Where To Learn Yoga Online: An Honest Australian Guide
Thinking about starting yoga at home? Here is how to work out where to learn it, without wasting money.
There are hundreds of places to learn yoga online. Some are excellent. Some will teach you habits that hurt you. This page explains the three kinds of online yoga, what each one is good for, and roughly what each one costs in Australia.
Start here: 2 FREE beginner yoga classes, plus 10 classes at HALF price. Darwin and online.
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The three kinds of online yoga
Almost everything sold as “online yoga” is one of three things. They are very different, and they suit different people. It helps a lot to know which one you are actually buying.
1. Live classes, where a real teacher can see you
This is a real class, happening right now, usually over Zoom. The teacher is in a studio. You are at home. Your camera is on, so the teacher can see what you are doing and can talk you through it.
This is the only kind of online yoga where someone can spot that your knee is in the wrong place and tell you before it becomes a problem.
It is best for beginners, for anyone with a sore back, neck, hip or shoulder, for people over fifty, and for anyone who wants to actually get better rather than just move around.
The catch is that you have to show up at a set time.
2. Recorded videos you play when you like
Someone filmed a class. You press play whenever you want.
This is very convenient. You can do it at six in the morning or eleven at night. You can pause it. You can repeat the same class for a month.
The catch is simple. The video cannot see you. If you are doing it wrong, nothing tells you.
Recorded video works well once you already know what a pose should feel like. It works less well when you are brand new.
3. Free apps and YouTube
There is a huge amount of free yoga online. Some of it is taught by very good teachers.
The problem is not that it is free. The problem is that there is no way to tell the good from the bad before you try it, and no one is checking whether the class suits your body.
Free yoga is a fine way to find out whether you like yoga at all. It is a poor way to learn yoga properly.
So which one should you choose?
Here is the short answer.
If you are new to yoga, or you are coming back after a long gap, or you have a body part that gives you trouble, start with live classes. Then add videos later for the days you cannot make a class time.
If you have done years of yoga and you just want to keep moving, videos on their own are fine.
If you have no idea whether you even like yoga, start with a free class from a real studio rather than a random video. Most studios will give you one.
What online yoga actually costs in Australia
Prices vary a lot. Video-only subscriptions from the big international apps are usually somewhere between ten and twenty five dollars a month. Live online classes at a real studio are usually more, because there is a teacher in the room watching you.
Flametree is a Darwin studio, and our live online prices are below. Every price here says how long it runs and whether it covers studio classes as well as online ones, because that is where people usually get confused.
Live online prices at Flametree
| Pass | Price | How long | Covers |
| Beginner deal: 2 free classes plus 10 at half price | $59.50 | 10 classes, plus 2 free | Online or studio |
| One month unlimited online, non-beginners | $29 | 30 days | Online classes only |
| Two weeks unlimited, non-beginners | $39 | 14 days | Online or studio |
| Four weeks unlimited, non-beginners | $79 | 30 days | Online or studio |
| Ten pass, online beginner yoga | $89 | 10 classes | Online classes only |
| One casual online class, non-beginner | $17.50 | 1 class | Online classes only |
| Beginner weekly online pass, with a free first week | $10.95 a week | Weekly | Online classes only |
See the full list of passes for concession rates, household passes, and the packages that include recorded videos.
Why are the online-only prices so low?
A fair question, and here is the honest answer.
Once a live class is running in the studio, adding a few more people online costs us almost nothing. There is no extra floor space and no extra teacher.
We are also up against very cheap video apps and overseas classes. Some of those are good. Many are not, and people cannot tell the difference before they pay.
So we keep the online-only prices low on purpose. We would rather you tried a real live class with a senior teacher for less than the price of a coffee a day, and then decided for yourself whether it is better than watching a screen.
What you need at home
Less than people expect.
You need a firm floor and enough room to lie down with your arms out. You need a device with a camera. A laptop is best because the screen is bigger, though a phone works.
You need the free Zoom app, which takes about two minutes to install and only has to be done once.
You do not need a special outfit. You do not need a mat to start, though one helps. Most props can be improvised from things already in the house, and we have a page on how to improvise yoga props.
Point the camera so the teacher can see your whole body. The teacher can see you. Nobody else in the class can.
Do you have to be fit or flexible first?
No. This is the single most common reason people put off starting, and it is backwards.
Flexibility is what yoga gives you. It is not what you need to bring.
A good beginner class expects that you cannot touch your toes. A good teacher gives you a different version of the pose, or a chair, or a block, so you get the benefit without the strain.
If a class makes you feel that you are not good enough to be there, it is the wrong class.
Is learning yoga online as good as being in the room?
For some things, yes. For some things, no. Here is the fair version.
In the studio, a teacher can adjust you with their hands. That cannot happen through a screen.
Online, you get things the studio cannot give you. You save the drive. You can do a class in a hotel room. You are in your own space, which a lot of people find easier when they are self-conscious about starting.
Plenty of our students who live five minutes from the studio still do some classes online, simply because it fits the day better.
The thing that matters far more than online or in the room is whether a trained teacher can see you and respond to you. A live online class gives you that. A recorded video does not.
Can you learn yoga online from anywhere in Australia?
Yes. A live online class works the same whether you are in Darwin, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Hobart or a cattle station.
A lot of people search for things like online yoga Melbourne or online yoga Sydney. That is understandable, but online yoga is not tied to a city. What people usually mean is that they want an Australian teacher, in Australian English, at Australian class times, from a real studio rather than an app.
That is exactly what this is. Flametree is a Darwin studio with certified senior Iyengar teachers, and our online classes run on Darwin time, which is GMT plus nine and a half hours.
If you are in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or Perth, the class times will land at slightly different hours for you. Every timetable page on this site shows the times converted into your own local time, just below the timetable grid. There is more on this, city by city, on our page about online yoga for Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
How our classes work, in plain words
We try not to use confusing words about this, so here it is simply.
Coming to a class at one of our Darwin studios? Just come along. There is nothing to fill in and nothing to arrange. If you do not have a pass yet, you can pay at the studio with card or cash.
Coming to a class online? Click the class time you want, and we email you the link to join it. The link arrives straight away, and a reminder comes about half an hour before the class starts.
That is the whole thing.
See the class times and get your link to join an online class.
How to start this week
- Have a look at the timetable and find a class time that suits you.
- Pick your level. If you have not done yoga in the last few months, pick Beginner.
- Get a pass. The beginner deal gives you 2 free classes plus 10 at half price, and it works online or in the studio.
- Install the free Zoom app if you are joining online.
- Click the class time you want, and we will email you the link to join.
Common questions about learning yoga online
Where is the best place to learn yoga online?
It depends what you need. If you are new, or you have an injury, or you are over fifty, the best place is a live online class at a real studio where a trained teacher can see you and talk to you. If you already know the poses well, a good video library is cheaper and more flexible. Free apps and YouTube are fine for finding out whether you like yoga, but not for learning it properly.
Can a complete beginner learn yoga online?
Yes, if the class is live and the teacher can see you. Many of our students have never done a yoga class of any kind before their first online class. Learning from recorded videos alone is harder for a complete beginner, because nothing tells you when you are doing a pose in a way that could hurt you.
How much does online yoga cost in Australia?
Video-only apps usually run between about ten and twenty five dollars a month. Live online classes from an Australian studio usually cost more, because a teacher is watching you. At Flametree, non-beginners can get 30 days of unlimited online classes for $29, and beginners can get 2 free classes plus 10 at half price for $59.50, which works online or in the studio.
Is there free online yoga?
Yes, plenty. There is a lot of free yoga on YouTube, and most real studios will give you a free first class. Our free yoga videos page has four full length classes you can use as often as you like.
Do I need to be flexible to start yoga online?
No. Flexibility is a result of yoga, not a requirement for it. A good beginner class assumes you cannot touch your toes and gives you a chair, a block or a different version of the pose.
What equipment do I need for online yoga?
A firm floor, enough space to lie down with your arms out, a device with a camera, and the free Zoom app. A mat helps. Most other props can be improvised from cushions, blankets, belts and chairs you already own.
Does the teacher actually watch me in an online class?
In a live class, yes, if your camera is on. That is the main reason to choose live classes over videos. You can turn your camera off if you prefer, and some people on slow connections do, but you get much more out of the class when the teacher can see you.
What is the difference between live online yoga and yoga videos?
A live class happens at a set time with a teacher who can see you and respond to you. A video is recorded, so you can play it whenever you like, but it cannot see you or adapt to you. Many people use both: live classes to learn, videos to fill in the gaps.
Can I do online yoga from Melbourne, Sydney, Perth or Brisbane?
Yes. Our online classes are open to anyone in Australia or overseas. They run on Darwin time, and every timetable page shows the class times converted into your own local time just below the timetable grid.
Is online yoga safe if I have a sore back or neck?
It can be, in a live class with a trained teacher, because the teacher can give you a version of each pose that suits you. It is riskier with recorded videos, which cannot see what you are doing. Tell the teacher about any injury before your first class. We also run specific classes for backs, necks and shoulders.
How do I join an online class once I have a pass?
Click the class time you want, and we email you the link to join it. There is nothing else to do. The link arrives immediately, and a reminder comes about half an hour before the class starts.
Ready to try a live online class?
The quickest way to find out whether live online yoga suits you is to do one.
