The online fitness industry has seen a major surge since the COVID-19 outbreak, but is it here to stay? Alison McLaughlin, 500 hr RYT tells you all about it.
As a yoga teacher, you take pride in planning your sequences, the adjustments you make during the classes and even make the effort in choosing the best music to match the “vibe” you are trying to create for the attendees. There is a sense of community, support and extra care/attention given to each student. Many teachers, including myself, do not stay on their yoga mats for long, they are skilled at adjusting their students to get them deeper into asanas, creating space in their bodies that they never knew existed.
Based on the above, when Covid-19 hit, did I like teaching online classes right away? Of course not. I didn’t sign up for speaking to a computer screen, I missed uplifting the community.
When we can’t change the situations we are faced with, we need to adapt (and not dwell). Online classes make fitness accessible to many people who it may not have been before. It allows for flexibility in the variety of classes someone can take, the classes are usually more affordable, and no one is watching (taking away the intimidation factor!).
Covid-19 was an eye open for fitness instructors. The online fitness world is here to stay and being accessible on both platforms (online and in person) will be key for success in the future.
Does an online yoga class give you the same ambiance as an in-person class? No way! Does that matter to everyone? Nope. So, like anything in life, being open minded and adapting to what life throws our way is key. And that is what yoga is all about anyway, right?
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Alison, also known as Allie, is a proud Canadian who has been living in Dubai for about 8 years. She is a 6 foot-tall ‘kid’ who loves to make individuals laugh and help them let go of their serious side. You can expect to smile, laugh, and have just plain fun with each one of her yoga classes.
Allie was not always a yoga teacher. She is a Registered Dietitian from Canada with a master’s in public health in community nutrition.
After practicing yoga for many years, Allie finally decided to take her 200-hour Vinyasa Teacher training in Thailand. She quickly realized how yoga can help put ‘hardships’ into perspective and the stress melted away. Allie went on to complete her 300 hour Hatha, yin, pre and post-natal teach trainings, and expanded her knowledge further to become a Pilates and barre Teacher (Reformer and Mat), and certified personal trainer.
Allie is the director and Mater trainer of Rad Roller UAE; a company selling mobility tools to help individuals maintain functional in their movement. She has also been chosen as a Lululemon ambassador, representing the yoga community in Dubai, and participating in community events on a monthly basis. Allie combines both her nutrition education and yoga, mobility, and personal training knowledge to promote a holistic approach to living.