Doing Yoga at Home with YouTube

I love yoga.  I love the peace and tranquility I get from it.  I love the stretching, the use of body weight to build long lean muscles.  I love the way yoga bodies look.  I love the way you can use yoga to reach your health and fitness goals, whether it's strengthening, losing weight or detoxing.

But I have hesitated to pay for classes for a number of reasons.  First, good classes can be expensive.  Second, I'm a busy mom with little free time away from my daughter, and that time is already earmarked for working.  Third, I don't just want to do yoga.  I also want to swim, run, spin, etc. so I need classes somewhere that I can also do all of these things...and that makes it even more expensive.  And finally, I have a back injury and I've been advised not to do yoga since it is very back intensive with lots of twists and turns that my back just isn't ready for.

So what's a broke, busy, injured mom to do?  Turn to YouTube, of course.  On YouTube you can find a variety of yoga classes to meet a wide variety of needs.  You can find short videos focused on relaxing before bed, or waking up in the morning.  There are also hour-long classes similar to what you'd find in a yoga studio.  

I love YouTube yoga videos because I can do them whenever I'm in the mood.  I can do them with my 5 year old (if I can get her to sit still long enough).  I can pick and choose what type of class I need based on how I'm feeling that day.  

Here are a few channels to find great yoga videos on YouTube:

• Yoga Today - This was the first yoga channel I found.  Their classes range from 2 minutes to full length with classes from stretching for biking, to yoga with kids, to core strengthening.  Most of them are shot in stunning locations which just add to the sense of peace and serenity.
• Yoga Yak - On this channel you can find dozens of full classes for all skill levels.  You can even download some of their classes.
• Yoga Journal - Most of their videos are only a couple of minutes long, but they do have about a dozen home yoga classes that range from 15-25 minutes.

With these 3 channels you should be able to find a different yoga class everyday and can customize your practice to suit your needs and goals.

Photo Credit: Lululemon Athletica