Yoga is a great way to relax and de-stress, as well as get the body moving. The beauty of yoga is that it can be done from the comfort of your own home or anywhere you choose. You don’t need any equipment or a lot of space just a fairly sturdy (non-slip) mat and you’re good to go!
Here I will outline all you need to know and consider in prepping your own home yoga practice.
What you need to create your own yoga practice at home.
Creating a home yoga practice is easy-all you need is a yoga mat, some comfortable clothes, and a little bit of space. The best time to do yoga is in the morning before you start your day. This allows you to ground yourself and set the tone for the day ahead. However, if you can’t do it in the morning, any time of day is good-just find a time when you can commit to it and won’t be interrupted.
How to find the right time of day to practice yoga
One of the main benefits of practising yoga at home is that you can do it at whatever time of day works best for you. You can subscribe to a video-on-demand subscription that allows you to practice whenever you want or if you would like to be held accountable there are still many studios or solo yoga teachers (like Flow Lab) that still offer livestream classes.
How to pick the right poses for beginners
When choosing poses to do as a beginner, it’s best to stick with basic poses that are easy to follow. Here are a few beginner poses to get you started:
- Child’s pose: Kneel on the floor with your big toes touching and sit back on your heels. Separate your knees hip-width apart and fold forward, extending your arms out in front of you. Rest your forehead on the floor or on a pillow if it’s uncomfortable.
- Cat/cow pose: Start on all fours as described in the downward dog pose. Inhale as you arch your spine up towards the ceiling, tucking your chin towards your chest and looking up at the sky. Exhale as you round your spine towards the floor, lowering your head and tucking your chin in towards your chest. Repeat this sequence a few times.
- Downward dog: Get on all fours with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips. Press into your hands and extend your legs and tailbone skyward, creating an inverted V shape with your body.
- Warrior 1: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your left foot pointing forward, about 3-4 feet in front of your right foot. With your left heel pressing down, exhale as you bend your left knee, aligning it over your ankle. Inhale as you raise your arms up overhead, keeping them active and parallel to each other.
- Warrior 2: Start in the same position as Warrior 1, but this time, turn your left toes so they’re pointing to the side of the room and open up your hips so your left thigh is parallel to the floor and your right thigh is perpendicular to it. Exhale as you bend your left knee over your ankle and reach both arms out to the sides.
Looking for slow flow, Hatha or beginner-style classes would be the best option if you are brand new to the practice and would like to focus on alignment.
Tips for maintaining a home yoga practice
Maintaining a home yoga practice can be a bit tricky, but with a little bit of effort, it can be done. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Pick a time of day that works for you and stick to it. Morning is often a good time to do yoga, it gets your energy flowing and sets your mind up for the day. Helping you find clarity and vision.
- Create a space in your home that is dedicated to your yoga practice. This can be as simple as clearing out a corner of your living room or setting up a mat in your bedroom.
- Invest in a decent yoga mat and some other basic yoga equipment, such as blocks, straps and a bolster (you can use this to rest the legs in savasana).
- Be patient and don’t expect too much from yourself at first. It takes time to build up a regular yoga practice, so don’t get discouraged if everything feels hard and you don’t master the postures after one class. It takes time. Hence why it is called a yoga practice.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you miss a session, try again tomorrow. Or if you are short on time, do 10 mins instead of a 30, 40 or 60-minute session. With yoga, the idea is to be mindful, moving and breathing. If you capture all of these elements then you are practising yoga.
So what are you waiting for?
- Put some recurring timeslots into your calendar so that you can see your commitment and set yourself reminders roughly 1 hour before so you can mentally prepare.
- Have your mat next to you, ready to go.
Get started today and see how much better you feel!
