During the current Omicron outbreak, our yoga classes are currently only available online, via zoom.
I’m not sure how I feel about this, so I’ve decided to write down my thoughts.
It’s nice not having to wear a mask during a class. This obviously isn’t a dealbreaker, as I wear them all day at work in any case, but it is nicer being able to do without. Clearly the risk of catching a lurgy of any sort from other people in your class is eliminated on zoom.
It’s always a bit of a pain having to rush home from work, get changed, scooter to class, find a park, queue up outside waiting for the doors to be opened, then race to get changed, and find a mat in a good spot before class starts. I eliminate some of that hassle doing a zoom class at home. On the other hand, getting yourself set up for zoom at home is a kerfuffle, especially the first time. It’s surprisingly difficult to find just the right spot to set up. Ideally you should be in a corner with a blank wall behind you, and enough space in front of you to put your computer so that the screen sees the walls and the mat horizontally. Horizontal is preferable so that the teacher doesn’t have to face your bum up in dog pose.
Having to constantly twist around trying to see what the instructor is doing is a common feature of both formats.
The computer screen ends up being quite far away to allow a broad view. This is a problem for the myopic amongst us, particularly on an iPad mini in gallery view. The latter is necessary if you haven’t managed to commit to memory all the strange names for various poses. Unlike in person, the teacher isn’t always performing the pose themselves – they’re too busy staring into their screen to see how we are getting on. They do try and describe the poses as well as name them but this isn’t always as helpful as you’d think, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned previously. “You need to circularise the muscles of your inner armpit forward” was just one gem from yesterday.
The charge is the same for an online class as for an in person one: $200 for an 8 class pass. You don’t need to bring any gear along for an in person class at the studio, apart from your yoga appropriate clothing, whereas if you’re setting yourself up at home you need to buy a number of props. This includes at a minimum: a mat; two cork blocks; an elastic strap; a bolster; and some blankets. This is going to add up to three figures no matter how cheap you try to go. You can also add in a special chair, but even I – online shopper extraordinaire – have not gone that far.
Another in-person expense is burger and beersies with your yoga buds after class, but I would consider that activity a plus on the in-person side of the ledger, and as such is money well spent. We all have to eat, right? We did a zoom class together last week, but apart from me texting “FFS!” half way through one especially difficult to follow series of rapid fire poses (salutes, apparently), it wasn’t a particularly bonding experience.
You might think the pressure might be off a little when you’re at home, with regards to getting told off for mistakes. Not so, sadly. I continue to be called out for poor technique no matter where I try to hide. There’s no escape from Tessa’s eagle eyed scrutiny.
On the other hand, we all get muted at the start of a zoom class, so that no one can hear anything from the other participants. This means it’s open season for burps, farts, and disgruntled comments muttered under the breath. This is quite pleasant, but a freedom I have to take care not to persist with once we’re all back in the studio again, for fear of appearing eccentric. Similarly, no one can smell you on Zoom.
The mute feature is terrific with dogs in the house, enacting various levels of mayhem during class. This includes but is not limited to: excessive barking, whining and scratching at the door, fighting, loudly destroying miscellaneous household items, and ominous silence. Of course, I can still hear all that going on, even if no one else can, which does impair my ability to reach a zen like level of tranquility most suitable for yoga practice. Oh well.
In summary, Zoom yoga classes are a useful interim measure during plague times, but can’t compete with the full in person experience when you take into account the human need for socialization. I can imagine a combination in future, similar to the working from home/back to the office scenario many of us are facing these days. We shall see.