In short
Live online yoga works well if you have a quiet space the length of a mat, a stable connection and a camera that shows your whole body. Beginners can start online, ideally with a few private sessions first so the teacher can check alignment. Online classes suit past students continuing at home, and anyone far from a teacher they trust.
Every season, students leave Fort Kochi at the end of a trip and ask the same question on their last morning: how do I keep this going at home? Others, in Kakkanad or Kottayam or Kuwait, never make it to Fort Kochi at all but want to learn from a traditional teacher. Online classes answer both.
They are not a lesser version of an in-person class, but they are different, and a few simple things decide whether they work. If you are in Fort Kochi and can come in person, our guide to yoga in Fort Kochi has class times.
- Space needed
- A mat, plus arm span
- Camera
- Whole body, side-on
- Connection
- Stable; close to the router
- Beginners
- Start with private sessions
- Time zone
- IST, UTC+5:30
- Our online classes
- Group and private
Live, recorded, group or private
| Format | How it works | Strength | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded video | Follow along any time | Flexible, cheap or free | Nobody sees you; mistakes go uncorrected |
| Live group class | A scheduled class on a video call | Real teacher, routine, sense of a group | Attention shared across screens |
| Live private session | One-to-one on a video call | Full attention, practice built around you | Higher cost; needs a good camera set-up |
The difference that matters most is not group versus private, but live versus recorded. A live teacher can see that your knee is drifting inwards. A video cannot.
Can a complete beginner start online?
Yes, with care. The risk for beginners is learning postures slightly wrong, with nobody close enough to notice, and repeating the mistake for months. Three things reduce that risk:
- Start with a few live private sessions, so the teacher can see how you move before you join a group.
- Keep it simple. Leave headstands and deep backbends until you have practised with a teacher in the room.
- Use a camera angle the teacher can actually read — see below.
If you can get to a single in-person class before starting online, even better. The beginner’s guide to your first class covers the basics that apply either way.
Setting up your space
| Item | Aim for |
|---|---|
| Space | The length of a mat, plus room to stretch your arms out on both sides |
| Floor | A non-slip mat on a hard, level floor |
| Camera position | Side-on, a few metres away, low down, in landscape, showing your whole body lying down and standing |
| Light | Facing a window or light source, not with a bright window behind you |
| Sound | A speaker loud enough to hear from the floor, or wireless earphones |
| Connection | Close to the router; other devices off the network during class |
| Surroundings | Furniture moved, pets and children briefed, phone notifications off |
Test the camera angle before your first class: lie down on the mat and check that your whole body is in frame. That one check solves most problems.
Getting the most from an online class
- Keep your camera on. A teacher cannot correct what they cannot see.
- Send injuries and health details beforehand by message, so the teacher knows before class starts.
- Log in five minutes early to sort out sound and camera.
- Stay for the final relaxation. It is the part most often skipped at home, and the part you most need.
- Practise a little between classes, even ten minutes. That is where online learning really sticks; our 20-minute home routine is a good place to start.
Time zones
Classes from Kerala run on Indian Standard Time, UTC+5:30, and India does not change its clocks. As an example, an evening class at 6:30 pm in India is 2:00 pm in London and 9:00 am in New York during their summer time, and 11:00 pm in Sydney during its winter. When you ask us about online classes, tell us where you are and we will give you the times in your own time zone.
Our online classes
We teach online group classes and private online sessions in the same traditional Hatha approach as our classes in Fort Kochi: breathing, postures held with attention, and relaxation. They suit students who practised with us in Kerala and want to continue, and people further away who want a traditional teacher rather than a video.
Message us with where you are, your experience and any health considerations, and we will reply with current times and rates. If you are weighing online against in-person one-to-one teaching, see private yoga classes in Kochi.
Practise with us online
Tell us where you are and what you are looking for. We will reply with current class times in your time zone and rates for group and private online sessions.
Common questions
Are online yoga classes as good as in-person classes?
Live online classes can be very effective, especially for students who already know the basics. In-person classes are better for hands-on correction and for complete beginners. Recorded videos are the weakest option, because nobody can see or correct you.
Can a complete beginner learn yoga online?
Yes, with care. Start with a few live private sessions so the teacher can check how you move, keep to simple postures at first, and set up your camera so your whole body is visible.
What do I need for an online yoga class?
A non-slip mat, a clear space the length of the mat plus arm span, a device with a camera placed side-on and low so your whole body is in frame, good sound, and a stable internet connection.
What time zone are online yoga classes from Kerala in?
Indian Standard Time, UTC+5:30, which does not change during the year. Tell us where you are and we will give you class times in your own time zone.
How do I join Santhi Yoga’s online classes?
Send us a message on WhatsApp or email with your location, experience and any health considerations. We will reply with current group class times and private session availability and rates.
Can I continue online after practising with you in Fort Kochi?
Yes. Our online classes follow the same traditional approach as our classes in Fort Kochi, so you can continue the practice you started with us from home.
Known to his students as Achu, Aksharanand trained in the Sivananda tradition and holds an Advanced Teacher Training Certificate. He has taught Hatha Yoga, pranayama, meditation and Vedanta philosophy in Fort Kochi for over fifteen years, across more than 5,000 group classes.