Yoga, which has been practiced for nearly 6,000 years, is a wonderful way to tone the body, alleviate stress, and learn meditation tips as yogis, as they're called, seek to achieve balance between the body and mind. Yoga is great for people of all ages and can be modified to skill level.

Free online yoga generally consists of short video clips or animated instruction showing yoga practitioners how to do various postures and breathing exercises. This is an attractive option for a number of reasons - people can learn the basics of yoga before going to a class so they don't feel lost or out of place, they can learn yoga without having to pay for expensive memberships or classes, or they can just use the free online yoga videos as a way to satisfy their curiosity about what yoga is really all about.

However, you should be careful when signing up for or using online yoga. The following are some things to watch out for when using free online yoga.

Free online yoga is not always free.
Some yoga sites will allow you access to their video of online yoga that you can download to your computer or watch via a live stream while you practice yoga in the privacy of your home for free. However, these sites are sometimes only "free" for the first week or so, and after that you will have to begin paying a monthly fee in order to access them. Or, other sites will let you watch free online yoga, but the quality is compromised or the clips are shorter in length or not as detailed as you would find from the paid library.

Free online yoga doesn't always use certified instructors.
If you get free online yoga from sites such as YouTube, which allow pretty much anyone to upload videos to share, you can't be sure the person teaching you the yoga postures and breathing exercises knows much about yoga. For that reason, it's best to stick with free online yoga from reputable sites or, if you choose YouTube or other file sharing, be wary of any home videos as opposed to those that take place in a yoga studio or those that look more professional.

Free online yoga doesn't provide personalized instruction.
Just as with a video or DVD, free online yoga doesn't provide personalized instruction for those who are practicing it. Instead, practices will simply mimic the postures seen onscreen. This is fine and is usually just as effective, but some yoga postures are difficult to perform, and someone who is out of shape could end up hurting themselves while trying them. A live yoga instructor will notice and point out anyone who may be stretching incorrectly, thus saving them a potential stretched muscle.

In many ways, free online yoga is an excellent way to learn yoga postures and the basics of yoga without paying for expensive classes or gym memberships. Just keep the above tips in mind, and you can practice yoga effectively and inexpensively wherever you have the internet.