Tips For Cultivating A Steady Home Yoga Practice

 

 

Tips For Cultivating A Steady Home Yoga Practice

By Guest Blogger, Brenda Berg

Yoga is great, and we all know or have heard about the amazing benefits that it can bring to our lives. However, attending classes every day is not something we all have time for, nor can afford. In fact, statistics show that the US alone spends over $2.5 billion a year on yoga classes!

With that in mind, this isn’t the only option we have when it comes to practicing yoga. In fact, we can do it in the comfort of our own homes.

Today, we’re going to talk through everything you need to know to cultivate a love of yoga at home and how to form a proper habit.

Don’t Force Yourself into It

By far the most important consideration on this list is not to force yourself into practicing. Of course, forming a habit takes some level of discipline, but if you end up forcing yourself, you’re only going to make yourself feel negatively towards the practice, and it won’t be enjoyable.

Statistics showthat it takes around 66 days to form a new habit, a far cry from the previously stated 21 days, but don’t let this put you off. That’s 66 days you’ve got to try and figure out what works for you.

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Start by Setting Intentions

The first thing you want to do when you start practicing yoga is to set an intention. Notice how I don’t use the word goal or target, but rather a light aim that you want to be mindful of.

Nick Taylor, a lifestyle writer for Academized, states, “By setting an intention for your practice, whether it’s to wake yourself up in the morning, relieve yourself from stress after a hard day, or even to relax and loosen up your muscles, have this in mind so you can benefit much more effectively from your practice.”

Clear Your Mind

Similar to keeping a diary entry, you can clear your mind of any worries or stresses you may have, allowing you to go into your yoga practice without having to worry about thoughts and emotions distracting you. Using tools like State of Writing and Via Writing, you start writing before you start your yoga practice.

Only Perform the Same Sequence

While there is a tonne of different and varying yoga practices out there, it’s important to make sure that you’re only practicing the same one over and over again since this will help you to form the habit because you’ll know what you are doing and there’s little room for procrastination.

Science shows that around 40% of our days are spent doing things that we do every day, so practicing the same routine can be a great way to form the habit and to help us get to grips with what we’re doing.

Experiment with Online Classes

Of course, there are many versions of yoga as we said above. When you’re choosing which practice you want to try and stick to at home, it can be tempting to try and re-enact one that you learned in a class.

However, for many of us, we’re going to want some kind of guidance, which is why it could be extremely beneficial to try online classes. You can access these on your phone or on your computer, many of which are free, so you can find one that works well for you. Here is a great one: Top 4 Best Yoga DVDs for Weight Loss Reviewed.

Set Up a Positive Environment

It can be difficult to form a habit if there’s a lot of things around you that are there to distract you. This could be your TV, your phone, the radio or other people in the house. To stop this from interfering with your yoga practice, set aside space in your house where you can practice and won’t be disturbed.

Jennifer Stevens, a yoga teacher, and writer for Australian Help says “Statistics show that it takes around 66 days to form a new habit and have it hard-wired into your brain to make sure that you’re sticking with it as long as you can. Perseverance will do wonders for your well-being.”

Practice Safely

It’s incredibly important to remember that when you’re practicing yoga at home, you need to be doing it safely. When you’re attending a yoga class, you’ll have the instructor there to keep an eye on you to make sure that you’re carrying out the poses and flows properly and accurately. However, this is something you miss out on in the comfort of your own home.

However, there are a number of steps you can take to protect your own health and well-being. Firstly, you’ll want to make sure that you’re listening to your body. Yoga should be comfortable and far more stressful. If you’re attempting and pose and it feels tight or wrong in any way, like your body is struggling, don’t force yourself into the position, just as much as feels right for you.

Remember that everybody is different and will have different levels of capability. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re carrying out the poses in the correct way. This means making sure that your body is aligned properly in everything you do. While it’s impractical to have mirrors positioned around you, there are options you can take.

One of the best options here is to invest in a Yoga Force A-Line Mat. These specially designed mats are designed for optimal home yoga practices, remaining comfortable like a mat should, while presenting you with detailed lines on your mat for your body to follow during your practice.

A mat like this will help you to align your frame while cushioning and supporting your body, as well as your joints, in all the right places, making it effortless to practice yoga safely in the comfort of your own home.

Summary

As you can see, there are many things to remember when it comes to starting up your own yoga practice at home. Be mindful of your practice and try to be as disciplined as you can, and you’ll soon have a habit at home that you can be proud of.

 

Author Bio:

Brenda Berg is a professional with over 15 years of experience in business management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Consultant and tutor for college students and entrepreneurs at Oxessays. She believes that constant learning is the only way to success. You can visit her personal blog at Letsgoandlearn.com