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Hello Online Yoga, I am…

We are currently into the second month of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US.  Many people have been in the thick of the pandemic for quite a bit longer than this.  We are dealing with a flu-like virus that is highly contagious and is responsible for deaths in at-risk populations as it creeps across the globe.  Currently, everyone – together – is experiencing something that we never have, and it’s creating immediate and major societal change.

Since the changes started (that feels like a very long time ago but is really about 2-3 weeks), the delivery of group fitness has changed.  We’ve seen gyms, yoga studios, spin studios, CrossFit gyms and the like forced to close-for-now and many have moved to online solutions.  

Here I’ve decided to share some of my own musings and observations of this massive industry upheaval.  My perspective is one of a yoga teacher and studio owner and thus comes from a yoga perspective, but I think that some of these things are more broad and probably apply to the fitness industry as a whole.  These observations are informed by my own observation of social media, participating in online conversations, and having my own conversations with my peers, friends, and instructors. I will go into some of these topics in more detail and others I might save the detail for another post.

I hold these opinions as my own and welcome them to be the beginning of open and constructive dialog among yoga teachers, studio owners, and other fitness professionals.  The only rules that I suggest…(1) expect non-closure, (2) agree to disagree…and in both cases be ok with it. So here we go…

I’m concerned about not seeing students.  Seeing with my eyes, and seeing with the dialogue that happens before, during, and after my classes.  I’ve seen a lot of studios (and gyms) using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to stream classes.  I have two concerns about this…

First [the small concern], these are recording a practice and sharing it, they are not classes in the true sense of a learning environment (even an online learning environment).  Some have gone as far as to call them “performances.” Imagine going to a school where the teacher presents from behind a piece of Plexiglas, does not respond to you or give you feedback, and presents something in one way as if everyone on your side understands – would you give this teacher a good review?

Here’s the thing about this type of “class”, even if you think you are teaching by adding verbal instruction and demonstrating – because you explain that you should press down through your big toe mound, turn the back toes out to the side, or rotate palms to face each other – does not mean that’s what the student will do, EVEN if you are doing it in your video.  Remember that not everyone is an auditory learner, and not everyone is a visual learner. It’s true that in a studio class you don’t know either, but there at least you can SEE (assuming that you look at your students) if there’s some confusion in your direction – either verbal or visual. Unless you have flawless language, a 360° camera filming with zoom, and a student with endless understanding of movement, anatomical references, and yoga poses (unlikely), this isn’t an encouraging and inviting way to deliver a yoga class.

Second [the big concern, part 1], the larger of the concern of not being able to see your students is safety.  This is safety from a human perspective I’ll go Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner on this (extreme example if you don’t get the reference) – if your student is “taking” your class and a piano falls on their right foot while they’re in virabhadrasana I (warrior I) and you can’t see it, what happens?  Is there anyone in their home who can help them? Regardless of the level of risk (knee-over-big toe vs. piano falling), there is no way that they are physically safe in your class if you can’t see them and their surroundings. Period.

And to go a step further, this cartoon example fits from a physical danger or injury perspective, but what about the unseen?  If you are a yoga teacher who teaches from a mental health awareness perspective, you probably think about the unseen. I do, a lot.  And in a studio setting we have cues that we can look for to see if our students are having difficulty, and we have tools that we rely on with language and communication to make the personal interaction comfortable and safe.  Without the ability to receive any verbal or non-verbal communication from my students, I don’t have the ability to do this. I can’t offer my class as an accessible, comfortable, and safe space.

Finally [the big concern, part 2], the other part of the larger concern of not being able to see your students is safety from the cover yourself perspective.  As I wrote about the second concern, I thought more about this one. Let’s go back to the cartoon reference (the extreme), are you liable for this accident? Have you had the student on the other side of the video sign a release, a consent form, or waiver?  I’m guessing no because on the video, you can’t see who is watching and monitor attendance (maybe a little on Facebook or Instagram, but that’s a lot of extra work). In that case, have you included a disclaimer at the beginning of your video/presentation?  If you’re teaching for a studio, has the owner contacted his/her insurance to make sure that the studio is covered for online teaching? Is this a new student who had never been to the physical location of the studio – how is the studio collecting a waiver?  Was the waiver language updated to include risks that are associated with practicing online? If you carry individual yoga instructor insurance (if you don’t, you should), have you checked with them about the same things? I don’t have answers to these questions for you, but I’d strongly, strongly, advise that you make a call or email to your insurance provider.

I’m curious about the length of classes.  I know I could go for a two-hour yoga class right now, every day for that matter.  However, some are job-unsure, working as much as we can, with kids going to school from home, spouses working from home and this on top of all of the usual things that need to be done.  We aren’t going out to do the things that we usually do so there is extra entertainment, extra cooking, extra cleaning, extra grocery shopping, and extra household coordination. On top of that, you might be helping to care for someone in your family or community by running errands, shopping, or sewing.  We are short on time, short on routines, and for many, short on cash. All reasons to start, maintain, and continue to develop your yoga practice, right?

In my experience, however, our own self care moves to the very, very bottom of the list. So is there more or less time for a 75 minute yoga class? My studio is offering 30-minute length classes, partially because of Zoom time restriction on free accounts, but also because I like 30-40 minutes of yoga if that can be done consistently.  I also think that it’s an amount of time that can be digested into a busy schedule easier than 60 or 75 minutes (which turns into 75-90 minutes with set up and getting ready afterward. I think it’s important for everyone (especially to those new to yoga) to know that any amount of time is a yoga practice!

I’m excited about props.  If you had the chance to practice at Yoga U PGH, you might already know this.  What’s more exciting is to see people, yoga students and yoga teachers alike, share new and fun ideas of what things can be stand-ins for yoga props.  Can you go online and buy a full set of yoga supplies: mat, foam blocks, cork blocks, strap, zafu, bolster, sandbag? You could. But you can also use a towel, pint glass, soup can, belt, scarf, pillow, cat [ok, that last one was to see if you were reading]!  That’s the short list. To the yoga students whether you are new or advanced, be creative. To the yoga teachers, try to create a safe, supportive, non-prop class (think, bodies as props) OR try to suggest a new stand-in every time this is a very unique opportunity to develop skills as yoga teachers – but I’ll save that for another post.

I’m appalled about cost.  I will start with a rewind to my discussion above about seeing students (“I’m concerned”) and about length of classes (“I’m curious”).  Since most of us have never done this before, the quality of the online class – quality beyond yoga instruction – is all over the place.  So that is what I would tell a student looking at starting a yoga practice online, consider what you’re getting and if you don’t know – ask around.  Ask people who already practice yoga, ask yoga teachers, call a yoga studio. Beyond that is the underlying issue, the elephant in the yoga studio if you will. 

Financial accessibility in yoga is a huge issue, it’s a barrier, even pre-COVID. I’m not saying that classes should be free, but I will say that they should NOT be $15 per class.  Consider that, when studios budget for $15/$17/$20 in-studio classes, there are a lot of pieces that go together to arrive at that price. Some of that is based on the market value of a yoga class, but honestly, the market is nowhere near normal right now.  We should be operating as if someone took the puzzle pieces that build the price of a yoga class, threw them in the air, maybe ate a few, tore the paper off of one side on a few others, and left us to work the puzzle. To yoga students, teachers, and studios, consider your options, really take time to think about the price of yoga, dissect it and make the choices that you think are best for you in your role.  That’s the best thing that we can do right now. 

I’m unsure about the future of the group fitness industry.  And more specifically, in-studio yoga classes. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and discussion on this.  As with most things, I think there are two sides of this and we’ll probably end somewhere in between. There will always be the people who do better when participating in a group.  For those, there will be places for them to go to practice yoga. But what about all of the people who aren’t comfortable in group fitness settings? Will this alternate reality that we’re all living in right now open opportunities for them to begin, build, and/or sustain a yoga practice in an environment that is more comfortable for them?  Similar to what a lot of people are experiencing from work-at-home, will there be found time (travel, parking, getting in/out, etc) associated with NOT going somewhere? Are we going to see a lot of people who are uncomfortable going into public spaces? Can studios/gyms meet the new needs that might arise from a sanitary perspective (all the way to possible changes in air circulation and cleaning)?  Will people reclaim yoga as their own? It’s funny, my 300-hour teacher said (i’m paraphrasing) that our goal as yoga teachers is to put ourselves out of business. Maybe this will prove to be step one…

So like everything there is a good and bad, a black and white when it comes to yoga moving online.  In my experience, most things that have these extremes also have a spectrum in between and the reality lies somewhere in between.  For those who are delivering from their home or opening a video into their home in order to continue their practice, it requires humility and humanity.  At home practice takes some of the guru-ness and the glamour of studio settings and brings the true practice to the forefront. It allows us to show that you really can do yoga anywhere!

Recommended and related reads/watches:

Wile E Coyote and a Piano
Wile E Coyote

Can I Bring my Yoga Practice to the Meeting?

Physical activity can be incorporated into a busy schedule. The key is to build activities into your routine in a regular spot. Treat it like a very important meeting.  Better yet, bring it into your meeting.

When you’re sitting in a meeting, or in any desk chair for that matter, pay attention to how you’re sitting – many of these chairs are made for comfort but don’t support your body in a positive way.  Create a strong seat for yourself.  

How to create a strong seat:

  • Scoot your hips to the front of the chair so that you can feel the connection to the seat of the chair just where your legs and hips meet.  
  • Bring your knees in front of your hips – about hips-width distance – and then your feet just below your knees.  
  • Place your feet flat on the floor, and, if you can get away with it (and you are not grossed out), slip off your shoes and feel your feet as flat as you can on the ground.  
  • Rest your arms somewhere, hands on your knees, crossed on the desk in front of you, somewhere that they can be comfortable and you don’t feel like you’re using your shoulders or arm muscles to hold them up.  
  • Sit as tall as you can, feeling like you’re lifting the top of your head toward the ceiling – this is a great place to add in a deep breath as you feel tall, then relax your shoulders as you breathe out.  

In this seat, the front of your body might feel like it’s working about 20%-40%. Let the back of your body feel relaxed.  Pay attention to your seat, notice if you start to loosen or slouch, and take a breath and find the seat again. As you sit, you can bring your breath to be a little deeper and focus your attention to the topic at hand.

A little disclaimer…if you’re not used to sitting like this, your belly, sides, shoulders, or even your back might start to get a little tired or sore. That’s OK!! Be patient with yourself about how you feel. Notice what comes up and acknowledge it without judgement. Then find your strong seat again, or rest, remember, this is for YOU.

In most meetings/conferences/classes most people sit, but if you are feeling tired or you need a change of position, take it.  Stand with feet flat on the floor and weight evenly between your two feet. Stand tall with knees slightly bent! Stand, breathe, and listen.

Finally, pay attention to parts of your body that might be calling out for attention.  For example, if your hands and wrists are stiff or tired – choose to move them.  Find a strong seat (see guidelines above), and either resting your forearms on the chair arms or at your sides…

  • Spread your fingers as wide as you can then create fists
  • Keeping it as straight as you can try to move each finger toward and away from your palm
  • Touch each finger to your thumb, try with fingers straight and bent
  • With flat hands that extend directly from your wrists bend at your wrists in any direction you can imagine – side to side, forward and backward, and anywhere in between.

Depending on how you feel and what your body needs, these movements can be held or alternated.  And if it’s not your hands and wrists, start thinking about groups of body parts that you could move in a similar way to the example above.  Some common spots for attention that can easily be moved in the confines of a meeting: feet/ankles, hips, lower back, shoulders, neck. You could move your eyes 👀 too but be careful to avoid shifty eyes or too many eye rolls! 

Give it a try, whether finding a new seat, standing, or some movement.  When you do, pay attention to how you are feeling and whether you find a bit more focus on the meeting at hand!

Thank you to Jonathan, Diamond, Chris, and Tyler from the Oakland branch of Dollar Bank for the meeting picture!

May 2019 Responses

Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____,
it makes me feel___.

What was the last book that you read?

Laurel Chiappetta
Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____, it makes me feel___. My favorite yoga pose is headstand, it makes me feel balanced.
What was the last book that you read? Rising Strong by Brene Brown

Jill Clary
Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____, it makes me feel___. Favorite yoga pose – Urdhva Dhanurasana; it makes me feel energized, puts a smile on my face, and my back thanks me!
What was the last book that you read? Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, a reread. I love all her novels but this is my favorite of hers. 

Ed Dinnen
Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____, it makes me feel___. A favorite yoga pose. To be sure, a difficult question to answer. Natarajasana, for the grace and strength it expresses, in a body is a favorite. And yin, supta parivrtta eka pada raja kapotasana, for the deep, satisfying stretch, is another.
What was the last book that you read?
Just finished Tourist Season, a novel by Carl Hiaasen. His sarcastic commentary on the human condition in Florida, delivered a mental respite during our Pittsburgh winter. He also throws in a dollop of hope.

There always seems to be a number of books, I have yet to finish. So currently, I’m re-reading, Yoga Anatomy, by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews. Also in the mix; Yoga, The Body, and Embodied Social Change, An Intersectional Feminist Analysis, edited by Beth Beria, Melanie Klein, and Chelsea Jackson Roberts.

Kimberly Hoover
Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____, it makes me feel___. My favorite yoga poses right now are anything that get deep into my hips, like low lizard lunge and half pigeon. I am recovering from an injury in my leg, and opening my hips always feels like more than a stretch–it feels like healing!
What was the last book that you read? I am reading A Mindful Universe by Alexander and Newell. It is partially for my doctoral research and partially for my personal nerding out about the universe. 🙂

Shawna Locke
Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____, it makes me feel___. Adho mukha Mandukasana is a favorite (I know, I’m the only person who likes frog). I go into it with the knowledge that I will have to relax to make my peace with it and over time that relaxation has become almost automatic to the point that I crave it. 
What was the last book that you read?
I’m currently reading Structural Yoga Anatomy by Mukunda Stiles and just started reading Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga White.  Also just finished a trashy, formulaic, guilty pleasure Danielle Steel novel. Keeping it real.

Brian Pang
Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____, it makes me feel___. Favorite yoga pose is Ustrasana (Camel Pose). It makes me feel open and receptive to the unknown.
What was the last book that you read? Reading Lonely Planet Japan because I like reading about different cultures and places.

Becky Roush
Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____, it makes me feel___. Lately, savasana it makes me feel like I’m catching up.  I’ve been overscheduling myself. 
What was the last book that you read? 10% Happier by Dan Harris.

Maggie Sestito
Fill in the following Sentence:  My favorite yoga pose is ____, it makes me feel___. My favorite yoga pose is half moon! I especially love launching into it from side angle. I think half moon is a really powerful pose that offers both strength and ease. I also like how many directions the body is reaching while staying balanced and centered. 
What was the last book that you read? I am currently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama! She’s a beautiful human and the book is fabulous. I highly recommend it.

January 2019 Answers

In designing this website, one thing that I wanted to stand out was our instructor’s page. There are a lot of pages out there that introduce members of a team in various ways. Some sites will post a biographical sketch of some type, usually written by the team member with little guidelines, others a list of credentials.

Here, there are minimum requirements that our team members must meet (you can find them on the instructors page). Each few months – ideally quarterly – we will pose two questions of our instructors for them to answer if they would like. We post the answers on the instructor page, and you can find the archived answers here on the blog. We hope that you enjoy getting to know us!

January’s questions:
Where are you from? Why do you practice yoga?

Laurel Chiappetta
Where are you from? Aside from a brief 2 years in Boston, MA at the very beginning of my existence, and a year or so exploring Syracuse, NY, I’ve been living and learning in Pittsburgh, PA.
Why do you practice yoga? When I practice yoga, I feel strong and focused.  It provides me an means of thought organization, body awareness, and calm.

Ashley Comer
Where are you from? I was born and raised in Pittsburgh. I am a proud Pitt alum and I’m proud to have graduated from one of the best philosophy programs in the world (right here in Oakland!)
Why do you practice yoga? For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a strong connection to my breath. My breath has always guided me and helped me to remain balanced. Through the practices of asana, pranayama, and meditation, I am able to draw strength on my mat, for my body, mind, and spirit, in my every day life. 

Ed Dinnen
Where are you from? Rennerdale is my home town, not far from Carnegie. I have been orbiting Pittsburgh for decades. And live here now.
Why do you practice yoga? For me, yoga asana, pranayama and meditation offer pathways to explore this life and our interbeingness.

Kim Hoover
Where are you from? I was born in Japan and also lived in Germany and many places in the US with my family as I grew up! It’s been an interesting life, and I’m having fun in Pittsburgh as one of many stops.
Why do you practice yoga? I practice yoga because I treat my body, to the best of my ability, as a temple that knows its own needs physical, mental, and spiritual. That almost always means yoga because this practice is pure magic and always leaves me feeling better than when I began.

Shawna Locke
Where are you from? Even though I grew up in Chambersburg, PA, I always answer this question with “Pittsburgh.”  I moved here after high school to attend the University of Pittsburgh and decided that Pittsburgh is where I was meant to be.
Why do you practice yoga? “You should try yoga or something,” my psychiatrist said to me in 2013 when I was looking for alternatives to the depression and anxiety medications I had been on for years. So I did.  I initially came to yoga to heal, and keep coming back to it because it works for me.

Cassie Maloney
Where are you from? I grew up in West Mifflin, PA and now live in Pittsburgh, PA. Except for the time I spent at Slippery Rock University and travelling abroad, I’ve lived most of my life in the Pittsburgh Area!
Why do you practice yoga? I could write a book to answer this question! The short answer is that it helps me stay connected to my every day life and helps me gain skills I never imagined possible!

Anita Minahan
Where are you from? Born and raised in Pittsburgh, but love to travel.
Why do you practice yoga? I practice yoga because it provides me stress relief and helps me achieve peace and balance in my personal life. I love having the opportunity to help provide other people the chance to explore yoga to discover what it can mean for them … that is my passion.

Levi Redcross
Where are you from? I was born in Philidelphia but raised in Pittsburgh PA.  I went to college for only a few semesters before realizing that I spent more of my time studying yoga than I spent studying for classes.  After that, I got my teaching certification from Flex Yoga and dropped out.
Why do you practice yoga? The reason I practice yoga has evolved from year to year.  I started practicing because I wanted my body to do anything that I asked of it–I think that’s still true.  Nowadays I’m searching for meaning in my practice.  I practice less for a reason, and more so hoping that the practice gives me purpose and all else I do.

Becky Roush
Where are you from? I was born in Lexington, Kentucky. About a month or two after birth my family moved to Butler, PA. I graduated high school from Rochester Area HS in Rochester, PA. In 1995 I moved to Pittsburgh to start work on my BS at University of Pittsburgh, and MPH in Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. So, I guess, I am mostly from Pittsburgh at this point.
Why do you practice yoga? I practice yoga because it makes me a better human both physiologically and socially. =)

Maggie Sestito
Where are you from? I was born and raised an hour north of Pittsburgh. I went to college in Ohio, and after graduating in the spring of 2018, I accepted a full time job in the city.
Why do you practice yoga? I grew up playing competitive soccer, but once I started college, I saw the need for a little more calm and quiet. I gave yoga a try and really enjoyed the change of pace, along with the physical, mental, and emotional benefits it offered. I kind of became addicted to the practice, and I am eager to share it with others!

Brian Pang
Where are you from? I was born Flushing, Queens, but grew up most of my life in the Pittsburgh area.
Why do you practice yoga? I love practicing yoga because it’s a constant reminder for me to take a step back and reflect on the things that are most important in my life.

Welcome!

Here we are!  So happy to be working on the cultivation of a space for yoga and meditation in Oakland.  For so much of my life, Oakland has been a very special place to me.

I spent many years as a student at Fanny Edel Falk School, beginning my education there at the now-gone Campus Nursery School and learning at Falk through 8th grade.  I came back to Oakland as a sophomore at Pitt and finished my Bachelor’s degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, enjoying a few years as a resident of Oakland.  Shortly thereafter I became an employee at UPMC and then continued my education at Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health.  My career as a consultant kept me in Oakland long after my initial employment with UPMC, and also brought me back to Pitt as an adjunct faculty member.

All of this time I was practicing, studying, and learning about myself as a yogi.  Yoga became a balance in my life both physically and emotionally.  For many years it has allowed me to successfully manage being a mother, wife, athlete, professional, volunteer, and community member.

But there was no yoga for me when I spent time in Oakland.  So the idea festered for years.  A yoga studio in Oakland.  With this sight in mind, I trained as a yoga instructor and begin writing my business plan.

I look forward to continuing to learn and develop as a teacher of bodies and minds as I guide this startup, Yoga U PGH, off of the ground.  If you practice bring your mat and join us.  If you don’t practice, or never have – for what ever reason – come try.  If you tried yoga and didn’t continue, please consider trying again and exploring whether our community can help to build and inform our yoga practice and serve as a comfortable and inclusive place to learn.