How did you get involved with Skype?

On Facebook we had many photos of ourselves stretching. From the photos people started buying the stretching DVDs. As the DVDs became more popular, we began to have many requests for online lessons. Many girls wanted to take their stretching to the next level. Skype was the perfect tool.

Does Skype make you feel more or less connected with your students?

We are connected with students over Skype just as in our studio. There is no difference. Our Skype students are as committed to classes as we are. All of us have to wake up early to stretch or stay up late. Sometimes people on Skype are progressing even faster than our students in class. Anyone can go buy a DVD or show up for a yoga class. But with Skype you have to be committed. You don’t want to miss a class because you know your friend is on the other line waiting for you.

What makes Skype easier to use than a studio?

You get to stretch in your own home, with all your comforts around and even in your pajamas. It feels like a private session. We personally consider ourselves honored to have students on Skype. Essentially they invite us into their homes to stretch with them. We see their boyfriends, their families, cats, and the dirty clothes. The relationship between student and instructor becomes very intimate. We become close friends. With Skype you can take your yoga anywhere: on vacation, during holiday, even at work. Where you go, we go too.

What is the next step for Skype?

We would like to see more international online lessons for millions of people. We would like to see students from all countries coming together to stretch at the same time. Stretching is the only way to balance your body against the physical strain of working out and to smooth the emotional turmoil. Pole fitness might not be for everyone, but everyone can benefit from stretching.

Why is Stretching Crucial for an athlete?

All physical activities use contractions of the muscles. Over time the muscles become very stiff and toxins begin to build up. When you stretch you balance the strain on your muscles and release the toxins. Stretching will keep you youthful, clear minded, and will give you the ability to train even harder. You build a resiliency that is only obtainable through consistent stretching.

What makes a Pole Fitness Champion?

Strength and flexibility. With strength comes endurance, stamina, and the ability to push your body to its limits. But flexibility gives you the recovery you need in order to continue to excel in any sport you are pursuing. Without flexibility, you will reach a limit or you will injure yourself.

Why do you think yoga and stretching can be intimidating?

We think many people are afraid of not being able to perform. Many athletes are at their physical peak and fear being put into a situation where they have to become a beginner again. But Skype goes beyond the studio. It takes the pressure of having someone’s eyes on you and the uncertainty of the unfamiliar settings away. You are comfortable because you are in your own home. We adjust our teaching to the level of our students. You get to decide how far or fast you go.

As someone continues with Skype, what benefits will they see?

Besides flexibility, they will experience a new level of mental clarity. Many of us know how to push ourselves physically. We know how to lift weights, run for miles, and break a sweat, but stretching takes patience and understanding. It’s a mental workout. With stretching you condition your mind to handle pain, stress, and daily turmoil. You bring your mind, body, and performance together as one.

How is Skype rewarding for you?

We get to be a part of something greater than ourselves. It’s a collaboration of people from all countries, different languages, different backgrounds, even different time zones. And at that moment, we all speak the same language of Yoga, together.

Do your students inspire you?

Yes, everyday with their unwavering commitment. We have students take their computers with them on vacations. We see their activities, their friends, their pets, they take us with them on their journeys through life. One of us has a student who drove over 100 miles in the rain to come home from a night of partying with friends, just to stretch with us via Skype. She is an inspiration. They are all inspirations.