Math teacher Bobby Otto started holding weekly yoga instruction for students last February. According to Otto, he held one yoga class online since distance learning began and there were many difficulties.

“It’s more tedious and it feels more broken than our normal yoga class,” Otto said. “It doesn’t have the same feel to it as when you’re in the same room as someone else, so we only had that one meeting.”

Senior Maya Lee said she misses attending yoga classes in person but she’s found new and creative ways to practice independently.

“There’s no one holding me accountable anymore because (during COVID-19) yoga can’t be as much of a social activity. That’s made it more difficult,” Lee said. “I’m still able to do yoga, and I can do it during breaks of school, which I wasn’t able to do before.”

According to senior Keely Bernsten, yoga can help athletes and students keep their skills sharp while at home.

“Doing yoga can make you more flexible, and there are definitely some poses that can strengthen your core, so that definitely helps for sports,” Bernsten said. “Yoga helps you with school. Getting in a good mindset can put you in a better place to learn for the rest of the day, especially if you’re doing it at home and for online school.”

Otto said 612 Jungle and Jonah Kest are two of many useful online resources for those who want to engage in yoga at home.

“My favorite studio is called 612 Jungle. It’s actually the first Black-owned yoga studio in Minneapolis. Gabrielle Roberts is the owner; she’s super inspiring. Follow 612 Jungle on Instagram; they have their schedule on there. Those are live classes,” Otto said. “As for pre-recorded classes, Jonah Kest has a lot of good videos.”

According to Lee, creating a personalized yoga routine made her experience more enjoyable.

“Don’t be too worried about getting super hard poses or anything. Make your yoga routine fit what you want and who you are as a person,” Lee said. “Don’t put pressure on yourself to make your routine look like someone else’s.”

Otto said he plans to teach yoga sessions at Park high school twice a week once hybrid learning begins and is looking forward to it.

“Yoga makes you actually feel out how your body, mind and breath all work together,” Otto said. “I’m excited to get back into the yoga routine. It’s super beneficial for everyone to have a good mindfulness and breathing exercise that they do on a daily basis and I like sharing that with other people.”