One of my favorite vices pre-quarantine used to be my weekly yoga classes. My studio offered a wide variety; from intense vinyasa, to chill flows, to basically pilates in an incredibly hot room, they really had it all.
I loved carving out the time once a week to drive over, get in a fantastic workout, and take a moment to recenter and prepare for the days ahead. Yet, when coronavirus began in March, my yoga days were cut short. My family members were always far too loud for me to get anything done and I was living in constant fear of them walking in on me and laughing at the (admittedly slightly ridiculous) poses I contorted my body into.
College served as a break for that. Dorm room yoga is my new favorite activity. In the first few weeks, when I felt overwhelmed and swamped 24/7, I never found the time to move my body and destress. It took a huge toll on my mental health.
Luckily, a good friend of mine sent me a few of her favorite yogis, and I started opening up the 20-minute videos once every few days when I needed a second to myself.
The videos were amazing; I felt rejuvenated, less stressed, and more productive. It’s clear that movement was the key for me and I was able to find my “center” all over again. Now, my suitemate even joins in for the simple yoga flow routines that I squeeze in. It may seem silly at first, but moving my body in some base-level yoga is one of the greatest decisions I’ve made so far. Namaste! In case you’re a beginner to online (or any type of) yoga, here are a few channels on Youtube that tend to do a great job with their videos:
1.) Pop Sugar – Basic flow with lots of strength training incorporated
2.) Yoga with Adrienne – Great instructor, wide range of content type and difficulty
3.) Boho Beautiful – I got this recommendation from a friend! Super calming voice, nice flows, and TONS of videos
4.) Alo Yoga – Harder yoga as a whole but definitely modifiable, highly recommend the 30-minute vinyasa
5.) MadFit – Lots of stress and anxiety stretching yoga videos that will help you to reconnect with your roots.