Great question, @ytho! I'm actually not a big fan of most Western yoga classes, because I think they a) focus almost exclusively on movement, and b) rely on repeat customers, which completely forsakes the fact that yoga reveals how to tune into and properly adjust oneself. To me, the point of yoga is not to do the exact same movement at the exact same pace as 20 other people, but to connect with whatever I need most in a given moment. I believe the role of a yoga teacher is to encourage the student to develop their own self-sustaining practice, but that's not what I have found in most studio settings.
That said, it is possible to find really great teachers and classes! I think in-person instruction can be incredibly beneficial at a certain stage in a person's practice. Learning proper alignments, for example, can be helpful with real life guidance. Or if going to a class helps develop structure and routine, or if the instructor is super inspiring and you just really like him or her, that's cool too.
I have never used any yoga apps, but I started my own practice in my living room by watching DVDs and downloading torrents of Rodney Yee. I tried some other DVDs from the library from some other well-known yogis, and I never liked them as much as Rodney Yee's. I definitely recommend him! He's got a nice voice and a nice braid. :)
I think the one I started with was called "AM Yoga for Your Week"...it had 5 twenty minute routines, and I decided I could commit to one 20 minute practice a day in my living room to give this yoga thing a shot. I got better every time I tried it, and at the end of just a week I noticed I was a lot stronger and I recognized the patterns in the movements. Once I witnessed that improvement, I was hooked! From there I tried classes because I wanted to know more and more about it.
Awesome, thanks for the insight – much appreciated!
I notice the prevalence of what I'm calling the "yoga culture" in the urban scene, in which people take part in yoga classes because of social expectations or what have you. It's a lot about getting seen and wearing it like a badge, though this is only my opinion and I don't have any way to back it up. But I just know that's how trends work.
I've been recommended yoga as a way to help alleviate stress and back pain, and I think I'd much rather do so in the comfort of my home where it's just me and I can focus. I have heard that apps are great, but I'm sure that the videos that you've recommended are similar – apps are just a nice way of packaging up videos, but perhaps with an accountability measure though notifications and such.
I think there's always benefit in taking whatever kind of yoga is available, but I as I say I do find standard Western classes to be somewhat superficial.
I hope you will give it a shot and find relief from your pain as quickly as I found relief from mine. Life is much more enjoyable when you're not hurting or stressed all the time! I think there's a big benefit in starting at home, because you can really customize your sesh. If your back is hurting, it makes sense to give it a little extra attention!
You can probably find apps that have special little routines specifically for back pain or for stress relief or whatever.
I hope you feel better than ever super fast!