quite literally changed the game with respect to the accessibility of yoga! Iyengar Yoga teachers are especially skilled at teaching yoga with props and demonstrating how to modify classical asanas (poses) to suit bodies of all shapes, ages, and abilities.
It's also worthwhile to acknowledge that Iyengar Yoga is taught worldwide according to Internationally-accepted standards and expectations. This has helped to produce incredibly talented and thoroughly well-trained teachers. A CIYT (Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher) is easy to identify because only yoga teachers who have completed the rigorous training and on-going professional development requirements can use the Iyengar name. Each country is typically governed by its own regional association but the certification process for teachers is standardized. These rigorous standards and training requirements contribute to beginners feeling safe, confident, and welcome in their first yoga class.
But is yoga truly safe for beginners?
In the yoga landscape today, you are sure to come across a plethora of free videos, a free seven-day trial here, a free 14-day trial there, definitely lots of 'unlimited access', and likely several 30-day programs. Chances are these yoga programs will promise you a daily burn, weight loss, an improved fitness level and likely all from the comfort of your living room! Who knows, they may even come with 7 days guarantee. But.... what's the catch? As a beginner, are these yoga videos really the best way forward? Will you learn what you need to set yourself up for success? And what do you 'get' when you sign up??
I'm often amazed by how frequently I'm asked about the safety of yoga and in contrast, how infrequently safety is emphasized when I scroll the offerings from popular yoga teachers or yoga studios.
The discussion around safety resonates strongly with me because when I first came to yoga, feeling safe in the class was my top priority. I didn't think that (and still don't think!) that yoga is inherently unsafe but… I was coming to the practice with an injury. I had been living with chronic and debilitating back pain and had just had surgery, and so while I came to yoga class to feel good in the moment, I was also rehabbing from my physical ailments and needed to be sure that I wasn’t going to backslide my progress.
The reality is that when you have an injury, you are forced to become an advanced yoga practitioner quickly. Not because you do advanced poses but because you need to cultivate the skill of responding to the feedback your body is giving you. Iyengar Yoga was eye opening for me and the practice helped me to understand, relate, and respond to my body in a hugely empowering way.
If the yoga teacher can't see me, won't I hurt myself?
Most people can recognize that teaching yoga safely is a skill. We also inherently know that just because a teacher can see us, it doesn’t automatically mean they are skilled at keeping us safe. But what is less recognized is that teaching yoga safely in-person and online are distinct skillsets. Some teachers are good at in-person classes AND online classes, but not all. It's important to also note that teaching livestream classes is again a different skill set than teaching on-demand classes.
So, for you to feel safe in an online yoga class it’s not so much a function of whether the teacher can see you, but rather how skilled your teacher is in that particular medium. Have you ever heard the expression ‘a good book is better than a bad teacher’? Well, this is similar logic.
Now, having said all that, if personal safety is something you are especially concerned about and you are considering online classes (whether livestream or on-demand), I strongly recommend that you reach out to the teacher first. Share with them some of your concerns (are you nervous? Have you previously had a bad experience? Are you recovering from an injury?). See how the teacher responds. This might even shed light on whether you actually want to study with them.
Listen, there is no shortage of ways for teachers to connect with their online students but the truth is, not all teachers make that connection a priority. And that’s not right or wrong, it just is. So again, who is the right teacher for you? What kind of relationship do you want? Finding the best online yoga class is one thing but finding the best online yoga classes for YOU is quite another!
As a student, I value the student-teacher relationship immensely and as a teacher, it’s something I put a lot of effort into. Here are a few ways that I build meaningful connection with my online students:
I let them know that I’m only an email away! By encouraging students to email me their questions or concerns, I can not only send a personal response but also incorporate their answers into an upcoming class. In my livestream classes for ex. I’ll say, “I know some of you watching the recording are struggling with cranky knees. If you fall into that category, here’s something you can try…”
Or, if the question or concern is a little too nuanced for an email, I may invite the student to send me a photo or short video of what they are struggling with. This is great because it gives me a ton of information. I can then respond with some guidance and/or as before, I might incorporate solutions into an upcoming class. Sometimes I’ll even be able to direct the student to a recording of a past class where I taught the exact presentation they need.
Another opportunity for student-teacher engagement is by leaving a comment or question in the online platform. Not all online studios offer this but it can be quite wonderful because not only is it an effective communication tool but it also helps to foster a sense of community. At Studio Po, students can comment on specific classes and tag the teacher as well as each other. The comment threads are visible to everyone who views the library and so you can learn from other people’s questions too.
Another way that I’ve enhanced my online students' experience is by offering them playlists. So for example, if a student reaches out and lets me know that they are struggling with lower back pain, I might create a playlist for them which includes specific classes from our extensive library that would serve them particularly well.
And lastly, there may be times when the ideal scenario is to, yes, supplement the on-demand classes with a live experience. For example, I might do a private session with someone once every 6 weeks to touch base, respond to questions, and see how they are progressing. It can be a lovely complement.
I hope that this list helps you see that just because you are practicing yoga online, it doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice safety, quality of instruction, or a meaningful relationship with your yoga teacher.
With online yoga, you may be physically alone while you practice but you are never alone on your journey!
How will I know if I'm doing the yoga poses correctly?
Okay, so you are warming up to the idea of trying an on-demand, Iyengar Yoga class but you have a persistent, nagging thought:
If the yoga teacher can’t see me, how will I know if I’m doing it right?
I can solve this one for you right away - you won’t be!
HAHAHA, Yoga is a lifelong study and NO ONE does it ‘right’.
Your responsibility is to seek out a skilled teacher who teaches yoga that is:
appropriate for beginners,
appropriate for the online context, and
delivered with precision and care,
Once you’ve done that and you’re in the class, will you be doing everything right?
I doubt it. But, will you have set yourself up for success? Absolutely!
As cliche as it may sound, yoga is NOT about a destination (aka doing the poses, the yoga asanas, ‘correctly’), it’s a journey. It’s ultimately about self-study and transformation. A good yoga teacher will empower you to make good decisions on the mat. They’ll guide you through explorations that strengthen YOUR OWN ABILITY to discern for yourself what is right. It’s a phenomenal process through which you can reap immense and diverse benefits. Physical and mental health is often what draws people to yoga, but in fact, those benefits are only the tip of the iceberg!
Sooooo, are you ready to invest in yourself and give Iyengar Yoga a try?