Glo Online Yoga Videos Review

There are a lot of websites offering yoga videos to stream or download, but they're all chasing Glo (formerly known as YogaGlo). Glo's roster of teachers and commitment to regular updates is unparalleled. They pioneered the concept of recording live classes (and briefly patented it). 

How It Works

The classes are recorded live at the Glo studio in Santa Monica, California. (If you live near there, you can also take these classes for free with your membership.) The videos are then made available on the Glo website. The membership fee is $18 a month, which gives you unlimited access to new classes and their extensive archive of over 4,000 videos (continuing education courses will need to be purchased separately). Glo is integrated into many popular viewing devices, including Roku, Apple TV, and Google Play. Apps for iTunes and Android also allow you to access classes on your phone or tablet.

What Classes Are Offered?

A wide array of yoga styles is available, notably Vinyasa, Hatha, Ashtanga, restorative, and Yin. You can also choose your session by the length of the class (from five minutes to two hours), the level of practice, area of anatomical focus, or the teacher. Glo has assembled a truly impressive lineup of renowned contemporary yoga teachers, including Kathryn Budig, Elena Brower, Jason Crandell, Tias Little, Sara Clark, Tiffany Cruikshank, and Richard Freeman. You could travel the country attending yoga festivals and conferences to get access to just a few classes with these teachers.

Why It Works

These videos offer real yoga classes, just like the ones you go to when time and money allow. After over 10 years of generating content, the site's depth and breadth are hard to match. Its strength is in its variety. Only have time for a short class? You can do that. In the mood for some abdominal work? You can do that too. Want to relax before bed or get perky in the morning? Totally doable. Glo is a great way to get quality yoga videos anytime you want them. Though nothing can totally replicate the experience of a real, live yoga class, Glo comes pretty close.

The Patent Issue

In 2013, Glo angered some people in the yoga community by obtaining a patent for the way they film their classes. The patent issued is for a set of filming methods that offer a "participatory view." This covers the setup of the room and specific camera angle and height that Glo uses to make you feel like a participant in the class. From the resulting online outcry, it was clear that many people felt that this set up is so commonplace that it should not be the exclusive right of one website. In response, Glo CEO and founder Derik Mills announced in the fall of 2014 that his company had chosen to forfeit and thereby not enforce their approved patent.