This week’s flow will be a 20 minute mindful morning yoga flow. In this practice, find a way to let yourself fully drop in and be in the present moment. When we practice mindfulness, it can be geared towards our yoga asana practice. The state of ‘being mindful’ is oftentimes the state of being present.
So roll out your mat and let’s get started! Teachers: this is a great morning flow if you teach an early time slot and have minimal time to prepare. Save this PDF as a back-pocket class ~ feel free to add to it!
Puttering
Child’s pose
Cat/Cow
Downward facing dog
Low lunge twist
Wide legged forward fold
Lizard (open knee out to the side)
Yogi squat
Standing
Warrior II
Extended side angle
Triangle
Half Moon
Low lunge twist
Balance and Twist
Tree
Warrior III
Revolved extended side angle
Devotional warrior (clasped hands behind back)
Wind Down
Pigeon
Seated spinal twist
Bridge (with clasped hands under sacrum)
Happy baby
Savasana
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Happy Black History Month! This month sparks much conversation, some filled with excitement and celebration, others met with resistance and ridicule. When I think about Black History Month, I always go right back to middle and high school. Every February, my school would put up posters in the hallways featuring Langston Hughes, Frederick Douglass, Maya Angelou, and other influential Black figures. I recognized their names and faces, but I didnât know their stories, their lives, their work, or their contributions to the world. Growing up, Black History felt like names and postersâbut the depth of their achievements, the celebration of their art, inventions, literature, and stories of resistance were missing. The education was missing.
Years later, I came across a photo of Josephine Baker. She was striking a pose, one leg turned out, one hand on her hip, the other raised above her head. It immediately reminded me of Tree Pose. Inspired, I placed her photo side by side with one of myself in the same yoga posture. That single moment sparked something greater. It became a way to honor those who came before me, those who paved the way for the freedom and opportunities I enjoy today. That one image led to a larger project that continues to evolve, not only through photography but through storytelling.
The faces I once saw only on posters became people I truly knew. Their stories amazed me, inspired me, and gave me the courage to step out on faith as I pursue my own dreams and goals. Today, Iâm excited to share images from my Black History & Yoga series, highlighting leaders in Black history, some well-known and others whose stories deserve more recognition. Through their journeys, we gain a deeper understanding of resilience and triumph.
And through yoga, we can embody those same qualities, strength, determination, and perseverance.
Black History is one part of our collective history. When we embrace all of history and celebrate the contributions of those who came before us, knowledge becomes power.
Celebrate Through Yoga: Ardha Matsyendrasana I (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)
Dr. Carter G. Woodson devoted his life to education, not just as a means of sharing knowledge, but as a tool for empowerment. While attending university, a professor told him that Black people “had no history.” Woodsonâs response was firm and clear: “No people lack history.” He recognized the deep connection between the exclusion of Black historical narratives and the racism and oppression Black people faced. He also understood how this absence in education could instill a sense of inferiority among Black people.
Determined to change this, Woodson made it his lifeâs work to illuminate the contributions of Black people throughout history, not just for the benefit of Black communities, but for the enrichment of all people. In 1926, he introduced Negro History Week, choosing February to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two pivotal figures in American history. Fifty years later, this week expanded into Black History Month, officially recognized by President Gerald Ford.
But for Woodson, Black history was never meant to be a separate category. He believed history should reflect the full story of humanity, stating:
“What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world, void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.”
Twists help us wring out tension and create space for renewal. This pose, named after the sage Matsyendra, reminds us of Woodsonâs impact, turning the tide of history, shifting perspectives, and bringing forth greater clarity and awareness. Just as we turn in this pose, we, too, can turn knowledge into action.
Celebrate Through Yoga: Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose)
Most of us know Rosa Parks as the woman who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, but the real story is even more powerful. On that day in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks took her seat in the first row of the âcolored section,â exactly where she was permitted to sit under segregation laws. When the white section filled up, the driver demanded that she and three other Black passengers move. Three complied. Parks did not. Instead of immediately refusing, she quietly slid from the aisle seat to the window seat, making room, but this still wasnât enough. When ordered again to stand, she firmly said, âNo.â
I had always thought she was sitting in the âwhites-onlyâ section. I had always believed she simply did not get up. Learning the truth made me realize something deeper, sometimes, we can be exactly where weâre supposed to be, doing exactly what is right, and still face criticism, judgement, or opposition. But that doesnât mean we should back down. Parksâ quiet defiance teaches us that standing firm in our truth, even when others try to push us aside, can create lasting change.
Like Rosa Parksâ act of courage, this heart-opening backbend requires both preparation and determination. It can feel challenging, even impossible at times. But the shape of the pose, a bow, reminds us of the strength found in persistence. When we step into our power, we bend but do not break, creating space for transformation.
Celebrate Through Yoga: Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog)
In Lady Sings the Blues, Billie Holiday wrote:
âIâve been told that nobody sings the word âhungerâ like I do. Or the word âlove.â Maybe I remember what those words are all about. Maybe Iâm proud enough to want to remember Baltimore and Welfare Island, the Catholic institution and the Jefferson Market Court, the sheriff in front of our place in Harlem and the towns from coast to coast where I got my lumps and my scars, Philly and Alderson, Hollywood and San Franciscoâ every damn bit of it.â
Holidayâs voice carried the weight of her experiences poverty, racism, and personal struggle. She didnât run from her past; she embraced it. She understood that the hard times, the scars, and the lessons shaped her, and through her music, she turned pain into art.
Her story reminds us that where we come from matters. Even the most difficult parts of our past can become a source of strength, guiding us toward resilience, empathy, and growth. The next time you listen to Billie Holiday, pay attention, not just to the words, but to the emotion behind them. What memories rise within you? How does her voice make you feel? Perhaps she teaches us that no matter how far weâve come, we should never forget what shaped us.
B.K.S. Iyengar once said that backbends are challenging because we cannot see the back bodyâwe can only feel it. Like Holidayâs journey, this pose invites us to look back, not to dwell, but to acknowledge our past and use it as fuel to move forward.
Celebrate Through Yoga: Bharadvajasana (Seated Twist with Chair Support)
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg was once told by a teacher that Black people had no history, no culture, no accomplishments. Instead of accepting this falsehood, he dedicated his life to proving otherwise. As a historian, writer, and archivist, he built an immense collection of books, manuscripts, and art documenting Black achievements around the world. By 1925, his collection had grown to over 10,000 items, and in 1926, the New York Public Library purchased it, making Schomburg the head curator. Today, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture holds over 10 million items, preserving the legacy of Black history for generations to come.
It is often said, âIf Carter G. Woodson was the father of Black history, then Arturo Schomburg was its curator and guardian.â His work reminds us that history is not just a collection of facts, it is alive in the stories we pass down. And those stories, no matter how small they seem, can spark something profound in others.
So I encourage you, donât stop here. Ask your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or friends about their history. What did their families do? Where did they come from? What shaped their lives? You may be surprised by how much it inspires you.
Like Schomburgâs mission to uncover hidden history, twists help us turn around, shift our perspectives, and release what no longer serves us. This pose, done with the support of a chair, reminds us that transformation isnât something we do alone, we have support, whether in history, in community, or in practice.
Celebrate Black History Through Yoga
The leaders we celebrate here have shaped the world in ways that reach far beyond a single month or community. Honoring them is not just about looking back; it is about recognizing the threads that connect us all.
When we listen to our parentsâ stories or trace the journeys of our grandparents and great-grandparents, whether they came from Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, or beyond, we are uncovering more than names and dates. We are discovering the roots of our own existence, woven into the vast, shared history of humanity. By reflecting on their legacies, we find inspiration to contribute to the world they helped shape, to push forward, to uplift others, and to create a future where generations after us can continue this ever-evolving story.
Practice with Deidra Demens at YogaRenew
Join Deidra each month for Foundations+, a class designed to break down intermediate and advanced poses and practices. This class takes place one Friday a month at YogaRenew. The next session, focusing on Backbends, will be held Friday, February 21st, from 6:00â8:00 PM ET (In Person).
You can also practice with Deidra weekly, both online (on the YogaRenew app) and in person, on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00 AM ET.
Financial freedom seems to be at the top of the list of everyone’s manifestations lately… but where does full time yoga teacher fall in that? As a professional fitness instructor and full-time yoga teacher, I have learned what it takes to make the money you seek doing what you love.
I have also spoken with many people who teach full time, who teach part-time, and also those who have dreams of making teaching a full-time career. If youâve worked your way to this blog post, itâs possible that youâre thinking of making the switch from whatever career youâre in now to being a full-time yoga teacher.
A yoga teacher’s salary can vary quite a lot depending on what they’re teaching, where they’re teaching, experience level, compensation structure and other factors which we’ll get in to below.
Let’s dive in to a little bit of the specifics when it comes to yoga teachers and what they make… Scroll down to read through our blog, or check out our video below:
Is it possible to support yourself as a yoga instructor when you’re just starting out?
Finances are usually one of the first questions to come up when thinking about turning your yoga teaching into a full-time career. I will say that yes, it is possible to support yourself as an instructor in the first stages IF you truly want to. I will also say that the road to making this your full-time career is not a linear, concrete path. You will most likely have to forge your own path, seek out and/or create opportunities, and allow yourself to step outside of your comfort zone to grow your career. I will talk more about this later, but you really have to trust yourself and fully believe that your dream career is possible.
How much do yoga teachers make?
There are a variety of factors to consider when sharing how much money yoga teachers make. A yoga teacher’s salary range can vary wildly based on where you live, what kind of environment you’re teaching in, your experience level, what type of business you’re engaged in, or how frequently you are teaching. Per class itâs typical for teachers to make somewhere between $30-$85 but it could be less or it could be drastically higher. In a corporate setting, yoga teachers can earn $200-$400/hour bringing classes into offices! Below we’ll go into more depth on these statistics, look at different compensation structures, places to teach, and other options for yoga teachers to make money doing what they love.
Classes are likely to be your most consistent form of income, as in, youâll consistently get paid for the weekly classes you teach. Workshops, yoga retreats, and other similar one-off events will yield a higher profit but generally speaking they are not as consistent as weekly classes. The amount of classes you teach vary from person to person, but regardless if youâre looking to make teaching yoga your full-time career you will have to create other forms of income outside of classes.
Indeed has a regional breakdown of yoga teacher hourly rates for 2025:
New York, NY: $46 per hour
Brooklyn, NY: $44 per hour
Denver, CO: $40 per hour
Miami Beach, FL: $39 per hour
Austin, TX: $39 per hour
San Diego, CA: $37 per hour
Chicago, IL: $37 per hour
Indianapolis, IN: $36 per hour
There are ranges below these limits and above these limits for which a yoga instructor can get paid. You should familiarize yourself with what the studios pay in your area. A great way to get in the door is by subbing classes. By subbing classes youâll be introduced to the studioâs payment method which can give you a better understanding of what you could make as a yoga instructor in your area. To better understand these rates and how you can earn more as a yoga teacher, lets look at how studios compensate their instructors.
*Again this varies by region, country, area, etc. These are estimated figures based on geographical data.
How do studios typically pay their yoga instructors?
There are three main ways that studios pay their instructors, here are a few to get familiar with:
Flat-fee
Flat-fee + “bonus per head”
Pay based on “per head” attendance
Space rental
Whatâs the flat fee I can expect for a yoga class?
A flat fee means that regardless of how many students are in your class, youâll get paid the same amount every time. If youâre getting paid a flat fee, itâs likely that youâll get paid somewhere between $30-$70 per class. This depends on where youâre teaching. Studios with less overall membership counts and member visits could mean that youâre getting paid less than a studio with a higher overhead count and more member visits. Another factor is the region where youâre teaching. A studio in a rural area with less member visits and potentially a lower cost of living would mean your pay is less than a studio in an urban area with higher member visits and higher cost of living. The pro for this payment method is that you know what youâre making every time and itâs guaranteed regardless of how many people take your class or who is taking your class. It should be noted that some studios will pay you for your time even if no one shows up, some studios will not. The con for this payment method is that thereâs a limit to how much you can make. You could be a talented teacher with a waitlist of students who want to take your class, but you wonât be getting paid for that.
What does it mean to get paid a flat fee with a “bonus per head”?
When getting paid a flat fee with a bonus per head, youâll receive a flat fee for a particular range of students plus a bonus per head beyond what warrants a flat fee rate. This can vary widely from studio to studio, but you can expect your flat fee to be about $30-$50 with the minimum number of students to guarantee a flat fee being 0-12 students. Some studios will pay you the flat fee even if 0 students show up because you dedicated your time to teaching the class. Other studios will require at least 1 student to show up to guarantee a flat fee. The typical bonus per head is $1-$4. So given the numbers used here, if a studioâs capacity is 30 people and the maximum number of students show upâŚyou would get paid $30-$50 for 12 people showing up, and then $1-$4 for the remaining 18 students per head. The pro to this type of payment method is that you can make a lot of money depending on class size. It can be very motivating to market your classes and get students in the door. The con to this type of payment method is that it can make estimating your profit from the studio a little difficult. If youâre unsure how many students will show up every class, itâs hard to know exactly how much money youâll bring in. This is also excluding staff members, other teachers, guests, or free trial members who typically do not bring in money for the studio therefore people who fall into these categories will not count as a head but they will take a spot in your class.
What does it mean to get paid based on “per head” attendance?
This means you will get paid based on per head attendance means you get paid strictly on the number of paying members who attend your class. The typical range per head is $1-$4, so if a studioâs capacity is 30 students and you have max attendance you can expect to make somewhere between $30-$120 per class. Again, this is not considering the fact that staff members, other teachers, guests, or free trial members might be taking your class in which scenario it would be unlikely for you to get paid for those people even though theyâll be taking a spot.
What does it mean to rent space?
Sometimes, a studio will rent their space to the teacher and allow them to book their own students. In this scenario, the onus is on the instructor to get enough students into class to earn money – however their earning potential has a little more upside if the rental costs are affordable. In some instances, new teachers might opt to rent space in a gym or other location before opening their own studio to start developing a following. This allows the teacher to operate without the long term commitment of a lease, and they’re able to take advantage of the studio or gym’s infrastructure as well.
What are additional ways to make money as a yoga instructor?
As noted above, the following factors can affect your pay aside from the payment method itself: the location of where you live and work (rural vs. suburban vs. urban), the capacity of the studio that you teach at, and your experience level. This is only considering how much you get paid per class. There are other means to consider to make money as a yoga instructorâŚ
Private clients, workshops, retreats, writing, managerial work, or other administrative work are ways to supplement your earnings from classes as a yoga instructor. In fact, if youâre seeking to make a career out of your yoga teaching, I would say these other forms of income are not just recommended but are necessary. Reason being, if youâre running around trying to make ends meet by teaching classes and only teaching classes, there is a high likelihood that you will burn out, which will not serve anyone. These other outlets are also great ways to broaden your skillset and offerings.
Yoga seeks to guide us towards the highest possible version of ourselves which is situated in peacefulness, love, and surrender. If you ask me, peace is hard to attain when weâre teaching 5 classes every single day with no time dedicated towards ourselves or our loved ones. As a yoga instructor, itâs imperative that you tend to your own practice (which is sometimes hard to do) because thatâs the only way we can truly teach with genuine intention and we can only do that with time.
More on the hourly rates…
To create a sustainable career, you must increase what you are making per hour of your time. However you do that is up to you but I can share ways to make up to double or even triple what you would make in a single class.
Private clients: Working with private clients is one of the main ways to create steady income at a higher pay scale. A general range for what to charge for a private lesson is $60-$200. How to determine what you charge requires you evaluate a few factors like your location, availability, target market, etc. Teachers also sometimes develop their own online yoga classes to offer without the need to rent a studio.
Your experience: Your experience 100% needs to be factored in when you are thinking about what to charge somebody. When you are making a transaction with someone, there is an exchange of currency. In this case you are exchanging yoga services for money, meaning if you are brand new to teaching yoga you cannot be charging the same amount of money as someone who has been teaching for years. While you have a lot to offer, you do not have as much to offer yet as it pertains to teaching yoga. As far as integrity goes, you must be real with yourself and your client about what is fair. As you gain experience, knowledge, and overall depth within the practice you will be able to offer much more and can ask for top dollar.
Location: Are you traveling to your client or is your client traveling to you? You have to consider this when thinking about price. In terms of not self-abandoning, you cannot charge the same amount for someone who is within your neighborhood vs. someone who lives an hour away. If youâre traveling a farther distance which boils down to more of your time, you should factor that into what you will charge. If your client is coming to your home, you should also factor that into what you will charge. Like I said before, you have to consider all of the exchanges which are occurring when you make a transaction with someone and there are other currencies outside of money.
Skillset/Offerings: Lastly, you must factor in what is included in the session you are offering? Is it only asana? Or are you bringing sound bowls to incorporate sound healing? Are you reiki certified and will you be offering energy work in addition to asana? Are you a physical therapist and will you be offering manual work for an injury? Whatâs in your overall package which you will be offering to your clients and what does your client want? This will change what you are charging someone. What you are including in your package could offset an initial reduction in price due to your experience?
Yoga Workshops, Retreats, and Trainings
Workshops, retreats, and trainings can bring in a lot of income. From a single workshop you can expect to make anywhere from $200-$800 depending on how many people attend your workshop. From a single retreat or training, you could make anywhere from $500-$5,000 or more depending on the capacity of your retreat and how many people attend. Itâs even hard to put a range on either of these things because it is so dependent on the workshop, retreat, or training itself. But essentially, you can make a lot from these types of events. You can charge a higher amount because of all the planning, prep-work, and actual work that it takes to execute a workshop, retreat, or training. Charging for these types of events can come down to the studio, but you should always be thinking about what your ideal and fair number would be for what you would like to profit in exchange for your energy, time, and resources. Both your clients and you should feel honored and aligned in the exchange that is occurring. If youâre charging top dollar, you must be putting in top dollar work to remain in integrity. You can consider the same aspects here as you would for a private client when thinking about what to charge people.
If you’re interested in learning how to plan, lead, promote and run a yoga retreat, check out this course on How to Lead a Yoga Retreat.
Writing, Managerial Work, and/or Administrative Work
According to ZipRecruiter, a yoga writer can make an average annual salary of $80,647. This also depends on what publication or entity you would be writing for, if youâre in a full-time position or a freelancing position and the area you’re writing for/in.
Upwork and Fiverr are two websites where freelance writers can find work. On Fiverr, writers who specialize in yoga or wellness can earn between $30 and $200 for each article depending on how long it is, and what type of research goes into it. Other sources cite that studio owners can make about $86,000 a year which means that a manager (not an owner) and anyone doing administrative work will make less than that. How much less is hard to say because every studio is different and what someone profits is dependent on what the revenue of the studio is.
Your mindset must support your dream career…
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, you must believe that your dream career for teaching yoga is possible. You must believe it in every cell of your being because that is what will help you create and attract opportunities and sustainable income. While teaching yoga full-time is becoming more popular, thereâs still no carved out path and no guaranteed income amount as you might find within other fields. This means there are unknowns and that is just a fact. In getting ready to transition, itâs important to remain dedicated to your overall purpose and calling. This will help you navigate your newfound path which requires both taking action and surrendering/receiving. Do the work, stay in alignment, and trust wholeheartedly that you can do this and the universe is supporting you.
Oftentimes when I hear people say they want to become a yoga teacher, it is rarely because of the pay. Yet, countless people have made a transition into teaching yoga full-time…and people continue to do so â how come?
At this point in your life, you may be thinking about making the transition and becoming solely a yoga teacher full time. With the pandemic, inflation, rising healthcare costs, and other factors, you may be considering the risks and rewards in doing so. You want to know:Â How much do yoga teachers actually make?
Before I go any further, I do want to say that it is possible to make teaching yoga your full-time gig. However, you must actually believe that it is possible. It doesnât matter what I say, or what anyone else says.
You have to believe that you can and you will make this your full-time career.
I say this because you will most likely not create a livable salary (while staying sane) by only teaching weekly yoga classes. You will need opportunities and ideas that are outside of this construct and you may have to take some risks and/or try new things.
The base pay for teaching classes at a studio
The pay for weekly yoga classes varies depending on the studio you are teaching at (size, location, popularity, amount of classes, etc.) and your experience. However, in NYC, pay can generally range from $30-$80 per class. Based on my experience, youâre looking at an average of $40 per class.
Womp womp.
This is not to discourage you whatsoever! In fact, you can use this information to create the life of your dreams and in a very sustainable manner â financially, energetically, and emotionally.
Find what you want to focus on
Ask yourself some questions so you can narrow your focus about what youâre looking for. Instead of just âyoga teacher,â think about something with more purpose and specificity (after all, you want to live the life you REALLY WANT, right?)
Are you looking to work for yourself or are you looking to work for someone else (or another entity)?
What demographic are you interested in working with?
What is it about the yoga practice that you feel most inclined to share?
What is in true ALIGNMENT with YOU? (Yes, this requires some deep work but this is how youâll attract the opportunities which will lead to your version of your rockstar yoga teacher life.)
Diversify your yoga business
Consider other skills or interests that youâd like to offer for work such as content creation, SEO optimization, administrative work, event planning, studio operations/management, etc.
Think about what skills you currently possess and/or what you enjoy.
Assess how you can add value either to your own brand or to an outside brand by using those skills or interests.
*Fun Note: I started writing blogs for YogaRenew because I enjoy writing, but never had a professional opportunity to practice it. I also wanted to do something else within yoga education that didnât involve standing in front of a class.
Inform your professional circle
Let others know that you are interested in making a career change and/or if youâre interested in taking on more work.
Word of mouth can attract potential clients, employers, and network connections.
By sharing that youâre interested in making a career change, someone may present an opportunity to you that you hadnât thought of or someone may love an idea that you have.
Specialize in a specific area of yoga
Create a niche for yourself and participate in specialty trainings and certifications such as prenatal yoga, yin yoga, restorative yoga, anatomy, etc.
Having a specialty separates you from a sea of yoga instructors. You become a point person for specific topics for your students and other teachers.
You become an expert in something, which can lead to increased class numbers and opportunities to lead a training or workshop.
Expand your offerings
Look into coaching, mentorship or further resources specifically geared towards increasing your capabilities as a teacher and/or business person.
Coaching allows you to see where your strengths are and where you can grow.
You can connect with like-minded individuals interested in living their best life.
You can receive support in carving out your personal mission, which will inevitably create the opportunities necessary to achieve it.
Some people have already figured it out, so why not learn from them?
How much yoga teachers make depends on multiple things
Creating your dream career as a yoga instructor is 100% possible, but as you can hopefully see it takes effort. This means that you have to remain steadfast in your practice and in your dreams. You have to stay connected with yourself at all times as this will not only bring in new opportunities, but will help you navigate those opportunities with alignment and integrity. The more you truly believe and trust in yourself to make your dreams happen, the more the universe will catch on and conspire to help you out to fulfill all your dreams on a yoga instructor salary.
An arm balance in yoga is considered any pose where the foundation is your arms. There are several different types of arm balances within that realm. This article will break down all the different types of arm balances in yoga in a simple fashion. Some you might already be familiar with and some might have you looking at arm balances from a whole new perspective!
Prep Poses for Arm Balances
1. Downward Facing Dog
Getting comfortable on your hands and feet is the perfect way to create a strong foundation for your yoga practice. Emphasizing downward facing dog before an arm balance helps prep the body to build strength in the arms, needed in all arm balance poses.
2. Plank Pose & Chaturanga
Plank and chaturanga dandasana also help build strength in the arms and the familiarity of utilizing the hands as the foundation.
3. Vasisthasana (Side Plank)
Leaning onto one side for side plank, or Vasisthasana is another great way to build arm strength and stability that will be essential in learning any arm balance.
“Flying” Arm Balances
There are several yoga asanas that are named after creatures that fly, and for good reason. The postures can resemble a bird (or bug) about to take flight, or even just a creature that has wings and can spread out. Here are some of the arm balance yoga poses whose Sanskrit names are flying creatures and require you to lift off of the ground.
1. Crow or Crane Pose (Bakasana)
Crow pose is done by rounding your upper back and gently balancing your knees up on your forearms. The foundation of this pose is both of your palms and your arms, as you learn to “become light” and support yourself off the ground.
Crow Pose
2. Side Crow (Parsva Bakasana)
Side crow is similar to crow but your trunk is rotated. You are still supporting yourself with your arms and hands, gripping the mat and letting your upper back round tucking your knees on your upper arm, but instead your knees stacked on top of one another and torso is turned.
Side Crow
3. Flying Pigeon (Eka Pada Galavasana)
Flying pigeon is a pose that is supported by your arms with one leg straightened out back behind you while the other leg is bent and supported by your upper arm.
Flying Pigeon
4. Firefly Pose (Tittibhasana)
Firefly pose is having both your arms inside your legs (either on blocks or on the ground), your seat setting down towards the mat as you extend & straighten through your legs, which are outstretched in front of you, outside your arms. Tittibhasana is a bug that resembles that of a firefly here in the West.
Firefly Pose
Advanced Arm Balances
1. Elephant Trunk Pose (Eka Hasta Bhujasana)
Elephant trunk pose is a pose in which one leg is supported up and over an arm, while the other leg is outstretched straight in front of the body.
Elephant Trunk Pose
2. Eight Angle Pose (Astavakrasana)
Eight angle pose, or Astavakrasana, is when the arms are used to support the legs hooking around one another with the body being supported almost entirely by the arms.
Eight Angle Pose
3. Scorpion Pose
Scorpion is where the forearms are on the ground and the legs come up over the head and bend towards the crown of the head. This pose requires a bit of backbending capability and a pretty flexible spine. The combination of strength and flexibility needed for this pose makes it fall towards the more challenging end of the spectrum for arm balances.
Scorpion Pose
Arm Balances & Yoga Asana Practice
Arm balances help you build strength and stability in your yoga practice and are great poses to regularly practice. Their many qualities allow them to be their own category in the yoga asana practice, with dedicated preparatory poses that help strengthen parts of the body needed to balance on your arms.
For yoga teachers, when teaching arm balance poses to a class, be mindful that every body is built differently and certain poses will require different ways to approach the pose. While the yoga practice reminds highly individualized, there are common yoga asana postures that are widely accepted as providing roughly the same benefits when practiced consistently.
We hope that this article was able to shed more light on the topic of arm balances. If you are still curious and want to learn more, we’ve crafted an entire Arm Balance Workshop inside the YogaRenew app with expert yoga teacher MĂŠlie Purdon to help you craft your mastery of arm balance poses with a deep understanding.
Want to learn arm balances?
Check out Learn to Fly: Arm Balance Workshop in the YogaRenew app. Download it today!
10 minute morning yoga flows don’t have to be elaborate. Most of the time, you can get a sufficient practice in by just moving through sun salutations (a or b). Here at YogaRenew, most of our classes are taught with Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutation A sequence) and the purpose is literally to “greet the sun” as you first rise in the morning.
However, if you’re looking for more of a flow style class â we’ve got you covered!
Here’s a quick and easy 10 minute morning yoga sequence that includes a downloadable PDF graphic that you can store for whenever you’d like to practice. Be sure to grab your mat and any props you may need â we recommend 2 yoga blocks and a blanket!
Morning Yoga Sequence:
Puttering:
Start in a comfortable seated position (you can prop yourself up on your blanket if you have one) and take a few arriving breaths
Make your way forward onto hands and knees
Widen your knees the width of your mat, let your big toes touch, come to sit back into child’s pose
Lift your head & come back to table top position
Move through a couple rounds of cat/cow, syncing your breath with your movement
Find downward facing dog
Lift your right leg & step it through your hands
Crescent lunge
Step back for downward facing dog
Inhale, come forward to plank, lower yourself all the way down to your mat as you exhale
Inhale to peel your chest off the mat for cobra pose
Downward facing dog
Repeat on the other side
Standing + Balancing:
From downward facing dog, lift your right leg & step it between your hands for warrior two
Bring your front arm forward and bend at your elbow to rest your forearm on your front thigh & reach your left arm up overhead alongside your left ear for extended side angle
Look back at your front foot, grab your block and place it in front of your right toes
Bring your left hand to your hip & step your back foot in 2 footprints
Start to bend your right knee, lean forward, standing into your front (right leg) and come forward with your right palm on the block for half moon pose
Step back to a low lunge
Downward facing dog, plank, cobra
Downward facing dog
Repeat on the other side (lifting your left leg & stepping between your hands)
Wind down:
Lie down on your back, bend your knees and plant the soles of your feet on the mat
Walk your heels in towards your seat
Lengthen your arms down by your side & proceed to lift your pelvis off of the mat for bridge pose
Lean onto your right shoulder to tuck your left shoulder under, then lean onto your left shoulder to tuck your right shoulder under
Your hands can find an interlace underneath you
Keep pressing your feet down and lifting your hips
Unclasp your hands & lower back down to your mat
Repeat 2 or 3 times
Press down through your feet to lift your hips up and send them over to the left, letting your knees fall over to the right for a supine spinal twist
You can cactus your arms and let your gaze fall over your left shoulder
Repeat on the other side
Happy baby
Savasana:
For this sequence, we’ll take savasana in Viparita Karani, or legs up the wall
Grab your blanket and fold in half twice so you have an oblong, folded blanket
Place the blanket at the base of the wall
Come to sit with either hip up against the wall
Swing your legs up the wall (like a clock hand) until they are at a desired position
T out your arms, close your eyes, and let your mind quiet
Quick & Easy Morning Yoga Flows
If you enjoyed this 10 minute morning yoga class, you’ll love our Morning Yoga Series on the YogaRenew app. We’ve created a bunch of classes that are morning-friendly and the perfect way to start any day refreshed & revitalized.
Trying to develop a routine and stick to a set of wellness practices can be cumbersome. However, when you find things that truly align with your body and the way you like to move, it can be a fun way to connect with your body.
As we bring attention to body awareness, the intention is to honor our bodies for all they do for us. They keep us in motion and in rest, which is equally as important. This newsletter invites you to find the ways in which you like to get in tune with your body and nourish those actions until they become a regular part of your routine. â¨
Here are some ways to establish and nurture body awareness through the lens of the yoga practice.
Yoga for Beginners
Establishing a foundational, basic yoga practice can do wonders for both your mental and physical health. Yoga provides a great deal of awareness to the body and parts of the body that may not get proper attention on a daily basis.
Yoga can also help you understand the body on a deeper level. Starting out with the foundational poses may bring a greater sense of awareness on how you can move in and understand your body.
Another way to build a strong relationship with your body can be stretching in the morning.
Each morning when you wake up, try to move your body around until you find ways that feel good to you. You can start with a seated meditation, or get right into it. Either way, the freedom of movement and expression in your body will start to connect your brain waves to a new found appreciation.
Morning stretch ideas:
Stand up and lean to either side with your arm stretched up overhead
Take a giant forward fold as you let your head and neck dangle over your legs
Sit on the floor and reach your arms up and overhead and lean to either side
Start in child’s pose and lean back and forth until you find a nice flow of movement
Start seated on the floor and send one leg at a time out long and lean over towards it
Try cat/cow (starting on all fours with your wrists underneath your shoulders and knees underneath your hips – inhaling dropping your belly looking up, exhaling rounding your spine pressing through your palms)
Try a Group Fitness Class
There are tons of methods of group fitness offered now with a plethora of movements and combinations of movements. Once you decide on what level of intensity you want, you can narrow down the list of places near you that offer that range of movement. Sometimes attending a group class awakens something in us that allows us to appreciate how we can move our body. Even if you have certain specifications and special needs of assistance or range of motion, the offerings seem to be getting more and more inclusive, where there tends to be options for just about everyone. If you’re looking for a specific aided class or private instruction, you can certainly search for it and hopefully there’s a class that’s just right for you — and maybe you even make some friends out of it!
Try Free Videos on YouTube
We of course started our own YouTube channel to facilitate and circulate the practice of yoga… but YouTube is home to thousands upon thousands of different types of “at-home workouts” and movement practices. A simple search should bring you to areas of moving your body that might spark some joy in how you like to get moving.
Since we highlighted beginner yoga above, here are some beginner-friendly yoga videos on our YouTube — enjoy!
In the ever-changing landscape of the digital world, it can be hard to find yoga classes online that you enjoy and that elevate your practice. If you’ve ever taken class with us, or have joined one of our trainings, you’ll notice YogaRenew has a specific style of sequencing designed to keep students invigorated, inspired and help give them an idea of what to expect in each class â starting with puttering, working towards a peak pose, having a full wind down section and of course, a blissful savasana.
Below youâll find an incredible selection of online yoga classes you can practice for free, whenever your schedule allows. You can even browse different categories if thereâs a specific style of yoga youâre looking for. Our on-demand yoga classes are broken down by style, instructor, and class length. To gain more unlimited access outside of our YouTube Channel, we’ve developed an app where you can stream high-quality yoga classes with our instructors for a monthly or yearly subscription.
Scroll down to browse our list of the top free yoga & meditation classes available on YouTube. We’ve conveniently sorted them by style or format so if you’re unsure which style suits you best, take a moment to check out our article on the different types of yoga.
In this video, Patrick explains how props can be an essential tool in the yoga practice. Our channel offers insights as well as tips and tricks of becoming a great teacher but also expanding as a practitioner. This information can be greatly helpful before stepping on your mat.
Best Free Vinyasa Yoga Classes Online
Perhaps the most popular style of yoga in modern times, Vinyasa is characterized by energetic flows and dynamic body movements. Each movement in a Vinyasa Yoga is linked to the breath, providing a more cardio-centric experience. Check our list of the best free vinyasa yoga classes on YouTube below.
60 Minute Vinyasa Flow | Free Online Yoga Class Instructor: Patrick Franco Length: 60 Minutes Style:Â Vinyasa Yoga
Fresh Air Flow in Hawaii | No Props Needed Instructor: Desiree Fiorentino Length: 30 Minutes Style:Â Vinyasa Yoga
Live Music Vinyasa Flow Instructor: Patrick Franco Length: 30 Mins Style: Vinyasa Yoga
Yoga for Your Core Instructor: Desiree Fiorentino Length: 15 Mins Style: Vinyasa Yoga
Best Free Online Meditation
Meditation comes in many different formats, each with their own intended results. Whether you’re looking to drift off to sleep or wrap yourself into a warm sound bath – we have you covered. Find our list of the best free meditation classes available on YouTube below.
5 Minute Body Scan Meditation | YogaRenew Instructor: Lindsay Monal Length: 5 Minutes Style: Body Scan Meditation
Meditation For Sleep | YogaRenew Instructor: Joe Miller Length: 14 Minutes Style: Meditation
Restorative yoga classes are typically prop-heavy, slow paced classes designed to help the body recover, replenish and recuperate. Find our list of the best online Restorative Yoga classes on YouTube below.
Restorative Yoga | Restorative Energy Practice Instructor: Joanne Silver Length: 30 Mins Style:Â Restorative Yoga
Restorative Yoga | Yoga For Anxiety Instructor: Keely Garfield Length: 15 Mins Style:Â Restorative Yoga
Best Free Yin Yoga Classes Online
Yin Yoga classes are slow-paced, relaxing classes designed to target deeper connective tissue. Find our list of the best Yin Yoga classes on YouTube below.
Morning Yin Yoga Class Instructor: Kate Lombardo Length: 35 Minutes Style: Yin Yoga
Balancing Yin Yoga for Ultimate Relaxation | Free Online Yoga Class Instructor: Lindsay Monal Length: 70 Minutes Style: Yin Yoga
Best Free Hatha Yoga Classes Online
Hatha yoga is meant to encompass all physical postures within traditional yoga, however modern definitions often characterize this practice as a slower paced class with emphasis on posture and breath.
Yoga for a Strong & Flexible Spine Instructor: Joe Miller Length: 30 Mins Style: Hatha
Teach a Hatha Style Class to Virasana (Hero Pose) Instructor: Deidra Demens Length: 60 Mins Style: Hatha
Best Prenatal Yoga Classes Online
Prenatal Yoga classes are designed to help aid in the body’s transformation through pregnancy, delivery and postnatal. Their structure is designed to accommodate and supplement the pregnant body at each stage of pregnancy. Find our list of the best Prenatal Yoga classes available on YouTube below.
Prenatal Yoga for Acid Reflux Instructor: Melie Purdon Length: 15 Mins Style: Prenatal Yoga
Prenatal Yoga for Labor Instructor: Melie Purdon Length: 16 Mins Style: Prenatal Yoga
Best Gentle Yoga Classes Online
As the name suggests, gentle yoga classes take a more gentle approach to the practice. Find our list of the best gentle yoga classes on YouTube below.
Yoga for When You Don’t Feel Like Doing Yoga Instructor: Lindsey Rozmes Length: 20 Minutes Style: Gentle Yoga
There’s a lot that goes into deciding where and how to complete your first 200 hour yoga teacher training. If you’ve been thinking about it for a while, there’s probably something hindering or encouraging your decision. Perhaps you’re waiting for a sign, or maybe the timing doesn’t feel quite right â whatever the case, we are going to try and convince you that our 200 hour online yoga teacher training program is perfect for you.
Online yoga teacher trainings are STILL popular
During the delicate and uncertain times of COVID-19 when we were all mandated to stay inside, the rise of online learnings took off. Finding ways to workout and learn through YouTube became increasingly popular and people took to the internet to immerse themselves in a digital world that felt accessible.
Fast-forward to 2025 and people are still chronically online. The ease of having access to a training, digitally, appeals to a lot of people. The cost of producing these trainings is also much lower so the product can be circulated at a more affordable and attainable rate.
Online trainings are great for people who wish to connect virtually instead of attending lectures or teachings in person. People also like the added convenience of weaving their training into their already well established schedule. For some, online trainings can be a great way to grow a community and foster a real-life school environment with the added benefit of accessing it from anywhere in the world.
YogaRenew has a plethora of online yoga teacher trainings, including the initial 200 hour yoga teacher training, where you can choose which facet of yoga you’d like to specialize in. We also offer various online workshops and have a full YouTube channel that displays snippets of our courses, all of which are also available to our newly launched YogaRenew app.
Here are some of our most popular online trainings:
No, we don’t mean flexibility as in the yoga asanas â we’re talking about flexibility being able to access the course materials whenever, however. All of the materials provided throughout the duration of the trainings are completely downloadable and yours for a lifetime; so you can return to them if you’ve taken a slight pause or need a little extra time in between your studies.
We try to make our courses as accessible as possible and are looking into enhancing our offerings so that they are suitable for a wider demographic. We are also looking into creating courses that are ADA compliant. It’s important to us that anyone and everyone feels like they can have easy access to good, quality yoga â digitally and in person.
You’re learning from experts
In a 200 hour yoga teacher training, you are reliant on the quality of the information being given and the teachers that are providing it. All throughout our courses, you’ll meet friendly, experienced yoga teachers that are the experts in their crafts. If you choose to enroll in our 200 hour yoga teacher training, most of your time will be with Kate and Patrick, but beyond that, our specialized trainings invite you to meet a plethora of new teachers who have such deep, extensive knowledge in their specific lane of yoga.
Here are a few highlights of teachers in our other courses:
Julie takes you on a journey in every one of her tales of ancient yogic philosophy. Her captivating use of story telling helps make the Yoga Philosophy Online Course both digestible and fun.
MĂŠlie Purdon is our resident experienced prenatal yoga teacher both online and at our headquarters. You can gain access to MĂŠlie’s elite Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training both virtually and in-person as it can be purchased as a hybrid course! This means you’ll have opportunities to learn with her at our HQ in Hoboken, NJ.
Lisa Bermudez has facilitated all of our Ayurveda trainings and continues to host free challenges through us on YouTube to help get you introduced and acclimated to the sister science of yoga.
Trevor Vaughan and Julie both lead the kids yoga teacher training where you can become certified to bring the gift of yoga into classrooms and help bring on the next generation of mindful youths!
One major benefit of enrolling in our 200 hour yoga teacher training is YogaRenew’s signature sequencing teaching method. This simple outline gives you the template you need to create classes that keep students coming back! If you’re not planning on becoming a teacher, the way you’ll learn sequencing in this 200 hour training will greatly benefit how you take notice of the benefits of yoga asana.
At YogaRenew, each class is taught towards an apex (peak pose) and the offers a wind down and full Savasana. The beginning of the class is known as puttering (or the warm up), then the class typically follows the structure below. Once you understand how it all comes together, you can plug and play your poses in a class to teach towards a peak pose. This takes the stress out of teaching and can teach you so many new things of how you understand even your personal practice.
We’ve had great success and engagement on our YouTube channel where we’ve offered yoga teacher tips, fun challenges, and invigorating and restful classes so we just felt like it was time…
Get immersed and take your yoga to the next level with the YogaRenew App. You’ll see the same friendly faces and quality learnings from all our online yoga teacher training courses. From there, you can build your own stacked class playlists and find courses that will help you float up into handstand ~ there’s a little bit of something for everyone on the app.
*Available to be downloaded via the Apple and Google Play store – search: YogaRenew.
YogaRenew is now an approved provider for NASM and AFAA! We know that a lot of you have been asking for this. Graduates of YogaRenew’s 200 HR Yoga Teacher Training will be able to register their certificate with NASM or AFAA moving forward.
More information about NASM, AFAA, our yoga teacher training course, and how to register credit for your course follows below!
The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) provides certification and courses to over 1.5 million fitness and wellness professionals with over 12,000 gym and health club partnerships. NASM provides certifications for personal trainers, group fitness instructors, wellness coaches and nutrition coaches.
The Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) has provided certifications for group and personal trainers for over 40 years. Their certifications include group fitness, indoor cycling and personal trainer certifications.
AFAA is the sister company of NASM with both companies falling under the umbrella of Ascend Learning.
This comprehensive yoga teacher training provides a strong immersion into the business and practice of yoga through detailed videos, readings, workbooks and lectures.
The course is entirely online and self-paced, however students looking to get live support are also able to pick from 30 live calls held each week from experts in areas like anatomy, philosophy, business, class structure, sequencing, etc.
Students gain access to over 100 hours of supplemental video content they can browse in addition to their core training. We’ve also added extensive material including eBooks, templates, class sequences, and other resources instructors can use for their classes and business.
In addition to our support through live calls and email, students also gain access to our incredible & active community with students from over 170 countries.
Lifetime access is provided for the course and all of its resources (including the live calls!)
Graduates of our 200 hour course are able to register with Yoga Alliance as a RYT-200 as well.
AFAA or NASM Credit For YogaRenew’s 200 HR Course
NASM and AFAA students will submit their recertification differently. NASM trainers will login to their online NASM recertification portal at nasm.org and add the course and certificate from there.
AFAA trainers will email their AFAA renewal application to recerts@ascendlearning.com.
Our provider number is the same for both NASM and AFAA:
American Council on Exercise (ACE) 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
In addition to NASM and AFAA, ACE offers YogaRenew’s 200 hour yoga teacher training in a joint partnership. ACE has been a leader in the fitness certification space for a long time, and we’re thrilled about the ongoing connection between their community and our training program. See ACE’s press release on our joint partnership for more information.
You don’t have to wait for the ball to drop to start anew. In fact, in Vedic tradition, the “new year” is considered spring time, when things start to open up and blossom again. If you’re extra optimistic, you may even view each and every day as a new beginning â a new chance at life; a new day to start again.
This post will act as a yin yoga class template to echo the sentiment of new beginnings. The yin yoga postures chosen will embody the feeling of starting anew. Feel free to practice it at home, share it with your students, or keep it safe to revisit at a time you feel you need it most.
Child’s Pose
Child’s pose is always a great way to begin any class as it acts as a pose that can be returned to at any point throughout class.
How to:
Widen your knees mats-width distance apart
Set your arms out in front of you
Sit back on your heels (pad the area under your seat if you feel there’s too much space)
Let your forehead come down to the mat
Breathe all along your spine
Half Butterfly Pose (Both Sides)
Half Butterfly will prepare you for full Butterfly Pose and it’s a great way to gain symmetry on both sides of the body.
How to:
Send your right leg out long
Bend your left knee and tuck your left foot in towards your seat
Fold forward (you can place blocks or a bolster beneath you for extra support)
Repeat on the other side
Butterfly Pose
Butterfly Pose represents the birth and opening up of new energy. This rejuvenating yet restorative pose is perfect to usher in new energy.
How to:
Sit upright with your legs spread wide
Bring the soles of your feet together
Fold forward (you can use a bolster or blocks to come down onto if folding forward feels strenuous)
Legs Up The Wall
This is the ultimate relaxation yin yoga pose, inviting you to unwind, drop in, and let your mind quiet. In this posture, you can call to mind any intentions that feel indicative of a fresh start.
How to:
Set up a blanket folded the long way in half twice with the fringes facing the wall
Sit with your butt on the blanket, against the wall sideways
Swing your legs up the wall with the blanket supporting your seat underneath you
Let your eyes close and cactus your arms out to the side or support them on blankets as well
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