From humble beginnings in a little-known start-up called Uber, to shelter puppies delivered to your door for a 15-minute petting session, the on-demand economy has expanded to make almost every aspect of life that bit more convenient.
Experts agree that it’s all product of our fast-paced lifestyles, but that does not mean it should discriminate against services designed to slow things down.
Yoga is the latest lifestyle arena to be dealt its very own on-demand button thanks to apps such as The Private Yogi, a new service that delivers private yoga instruction to homes, workplaces and hotel rooms across the Capital.
Users can select from The Private Yogi’s network of fully qualified yoga instructors and have them sent to their door for bespoke, one-to-one yoga tuition to build form and technique and generate better results from practice, with prices starting at £49.
The app is the brainchild of yogis Charlotte Morse and Paul Artiguas, who wanted to capitalise on the growing popularity of studio yoga by making private coaching more accessible.
“In yoga’s tradition, it was primarily taught on a one-to-one basis,” Charlotte explains.
“With popularity sees bigger yoga class [sizes], which are wonderful. However, we were inspired to build a company based on tradition.”
A former RAF military medic who swapped the battlefield for the yoga mat after a particularly tough final deployment, Charlotte began practising yoga alone as a way to create inner calm and balance.
Friends and colleagues began peppering her for tips and sequences, planting the seeds of an idea, which she developed with partner Paul, a tech and marketing specialist and fellow yoga fan.
Charlotte says the service eliminates the pain points of practicing yoga – overcrowded studios, inconvenient times, exorbitant prices – while making the advantages of private instruction more accessible to the masses.
“The main benefit for practicing yoga alone is that you get the undivided attention of your teacher designed around your individual needs,” she explains.
A student will develop their personal practice must faster and their progress will be quicker. The Private Yogi serves all corners of the Capital, catering to everybody from athletes to pregnant women and those recovering from injury, at any level.”
“There are no subscriptions, users simply choose a service, select a teacher, date and time, and make payment, but those seeking more structure can opt for one of the four-week programmes tailored specifically to the individual with nutritional advice and targeted outcomes.
The tailored experience is on the rise, self-care and mindfulness have become a priority,” Charlotte says. “As yoga’s unwavering popularity grows so does that need for a bespoke individual experience.”