Why we started Virtual classes in the first place

On March 16, 2020, we ceased our in-studio class offerings and pivoted to a fully virtual class experience. We had a Zoom account and enough knowledge of our booking software to Macguyver the quick, dirty, and—what we thought was—temporary, change.

It worked! We transitioned a robust class schedule—plus some family-friendly options—to the virtual world. The initial novelty was almost exciting—we were selling out our Zoom classes at 100 max attendees, seeing faces that we hadn’t seen in years returning to 502 Power Yoga through our screens.

The novelty quickly wore off with time. “Zoom fatigue” became a thing. We realized we weren’t returning to any sense of normalcy anytime soon.

Becoming a “Hybrid” Studio

When we reopened our Highlands studio in the summer of 2020, space was so limited in classes that even the few who were ready to practice in person had trouble getting into class. So we conquered the next hurdle and became what is now called a “hybrid studio” model: We began livestreaming our live, in-studio classes via Zoom.

We purchased standing desks, desktop microphones, and old computers to create “streaming stations” for each studio. It worked pretty well… as long as the instructor stood still and faced toward the microphone (easier said than done).

Interest in the Zoom classes dwindled as our in-person capacity—and attendance—increased. Most of our teachers had Zoom fatigue and were uninterested in teaching “virtual-only” classes. The extra complications around livestreaming from the studio necessitated a limited offering of Zoom classes—Stephanie and I are mere yoga teachers, not 24-hour tech support!

We’ve known that our livestreaming efforts would not last forever—we certainly didn’t think it would last until 2021, let alone 2023. But we have the equipment and a handful of people still attending regularly so there has not been a reason to discontinue it.

But the time has come to pull the plug.

Our computer and headset are dying and the quality of the recordings is dwindling. We had to choose if we should invest financially and energetically in new equipment, or invest in our in-studio experience. We are going with the latter. While it was a necessary pivot in 2020 and has served our community for 3.5 years, ultimately 502 Power Yoga is about creating a community that fosters empowerment, accountability, and connection, and our livestream offerings aren’t contributing to that mission.

Our last live stream class will be Stephanie’s 12:15 Power Vinyasa class on Thursday, September 28th.

We invite all of our livestream yogis to take 502 Power Yoga classes from our robust Video On Demand Library of nearly 600 virtual yoga classes. Anyone holding a Membership at 502PY also has unlimited access to the library.

“Virtual Only” membership holders

Your membership will continue as is, with unlimited access to our Video On Demand Library. If you would like to cancel your membership or change to an in-person membership, please complete a Membership Change Request Form.

Did you practice with us during the pandemic?

Drop your favorite Zoom class memories in the comments below. I’ll start: I loved witnessing you all sharing your practice with your kids, pets, and significant others (I’m looking at you, Nicole W and Megan H).

Thank you for your continued support. We would not have survived the pandemic without the incredible support of our community (and the PPP loans from the government). As we approach our 10th Anniversary (!!) we know that this is a new era for us, and we enter into it more resilient, more secure, and more sure that the work we do MATTERS.

Do yoga. Feel good.

In gratitude,

Cat Crawford
Owner & CEO
502 Power Yoga