Practising online at home: how to set up a space that works

An online class can be the difference between practising this week and not. No travelling, no parking, and you are home the moment it finishes. But a little preparation makes the hour far more enjoyable. Here is how to set up a space that works, even in a small house.

How much space you need

Less than you think. A clear patch of floor about the size of your mat, plus enough room to stretch your arms out to the sides and above your head, is plenty. Move the coffee table, check nothing is hanging low overhead, and make sure you will not kick a radiator when you lie down.

A hard floor or low carpet is best. Deep carpet makes balancing harder, and a mat can slide on a polished floor, so put it on a rug if it moves.

Where to put your screen

This is the bit most people get wrong the first time. You need to see the teacher from the floor, lying down and on all fours, not just standing up.

• Put the screen at the short end of your mat, a couple of metres away, roughly at floor or low-table height.
• A laptop or tablet is better than a phone. A bigger picture is easier to follow.
• Turn the sound up or use a speaker. In many poses you will be listening rather than looking, so clear sound matters more than a perfect picture.
• Plug it in. A battery dying halfway through the relaxation is nobody's idea of calm.

If the class lets the teacher see you, angle the camera so your whole body is in the frame, side on if you can. It helps them spot something that needs adjusting.

Before the class starts

• Join a few minutes early to check the sound and picture.
• Put your phone on silent and out of reach.
• Tell the household you are busy for an hour. Shut the door if you can, though a curious pet is a welcome guest in most online classes.
• Have water, a layer for the end and a cushion or folded blanket nearby.

Staying safe at home

Without a teacher in the room, listen to your body even more carefully than usual. Take the easier option whenever you are unsure, and never push into pain. If you have an injury or a health condition, tell the teacher before the class, just as you would in person.

Making it feel like a class, not a video

The point of a live class is that it happens at a set time, with other people. Treat it like going out: put it in your diary, get changed, roll your mat out before it starts. That small bit of ceremony makes it much easier to keep coming back.

Online classes are on our timetable alongside the classes at GameFace, so you can mix them however your week works out.