Online yoga sensation Zuo Shufen (front), a patient at a makeshift hospital in Wuhan, instructs a class attended by a group of patients on Feb 28. CHINA DAILY

People can join her live classes on Sina Weibo for free and her paid course on WeChat group charges 100 yuan for every four classes.

Zhang runs a Sina Weibo account named Sushen Yujia, which has 1.9 million followers. She posted the information of her live classes there and says that there are about 10,000 participants every time.

Many enthusiasts love livestreamed classes, including Lu Qiuming, a 29-year-old bank clerk in Nanjing.

"The live online classes provided me with a good opportunity to practice," Lu says.

She says that unlike the smartphone apps which only have videos, online classes build a platform where users can ask questions and interact with coaches after practice.

Lu used to practice yoga but turned to badminton a year ago. Due to the virus she stopped and returned to yoga.

However, Wang also worried about the quality of online classes, emphasizing the importance of teachers' instructions.

"Practitioners can get injured without a professional instructor's guidance, which could happen more frequently during online classes," he says. "People shouldn't challenge themselves with complex moves without an instructor on the spot nearby."

Contact the writer at jiangyijing@chinadaily.com.cn