We all know that virtual yoga teaching is the new norm, and probably isn't going away completely anytime soon.
To make the virtual teaching world the best it can be, you need to transform your living room/bedroom/basement/extra room into a beautiful space & gather the necessary technology to transmit your amazing classes to your students.
After some trial & error with different set-ups, i've finally found the best mix of essential items that I need to create the studio feel I want.
1. Your Space!
I have a small row home and have converted the basement into the yoga studio space. While the ceiling does not fit anyone above my stature of 5'6", it has clean walls and enough space for me. When choosing your space in your home, having one that can stay the yoga space is also something to consider so you're not creating & taking down your set-up each time you want to teach a class. Otherwise, any quiet space you can fit a yoga mat (plus a few feet so you're not kicking your walls as you demo down dog) is a good space to use!
2. The Lighting
Because I am in the basement, lighting is my second most important consideration. While I have built-in lights, I decided to also add two soapbox lights to really brighten up the space and to allow me to record classes at anytime of the day with a consistent feel.
I purchased a set of two from amazon ($69.99):
3. Camera
I looked into getting something super fancy to record my classes as a fan of photography in general, but at the end of the day, I use my iPhone X and shoot at HD 60. The files are manageable in size, and the quality is still pretty good which makes transferring them from my phone to my laptop, and then ultimately to my platform pretty seamless. And good news for most of us is we already have a phone that can shoot a pretty good video which lowers the start-up costs!
4. Microphone
I use the Rode Wireless Go microphone to film my on-demand classes! It is the most expensive thing that I have specifically for my yoga business and it is definitely worth it. The sound quality is great, and it really elevates the experience for my students. Make sure you get any additional cords you might need (i've linked the ones I use to record on my iPhone) and my extra tip is to record on the lowest volume (my first go through it was on medium and it sounded like I was screaming the whole time, whoops!).
Rode Wireless Go Mic ($199) : https://www.bestbuy.com/site/rde-wireless-go-wireless-microphone-system/6351081.p?skuId=6351081
Rode 3.5mm TRS to TRRS Patch Cable ($18.75) (some places say you don't need this, but my phone needed this extra cable to work) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L6C8T22/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter ($7.99) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXJFMGF/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
5. Tripod
Another staple of my virtual yoga studio is my iPhone tripod. Not only do I use this for filming on-demand classes, it helps me record for instagram and other social media as well. It's easy to move, I bring it with me as I travel, and comes with a bluetooth remote to stop & start videos.
Tripod ($19.99): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WSXJ26C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
6. Decorations
The last piece to any studio is some decorations to make it your own style & look appealing to your viewers. I opted for some fake plants from Ikea to bring some color into the space without distracting the viewer. Also, you can see from the photo above that i've placed one in an awkwardly placed window in my space to help 'beautify' it and make do with what I have! Shelves, tapestries, wall hangings and more can all help hide/improve the look of certain areas of your space if needed.
Ikea plants ($5 - 35): https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/artificial-plants-flowers-20492/
Total cost of my at-home studio: $350
Stay tuned for my next blog about the different platforms you can use to teach online & let me know if this was helpful or if you have questions below in the comments!
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