Yoga at Home : 10 ways to start your home yoga practice

How to get Started:

Are you ready to commit to an at home yoga practice? No matter what your reasons for deciding to start an at home practice, MyYogaTeacher has you covered! We will help you begin your journey from beginner to advanced yogi, all without having to leave the comfort of your own home.

1. Set up your yoga space

When you decide to start an at home practice you want to create a space that inspires movement. Since you’ll be coming to your Zen space often, this should be a spot in your home that promotes joy, comfort and peace.

What you need

• Start with a quiet space. You don’t want to be in a space where you can hear traffic, noise or your family bickering. Find a space where you’re away from noise. If you can’t find a place that’s quiet, invest in headphones for your practice.

• Play some music! Grab a small speaker or headphones and find your tunes. There are tons of great yoga playlist available. Find one that inspires you!

• Visual aids Images or quotes that motivate you. You can put these up or even make a vision board which will help with intentions when you’re read to set them!

• Yourself! The most important thing you’ll need is you! Come as you are to your space. Thank yourself for showing up and have some grace as you begin your journey.

2. Get your gear

To begin a yoga practice at home, there are a few things you’ll need to bring to your physical space. If you’re a yogi on a budget, no worries! We’ll provide you with a swap you already have at home!

• A Mat or towel : Normally for yoga, we use a mat for our practice. If you don’t have one, you can use a towel or two. Just make sure it’s thick and doesn’t slip too much!

• A bolster or small pillow and blanket: If you’re interested in a relaxation or deep stretch practice, these are essential.  A small couch pillow can take the place of a bolster and any blanket will suffice.

• Blocks or books:  Sometimes we use blocks in our practice to help deepen a pose or get us closer in our pose. You can also use a chapter book in place of a block!

With these swaps there’s no excuse to wait till you can purchase props to get started! You have everything you need already!

 

3. Find your Why

Why do you want to build an at home yoga practice?

What are your goals? Before you get started, sit down and think about your “why”.  Be intentional about why you’re on this journey. Our online classes can be a great addition to your at home practice! You can grab a free trial and get started with us today! 

 Do you want to get stronger? Try a power or vinyasa practice.

Are you looking to find more ways to relax? Try a restorative or yin practice.  

Trying to lose weight? Try our mindful weight loss class.

 

4.Find Your Style

What type of Yoga is right for you?

Let’s break down some of the most popular styles so you can find the right fit for your home practice!

Vinyasa

A vinyasa practice is meant to build strength in your body and mind. Typically, we move with our breath in a vinyasa class. One breath per movement. This flow class is good for building strength.

Hatha

Getting back into a fitness routine? Hatha is great for building into an existing or newly revamped fitness routine. This style is meant to improve overall health and fitness as well as build a mind-body connection.

Ashtanga

An Ashtanga practice is for toning up. This practice helps you to build strength and flexibility. This practice is better for intermediate or advanced students as it uses a lot of upper body and core strength.

Yin Yoga

Looking to relax? Yin is meant to relax the body and help alleviate any pain or tension in the body. This style is great for recovery for athletes or those rehabbing an injury!

Now you’re ready to practice:

5. Begin your journey

·         Rule of 5’s – Stick to your goals by practicing the rule of 5’s. Five minutes, Five poses, Five deep breaths(slow inhales and exhales) . This is a great way to get started! Slow and steady wins the race and you can ease into your journey with just five minutes at a time!

·         Poses for beginners – Five poses to get you started! These poses are great for everyone beginner through advanced.

- Mountain Pose

- Forward Fold Pose

- Downward Facing Dog Pose

- Pigeon Pose

- Child Pose

6. Set an Intention

This is your guiding force. It can change with each practice or always be the same. Pick a mantra or an intention. Let it drive you. Let it help you find your focus

 

7. Find your breath

Begin a prana practice! There are lots of different types of breath practices. Find one that helps you find balance and try to add it into your practice.

Read more about them in this article from our website!

8. Commit to a schedule

Fitting yoga into your life should be easy. Take some time to think about your goals.

How much time do you want to commit to your practice daily or weekly?

Set a goal to do yoga a certain number of days per week. Remember to make your goal attainable. It can always be adjusted. Yoga is a practice, not a perfect. There are no wrong answers in yoga. Any time you make to move your body is an achievement.

 

9. Enhance your home practice

Still building your Zen space? Here are some things to add to your space to create an atmosphere you can really relax in!

• Essential Oils- Grab a few of your favorite oils and a diffuser so your space’s aroma puts you in the right state of mind to move.

• Journaling- Sometimes the only way to get out of our heads is to put a pen to paper. If your mind is too busy while you practice, try to journal before. Get a notebook and special pen you can keep in you Zen den!

• Building a meditation practice- Extend your yoga practice by building a meditation practice to add on before or after your flow. This can help you emerge from your space more calm, cool and collected.

 

10. Find your community

How to begin an at home practice with us at MyYogaTeacher. 

• Join our free trial: You’ll get two FREE weeks of unlimited group classes and two free 1-on-1 sessions. 

• Have a plan! Our expert yoga teachers will help customize a plan that’s perfect for you! 

• Take classes & build your practice every day! 

Now that you have the tools and information, you’re ready to go! Make a plan and get started! Your body will thank you!