Free Yoga that actually works and is a schedule you can stick to

Do you know what I love?

YOGA.

I love that after the initial week of “OMG WHY DID I DO THIS TO MYSELF”, your body firms up within the next week, gets stronger, you feel lighter and you get so much more energy.

I am amazed each time I do it for a month and then keep going, because my muscles start showing up again to the party. It is intoxicating.

Do you know what I hate?

Trying to find a yoga studio that is:

• (A) close enough to me (Montreal is full of bridges and roadworks year round)
• (B) a reasonable price that I can afford – $20 for a single class is $$$ and then asking $200 for a month seems a lot if I can’t go enough to make up for it
• (C) on a schedule that I can actually go for
• (D) with teachers I actually enjoy / like, and it isn’t just all breathing, meditation and/or hot yoga

So, basically, I am looking for a yoga unicorn.

I downloaded in the past, the Gaiam Yoga app, but it has mysteriously disappeared off my iPad because I paid $6 or something for it, and then they switched to an in-app payment system, which then basically wiped out all my lessons.

I also to be honest, found the lessons very robotic. It is a woman teaching the lesson, but she is too calm. She doesn’t talk to you, doesn’t seem real, a little AI.

I did the lessons and liked that I could create my own plan by blocking off poses I wanted, but in the end, I miss having a person talk to me.

I am the type of woman who needs someone to motivate me, talk me through it, make little jokes, etc. I need a HUMAN.

So I started looking back at yoga studios, and I could do 2 week trials for $20 or $30, and so on, but then it is the whole mess of driving there, finding parking (or PAYING FOR IT), getting dressed, coming out of there, driving back home.

…and then the scheduling. I am in bed by 8 p.m., so I cannot handle anything that starts at 7 and goes until 8:30 because I’ll be sweaty and not want to sleep until at least 9 or 10. No bueno.

Enter: Lululemon Yoga Classes

A lot of Lululemon stores offer free yoga and fitness classes on a schedule.

Head over to their Lululemon Community Page to see what they offer.

Enter: YOUTUBE YOGA + AIRPODS + YOUR OWN MUSIC

OMG.

I am sold. Not only is it free (thank you), but if you have a good yoga instructor, they are talking to you, making funny jokes (even pre-recorded ones), and are saying things like – “push the pinkies back!!” .. things a robotic app would never tell you to do.

I am particularly in love with this instructor online – Adriene.

I am sure you have heard of her if you are a yogi, she has the kindest voice with the nicest growl (?) at the end that is very pleasant to listen to, and she is so warm even through her videos, that I didn’t get bored halfway through and switch off like with some other videos I have watched.

I followed her 26 minutes to the end, and get this. I EVEN DID THE CROW.

I did the crow, holding it on my mat for 3 seconds, 3 times, just by watching this video and feeling her encourage me through the screen.

I DID THE CROW AND I HELD IT. This is huge for me.

WHAT ABOUT THE AIRPODS AND THE MUSIC?

She only talks. This is PERFECT. She only talks, so you can put the Youtube video louder, and the iTunes music in the background with portable Airpods in your ears, and put your music on in the background – whatever you like to listen to.

I really don’t love yoga videos with their own music because you’re forced to listen to it, and you cannot change it to something else if you want to do the routine again.

This one is <3 and perfect. I love putting on this album in the background – Dreaming in Sanskrit.

So.. yoga studios?

I still prefer a class, with people, a live instructor, and the energy you feel in the room with everyone there, but this is second best considering it fits my schedule and my life right now.

Thoughts?