Nine Step Guide to Practising Yoga at Home

Yoga is a great way to improve your flexibility, mobility, and balance. It’s also good for developing strength, improving your posture, and even burning calories and fat. Lots of people do yoga in studios and classes, but there is very little to stop you practicing yoga at home. This could be as an addition to a regular class, or simply because you prefer to exercise in private.
But how, without a yoga teacher, can you learn and practice yoga at home? Let’s discuss!

1. Clear some space

You don’t need masses of space to do yoga, but you need enough that you can move without restriction or limitation. Place your yoga may on the floor and make sure there are several feet of clear space all around it. Move anything that might get in your way. Make sure that overhead light fittings will not interfere with reaching your arms overhead either.

2. Schedule your session 

Life has a way of getting in the way of your intention to practice yoga. You might say to yourself “I will practice tomorrow” but, as that old saying goes, tomorrow never comes. The only way to get better at yoga and enjoy its many benefits is to do it regularly.
With no class to attend, it can be easy to put yoga off until another time or day but then, without meaning to, you end up skipping your practices for days or even weeks at a time.
Avoid this problem by scheduling your yoga practices. Write them in your diary! Decide on the day, time, and duration of your session and then stick to it. Treat this appointment like any other and do your best to honor it.

3. Avoid distractions

Yoga requires peace and concentration so make sure you won’t be interrupted or distracted during your practice. Turn your phone to silent, turn off the TV and radio, and let everyone in your home know that you will be busy for the next hour or so. This is valuable “you” time so make sure you do all that you can to preserve it.
  

4. Plan your practice  

When you go to a yoga class, the teacher will guide you through a specific sequence of poses or asanas. Some sequences are traditional, whereas others created specifically for the class participants. Having a sequence to work through gives your practice direction and focus.
Plan your practice so that you also know what you are going to work on. You can use a yoga book, yoga flashcards, a DVD, a YouTube video, a written or typed list of asanas, or just do a sequence you have learnt in the past. Most sequences start with a variation of sun salutations and then build in intensity and difficulty as you warm up. Your practice should end with a few minutes of relaxion and maybe meditation.

5. Have your yoga accessories ready

While a Thick Yoga Mat is really all you need, many practitioners use additional equipment to make their sessions more comfortable or effective. If your yoga practice involves things like straps, blocks, cushions, or anything else, make sure they are within easy reach. The last thing you want to do is ruin your flow and concentration because you stop to search for a must-have block.

 

6. Think safety first

Yoga is a very safe form of exercise, but that doesn’t mean accidents can’t happen. As you’ll be exercising alone, make sure you don’t overexert yourself or do anything that could be dangerous. For example, headstands and handstands can be a little risky, and lengthy inversions could leave you feeling feint and dizzy. Save advanced yoga moves for class or when someone is on hand to keep an eye on you.

7. Video yourself

In a yoga class, your teacher will spend a lot of their time fine tuning or correcting your technique. With no teacher to guide you, it’s very easy to inadvertently do your chosen asanas incorrectly or develop bad habits that then become hard to break.
If you can do it without disrupting your practice, video yourself so that you can review your performance and be your own teacher. If you spot any issues, make a note of them and make them the focus of your next practice.

8. Get a yoga tune up

While you can teach yourself yoga and monitor your own performance and progress, working with an instructor from time to time can still be very useful. An experienced yoga teacher will be able to spot technique issues and will offer you advice and guidance to make your practices more effective.
If yoga classes are not your thing, consider hiring a teacher and working with them one-to-one. You can do this at a private studio or arrange for the teacher to come to your home. An hour or two with an instructor can teach you more than a week of solo practices.
 

9. Enjoy your practice

Whether you practice yoga at home or at a studio, it’s essential that you enjoy the process. Don’t overdo it, and don’t do asanas that cause you pain. Don’t work so hard that you start to question whether you’ll be able to walk tomorrow! A conservative, consistent exercise program is always better than an extreme but occasional workout.

Whether you practice yoga daily or weekly, every session is beneficial. Doing yoga at home means you are your own teacher, and that can be very empowering. The benefits of yoga are huge and practicing at home means you can enjoy all of those benefits whenever it suits you best.