Modo Yoga studio introduces new age of “techno-glory”

By Donia El-Haddad

In the last month our lives have changed drastically since covid-19 impacted us in North America. Stores are closed, streets are empty and we are left lacking a sense of normalcy. It has accelerated us into an already existing world of virtual availability. These are all methods that have been in practice in small ways but now; businesses are left with one choice. Go digital or go bankrupt.

As a means to offer something familiar in an unknown time Modo Yoga is changing the way they connect with their members. Modo Yoga is a hot yoga studio which was founded in Toronto, ON and now has 70 studios worldwide primarily in North America.

Since the pandemic Modo Yoga has started a Virtual Studio, which has a rate of $20 a month but offers pre-recorded classes from teachers around the world. Teacher’s will upload videos to Modo yoga database and with that the virtual studio is at your fingertips which can be found here. As well, individual studios are offering Instagram or Facebook Live classes for their members for free.

“They have been spit balling this idea for a while, wanting to produce online content and videos for people to buy or stream, but they were so busy,” explains Robi McKenna who is the Teacher Training Support Person of Modo Yoga Studios. “It was really the pandemic that forced their hand to get it ready and get it out there. They setup the Modo online studio within two days of everything shutting down.”

Without question, covid-19 has impacted the way we handle our life and our commerce but this practice isn’t new, just not as commonly used. But how functional is this online method?

Rob Chiarcos is a Modo teacher in training who currently has 900-1000 classes and has been practicing at Modo since January 2017 although he has previous experience with yoga.

“The biggest differences between home and studio practice are the hot room experience, the people bonding before, during, and after class, teaching or practicing to a video screen instead of bodies.” explains Chiarcos. “These are 3 major items that I believe will always be the issue with online classes, especially because person-to-person interaction is not replaceable.”

It is likely that the Instagram and Facebook Live practices will be discontinued after the covid-19 global pandemic has been handled but the Virtual studio will remain in tact as a new way for members to experience teachers they otherwise wouldn’t have access to from the comfort of their home.