Feeling Too Lazy To Go To Yoga Class? Try Home Yoga!

Do you find it hard to take out time for the daily yoga class? Has the everyday work become a little too much for you? It is time you give home yoga a fair try. Moreover, considering the present scenario in which Coronavirus is wreaking havoc around the world, doing yoga at home is a wise decision.

The best part about starting a yoga practice at home is you need not buy special clothing or sign up for an expensive membership. Moreover, you have the opportunity to combine other forms of exercises like running and at-home workouts with yoga. In other words, it is a win-win situation for you.

But, what is the best way to kickstart the practice of yoga asanas at home? Yoga experts have come up with the complete guide to home yoga practice.

Pro Tips To Kickstart Home Yoga Practice

Once you learn the yoga asanas from a qualified yoga teacher, it is time for you to start the yoga practice at home.

Keeping the above statement in mind, given below are seven powerful tips to help you kickstart a home yoga practice.

1. Choose The Right Time

According to yoga experts, the best time for you to practice yoga is during the early morning hours. The reason being you have a high energy level during morning hours. However, if you have a busy schedule during the morning hours, you should do it during the evening. An evening session of yoga poses refreshes your mind and relieves stress from your body.

2. Practice On Empty Stomach

Yoga teachers advise that for you to reap the full benefits of yoga practice, you should always do it on a light or empty stomach. Make sure you have a gap of at least 2 to 3 hours between your meals and the home yoga practice.

3 .Warm-Up

The best advice for you to do home yoga practice with ease is a proper warm-up. Make sure you start the session by warming up with a few yoga stretches. Always do this, especially if you are doing challenging yoga asanas.

4. Consistency Is Key

For you to get the maximum benefits from home yoga, make sure you find the time to do yoga in your everyday schedule. Rather than treating it as a way to stay fit, you should make yoga a new habit in your daily routine.

5. Variety Is Important

Yoga is not just about doing asanas. It also includes a variety of breathing techniques like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and a host of other exercises. You should also give a proper try to Yoga Nidra to acclimate the benefits of yoga practice.

6. Wear Simple Clothes

For a home yoga practice, you should wear loose and comfortable clothing. Yoga experts recommend you avoid tight-fitting and body-hugging outfits. Moreover, you should not wear any jewelry or do any heavy make-up.

7. Find A Comfortable Place

It is best you do yoga practice in a small room within your house. With time, yoga practice starts creating positive vibes in that room. Always choose a quiet space where you can spread the yoga mat and reconnect with your true self.

You might wonder – Why go through so much for yoga practice? Read on to know the answer.

Benefits Of Home Yoga Practice

Within the last few years, yoga has grown from an ancient art into a global phenomenon. Numerous scientific and medical studies have clearly shown the effectiveness of yoga. So, without a doubt, doing home yoga does offer you numerous benefits.

Taking into consideration the last statement, yoga experts have come up with a list of health benefits you get with daily yoga practice even at home.

1. Fight Stress Of Reaching Yoga Class On Time

If you have had an experience with a yoga studio; you are already aware of the grind. The dilemma of reaching the yoga class on time is enough to give you a headache. However, the beauty of home yoga practice is you decide the time and schedule of yoga practice.

In other words, no more coming late to the class or being turned away from the session. You decide when it is time to do a little yoga and when to relax.

2. Space Is Yours

One of the benefits of doing yoga at home is you are never short of space. You have the whole room to freely practice the yoga asanas without having to think about the other yoga practitioner. Moreover, you get to design the yoga practice space and it is a win-win situation for you.

3. Helps Build Discipline

One of the five niyamas of yoga practice is Tapas, also known as discipline. Following a home yoga practice is never going to be an easy job. However, sticking to a yoga schedule without any compromise helps you build discipline. In the long run, this boosts your confidence levels and mental health.

4. Unlocks Your True Self

With the daily practice of yoga at home, you develop a heightened awareness of your relationship with yourself and others. Yoga helps unlock the hidden truth via a rigorous process of self-inquiry which helps unlock your true potential. In short, the home practice of yoga helps you realize your true self.

5. The Sense Of Freedom

With home yoga, there is so much you can do to enhance your practice. You decide the focus of the practice, the yoga style, length, and place of practice. With the freedom of choice, you are able to focus on the proper withdrawal of senses and dive deeper into the yoga asanas.

6. It Is Free

Yes! Enrolling in a yoga studio is no joke. There is a good amount of money involved. However, with a smartphone and internet at your disposal; you have the best and updated knowledge of yoga in your hands.

However, for you to reap all these benefits; you have to do the right yoga poses in a home yoga session. Yoga experts have come up with a list of yoga asanas that you can do easily at home.

7. Home Yoga Asanas You Can Do With Ease

For the majority, yoga is a natural way to overall good health and well-being. A consistent practice improves your body strength, flexibility, and mental health. You might have seen hundreds of yoga practitioners doing challenging yoga asanas and wonder how they do it.

One thing is for sure, yoga requires a serious commitment of effort and time. But, with consistency, you would be able to pull off challenging yoga asanas without any hassle.

With that said, yoga experts have come up with six easy-to-do yoga asanas.

1. Downward Dog Pose

The best all-body stretching yoga exercise you should do before a home yoga session is Downward Dog Pose. This yoga asana opens your shoulders, calves, hamstrings, and the arch of your feet. Moreover, the bending motion provides your brain with a flow of fresh blood and improves your mental alertness levels.

Downward Dog Pose

Steps To Practice Downward Dog Pose

Start on the yoga mat in a tabletop position.
Keep your hands under your shoulders and knees beneath your hips.
Exhale. Lift your knee off the floor. Raise your buttocks towards the ceiling.
Contract your thighs.
Touch your heels with the floor. Straighten your knees without locking them.
Press your fingertips into the mat. Keep your head firmly placed between your arms.
Hold this position for some time.

2. Triangle Pose

The second of home practice yoga asanas that gives your shoulders, hips, chest, shoulders, calves, and spine a good stretch. This yoga asana strengthens your knees, ankles, and quads.

Triangle Pose

Steps To Practice Triangle Pose

Stand on the long side of the yoga mat.
Raise your arms and keep them parallel to the floor with both palms facing down.
Face your right foot and angle it towards the front of the mat.
The left foot has to be at a 90-degree angle towards your right.
Exhale. Extend your torso over your right leg by bending it from the hip joint.
Rotate your torso towards the left side. Keep your right hand on your right shin, or ankle.
Reach your left arm towards the ceiling. Both your shoulders should be in line.
Keep your head in a neutral position by looking at your left hand.
Repeat the motion on the opposite side.

Also read: RYT 500 – A Detailed Analysis

3. Mountain Pose

The mountain pose provides you a good rest between the yoga asanas and improves your body posture. This yoga asana also firms up your abs and butt.

Mountain Pose

Steps To Practice Mountain Pose

Stand on the yoga mat with your big toes touching and both heels slightly apart.
Lift and spread your toes. Keep them on the floor.
Move back and forth, then side-to-side.
After you are done balancing, hold the position.
Contract your thigh muscles and lift your kneecaps.
Imagine a line of energy going from your toes to your head.
Keep your shoulder blades together and lower them down.
Raise your chest bone towards the ceiling without raising your lower ribs.
Keep both arms by your sides with palms facing the front.
Keep your head in line with your spine.

4. Bridge Pose

The most effective yoga asanas strengthen your glutes and also open your chest and shoulders. It is a precursor to the wheel pose, which has your back bending in a U shape.

Bridge Pose

Steps To Practice Bridge Pose

Lie down on your back with your feet on the yoga mat.
Keep your knees pointing towards the ceiling.
Bring your heels as close to your buttocks as possible.
Inhale and Exhale. Squeeze your glutes and lift your buttocks off of the floor.
Bring your knees over your ankles.
Clasp your hands beneath you and stay on top of your shoulders.
Pinch your shoulder blades and hold.

5. Seated Forward Bend

Do you want flexible hamstrings and a healthy spine? You should do the seated forward fold. This yoga pose gives your head proper blood flow.

Seated Forward Bend

Steps To Practice Seated Forward Fold

Sit on the yoga mat with both legs straight in front of you.
Keep your hands on the mat by your hips.
Press your heels forward and lower your thighs into the yoga mat.
Inhale and Exhale. Lean forward from the hip joints.
Grab your big toes or the outside of your feet.
Do not force your body to go beyond what you feel comfortable with.

Also read: Yoga Mudras – The Secret To Mental Well-Being

6. Child’s Pose

This is a restorative yoga pose that opens your shoulders and is useful for resting between different yoga asanas.

Child pose

Steps To Practice Child’s Pose

Come onto the tabletop position on the yoga mat.
Touch your big toes together.
Sit back on your heels and put your torso on your thighs.
Keep your arms straight and in front of you with palms facing the mat.
Hold this pose for some time.

For you to reap all the benefits of these home yoga poses, there are some precautions that you should follow.

Precautions For Safe Home Yoga Practice

To help you make the most of home yoga sessions, given below are three powerful tips.

1. Avoid Competing – Even With Yourself

Yes! Yoga is not a competitive sport where you have to win a trophy or cash reward. Only by practicing yoga with patience can you reap its amazing mental and physical health benefits. This is only possible when you stop comparing yourself with how others are doing the same asana.

Remember, yoga practice is more about self-discovery and realization than beating the other person at yoga asana practice.

2. Pay Attention To Your Body

For you to make the most of home yoga session, you should pay attention to your body and how your breathing feels. Yoga experts recommend you should come out of a yoga asana if your breathing is more labored and not slow and calm.

3. Find Your Comfort Zone

Even if you practice yoga at home, remember, too much exertion can have the opposite effect on your body and mind. Always find a comfortable zone where you are able to practice without feeling too much pain or discomfort. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

Conclusion

Do you want to kickstart a home yoga practice? The guide compiled above by yoga experts from around the world will help you include this sacred art into your lifestyle.