Last year I spent 262 days traveling on the road for work. Needless to say, finding a routine or getting into a daily grind can be quite a difficult task, especially when it comes to working out and keeping my stress levels at bay.
During my travels, some of the hotels had big gyms, some had small gyms, some were located near a studio you could take a one-time class for a nominal fee, some were in perfect areas and temperatures for a run outside.
And some were not.
When I found myself without a gym, or sometimes with only 20 minutes to spare where a shower afterwards was out of the question, I had to get creative. I started traveling with a deck of cards for workouts, I began challenging my friends via wearable fitness gadgets to see who logged more activity hours or walked more steps, and I turned to YouTube.
You know the best part about YouTube? It’s free (most of it) and it never closes. Most hotel rooms have at least enough space for a downward dog, so I started implementing a few Yoga YouTube channels into my workout rotation. Pro tip: many hotels offer in-room yoga mats or even complimentary classes (i.e. Kimpton Hotels), so call ahead and check. If you don’t want to travel with a yoga mat or there isn’t one, grab a stack of towels and get ready to say ohm.
My Five Favorite Yoga YouTube Channels:
Yoga with Adriene: Adriene has a super fun and relatable personality, which makes her channel all the more enjoyable. Her videos are for all levels, body types and backgrounds and she even hosts a “30 Days of Yoga” series, which is what first turned me on to practicing yoga via YouTube. Some of my favorite videos include “Yoga on the Go” teaching you simple stretches and breathing techniques you can actually practice on a flight, “Yoga for a Broken Heart,” and her “Lunch Break Yoga,” which is less than 20 minutes and easy to do behind a closed office door, a nearby park, or even the broom closet.
Yoga Journal: The greatest part about this free channel is the variety of videos – not only the types of yoga that are practiced, but the times. You can watch “Yoga for Better Energy with Jason Crandell” (16 minutes), “Morning Yoga – Full Sequence” (21 minutes), “Yoga for Low Back, Hips and Knees with Kat Tillinghast” (22 minutes) and even longer videos for a more intense practice up to an hour.
Fightmaster Yoga: Lesley offers a variety of videos ranging in tutorials as short as five minutes to vinaysa flows extending beyond 45minutes. Many of her videos, which she posts on Mondays, come from comments and questions
from readers, so it’s nice to see her create unique videos, such as “Modifications for Stiff Athletes,” which is my personal favorite. Some of my other favorite videos are “Yoga for Hamstring Flexibility,” “Yoga for Quickie Evening Flow,” and “Yoga for Tired Feet.” When it comes to traveling, who doesn’t have tired feet?
Brett Larkin Yoga: For anyone lacking energy, be sure to give this channel a big thumbs up. “Morning Yoga in Bed” is one of my favorites, and just a quick 6 minutes later and you’ve basically figured out how to literally wake up on the right side of the bed! Talk about starting your day off on the right foot.
PsycheTruth: Not only does this channel upload new videos almost daily, the variety of yoga, fitness, wellness, massage techniques and more is astounding. If you find yourself anxious and stressed while traveling, even depressed or suffering from panic attacks, this is a great channel to favorite to learn some of the postures that can rebalance and reconnect your mind, body and energy.
These are just a few of my favorite free channels offering yoga on YouTube. Which ones have you tried and recommend?
A freelance sports + travel + fitness writer based in Houston, Jayme founded The Blonde Side five years ago and continues to travel the world for sports-related events and to find herself.
