10 Tips to Live Streaming Workouts

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Mar 17

In the midst of the COVID 19 outbreak, we are turning to live-streaming our yoga and fitness classes.

I’ll be honest - online classes have historically been hard for me to get excited about.

Here’s what usually happens, in full transparency: I register, thinking it will give me this glorious break in my day. I haphazardly “join the meeting” while I’m in the middle of an email. When class actually get serious, I hop in. Shortly after starting, I get bored and start “multi-tasking.” Or I let the class go in the background while I get back to that email. So no one sees that I “left” the meeting.

I would, of course, never do any of these things during an in-person class.

Are you feeling lukewarm about online classes? I feel you. Given that’s our only option right now, I’ve been practicing and have learned a few things!

Here are

10 tips on how to get the most out of live-streaming classes:

Commit to just 15 minutes. I get really antsy, so sometimes I’ll just say “I’m going to commit to doing this class for at least 15 minutes.” After that, I give myself permission to do what I want. (Often, I keep going.)
Prep yourself. No commute time… no excuse. That means get properly ready. Whenever I take an extra second to prep, I always have better follow-through. Basically, that means get dressed the same way I would if I was taking the class in person. Mellow yoga? Get in some comfortable clothes on that help you drop into your most relaxed self. High-intensity workout? Toss off your jammies, put that sports bra on, lace up your sneakers, & assume your game face.
Prep your space. It does NOT need to be fancy. Just needs to be conducive to the workout/class you plan to take. Mellow yoga? Light a candle (this weirdly encourages me to stick with it), and crank up the heater so you are nice and cozy. High-intensity workout? Get a water bottle, sweat towel handy, maybe crack a window, and stick your dg in the other room.
Use the tech at your disposal. I like to have the instructor’s video on the largest screen at my disposal. Because I’m currently hunkered in my basement (with my 2 little kids playing upstairs), that means my laptop runs the instructor’s video and audio. I also have my phone out, playing my own playlist (more on that below). If you have a Bluetooth speaker you can make a nice surround-sound experience. If you have a TV and Apple TV, you can airplay the video to the TV so it’s nice and big. Wireless headphones make things really immersive. Use what you’ve got! Once you figure out the perfect/immersive/comfortable setup, it is SO much easier to stick with it.
Play your own music! Most live-streaming classes don’t have music running because the audio struggles to pickup the teachers voice. This is your chance to DJ your class! If you aren’t sure what you want to hear, a pre-made Spotify playlist works fine… but for me, musical accompaniment is key.
Disconnect from work. For me, that literally means facing away from my “work zone” — keeping work stuff or house projects out of sight helps me focus in.
Do what feels good. I always try to stick with my time commitment (see #1), but I give myself flexibility on what I actually do on the mat. Have a modification that works better for your body? Do it. Want to take the intensity up a notch? Even if the instructor isn’t there yet, take it there. It’s your workout. Your time. Do what your body needs. (Arguably, we should be doing this in every in-person class, too.)
Turn on your video. This is a strange, psychological one but it actually works. When my camera is turned on, I don’t flake out half way through and I tend to really commit to the class. And remember, everyone is focused on the teacher… they probably won’t notice you at all. Plus, it helps create a feeling of community that is lacking right now. I know this one is hard, but… give it a try!
Say “Hi/Bye/Thank You” to the instructor. It’s lonely being on the other side, teaching just to a screen with lots of faceless squares with names. Before class starts, unmute yourself and say hi! This keeps you accountable, and lets the instructor know you are there and engaged.
Make yourself proud. Will this workout be a highlight, when you look back at your day? Will you be proud of the time you spent caring for this one body and one mind you have? Helps to think of that during your workout. :)