A Complete Guide to the Best Yoga YouTube Channels for Every Style and Experience Level

Eating a whole-food, plant-based diet is one of the most crucial components of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing disease. But movement—especially mindful movement, like yoga—is another powerful practice that can help you maintain a flourishing body, mind, and heart. Yoga not only helps you develop strength, balance, and flexibility, but the deeper benefits of quieting your mind and feeling in tune with your body are the ultimate reward of getting on your mat. 

Whether you’re brand new to yoga or an experienced student, it can be daunting to navigate the wide variety of class styles and figure out which one is right for you. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to try different styles from the comfort of your own home: YouTube! To make your journey toward mindful movement easier, we’ve broken down the most common types of yoga and their unique benefits, along with the best free YouTube channels for each style.

Feel free to skip to the section you’re most interested in: 

In Sanskrit, the word “yoga” means “to yoke” or “to bring into union.” This concept of unity refers to yoga’s goal of connecting the mind, body, and spirit so that all parts of your being work together in harmony. Gentle yoga uses slow, easy movements to stretch and strengthen while encouraging students to get accustomed to working with their breath. While it’s a great place for new students to start, it can also be used to counterbalance a more advanced practice. The YouTube channels below are perfect for beginners who want to learn about the foundational postures of yoga, basic meditation techniques, pranayama (breathing exercises), and how to get in tune with your body. Each teacher offers classes of varying lengths so you can decide how much or how little you want to do. 

Yoga is a great way to teach mindfulness, bodily awareness, coordination, and kindness to kids of all ages. These YouTube yogis make the practice accessible to young minds and keep them engaged with creative storytelling. Try one of these videos next time your child needs to burn off some excess energy!

Staying healthy during pregnancy is incredibly important, and these digital instructors ensure that all pregnant people are able to access the healing benefits of yoga. Learn how to work around your baby bump, find safe and relaxing stretches, and connect to your growing child through guided meditations. 

Restorative yoga is perfect when you’re feeling stressed, overworked, or unable to sleep. This type of practice involves staying close to the floor for postures where you’re either seated or lying down. Each pose is held for five to twenty minutes at a time, and props such as bolsters, blankets, blocks, and pillows are used to support your body so you feel completely comfortable and relaxed. As your muscles soften, your attention will be gently guided to your breath, thoughts, and bodily sensations to cultivate deep relaxation and a stronger connection to your body. 

Burn off excess energy and break a sweat with these fiery flows. Vinyasa yoga uses repetition, mindful breathing, and strength-building postures to challenge both your body and your mind. Many students refer to it as a type of moving meditation because once you get in the flow, it’s easy to lose track of time. Its most challenging incarnation, power vinyasa, is better suited to yoga practitioners who have a little more experience and knowledge of proper anatomical alignment, but give it a try no matter your experience level and notice how you get stronger the more you practice. 

Yoga nidra roughly translates to “yogic sleep.” Gentle movements and guided visualizations transport you into a state of consciousness that’s in between waking and full sleep where you can rejuvenate and recover. Research has shown that yoga nidra can help alleviate stress, depression, insomnia, and PTSD symptoms. Before hitting play on a yoga nidra video, be sure to set up your space in a comfy manner so you can fully relax into the experience. 

Yoga is for everyone, but we often only see thin, able-bodied, and hyper-flexible people practicing it. These amazing teachers create videos that are accessible for people of all abilities, ages, identities, and experience levels. Even if you are fully able-bodied and flexible, give these videos a try because we can all benefit from learning new techniques from teachers who make this beautiful practice available to a broader community.

Regular exercise is critical for staying healthy later in life, and these YouTube yoga teachers are experts at creating flows that are suited for older bodies. Learn how to modify traditional postures for various health issues, use props in a supportive manner, and enjoy the feeling of your body no matter your age.

Many yoga practitioners use meditation, chanting, breathing (pranayama), and other spiritual practices to deepen their experience of yoga. These digital educators will take you on deep dives into beautiful practices to help you cultivate a stronger connection to your mind, body, and heart. 

More calming than a vinyasa flow but not quite as still as restorative yoga, yin is often that perfect Goldilocks sweet-spot for beginner yogis. Yin originated in the Taoist tradition and holds each posture for 1 to 5 minutes to help stretch the fascia and ligaments surrounding your muscles. This style of movement deeply alleviates tension and body aches, and it’s often paired with breath practices to settle your nervous system. 

No matter what style of yoga you’re drawn to, the most important thing to notice is whether your body, mind, and heart feel good while you’re practicing. We hope this guide of the best YouTube yoga channels is helpful in your journey toward a healthy, balanced, and happy life.