3 Simple Steps to Yoga at Home
I hear this all the time from clients and friends:
“My doctor/therapist/friend/body says that I should practice yoga but I don’t have the time/space/energy for it!”
I get it, I’ve been there, and I’m here to help you set up a realistic plan for practicing yoga at home. I promise you, it’s not as hard as it seems. Here’s the plan in 3 realistic steps!
1. Creating a space
Many of us don’t have space to have a dedicated yoga room (or even a yoga corner) in our living spaces. I can assure you that not only do you not need that, but you can use the space you have and transform it with a few easy items you probably already have on hand. First up, set yourself up for success by asking: What are the benefits you’re hoping to get from your home practice? If it’s peace of mind and groundedness, then setting up in the middle of a busy family room with the tv on and kids and pets coming in and out will make it extra-challenging to achieve your goals and stick with your practice. On the other hand, if your goal is more flexible hamstrings, then that environment might be just fine.
If you’ve taken an online yoga class with me, you already know I’m a fan of yoga in bed, so it’s completely possible that you could use your bed for yoga. If you do this, I recommend lying on top of the covers and having a blanket handy that you can cover with if you get chilly or want to be cozy.
If you’ll be using the floor for your practice, I suggest using a rug, a blanket or two or a thick yoga/pilates mat. If you’re not doing standing work, you don’t need to have a “yoga mat.” Yoga mats are mainly for making sure your feet don’t slip while you’re doing standing poses (and for the capitalist machine to make money.)
I love to set up near a couch so that I can easily rest my calves and feet on the couch, but anywhere you have a space that is large enough for you to lay down and reach your arms out to the side and overhead will work just fine. If you are using some sort of mat or blanket, it’s great if you can keep that within easy reach of your practice space...like rolled up under the couch or coffee table.
Ideally you will have a few pillows and extra blankets handy to help prop up your poses, allowing for release and relaxation, as well as a yoga strap (or alternative) that can be used for stretching. If you’re doing standing work or lunges, it’s great to have yoga blocks. (I’ve heard many suggestions for yoga block alternatives, but honestly, if lunges and forward bends are a part of your practice, they really are worth the modest investment.)
In an ideal world, your phone will not be anywhere near you as you practice, but that’s not always realistic, and no one is claiming we live in an ideal world! If possible, turn your phone to silent and set a timer or have a clock you can see if you need to keep track of time. From there, it’s all about extra touches that help you get into the mood for yoga...maybe you light a candle, or diffuse some essential oils, maybe you have some relaxing music you listen to while you practice or a special eye pillow. All of those things are optional but can help you look forward to your practice.
Now that you know where you’ll practice yoga….where will you find the time??!!
2. Finding the time
Lean in close because I am going to share some secrets with you…..you do not have to practice yoga for an hour in order to reap the benefits….you do not have to do yoga every day to reap the benefits...you do not have to move your body to reap the benefits!! Is your mind blown?
My friends, a little yoga goes a long way! It’s better to do 15 minutes a few times a week than 60 minutes once a week, especially if that 60 minutes leaves you more depleted than when you started.
Studies on developing habits show that it helps to do the new habit at the same time every day, so maybe you will choose one time a day to do your practice.
Do you have 5 minutes when you wake up in the morning to mindfully breathe? Or 10 minutes before bed for a guided meditation? Those are great options and totally count as yoga practice!
Other ideas:
If you want to practice first thing in the morning, set up your space before you go to bed, so it’s ready for you when you wake up.
Combine it with a favorite TV show or podcast (it’s ok, I won’t tell the yoga police!)
Find a yoga buddy (IRL or online) who will be an accountability buddy
Turn drinking your morning (or evening) cup of tea (or coffee) into a yoga practice (not sure how to do that? Ask me!)
You’ve created your space, you’ve picked your time, now what the heck do you do?
Doing the yoga
For some people it’s easy to get on their mat and do moves they remember from yoga class or to let their body guide them to what would feel best in that moment. If that’s you, that’s great! But for many people they need a little extra guidance and inspiration. Here are some ideas for practicing yoga at home:
Books: There are so many books on yoga that you can check out from your local library. And don’t think that just because you have a chronic health condition, there’s no book for you, I bet there is! Google yoga and your condition and see what pops up. Books are a great way to practice if you like information on the why behind the practice. The yoga in books for certain health conditions is usually backed by scientific research that has shown that those moves, breathing, and visualization practices are effective for people with your health condition. If you need a recommendation for a book, don’t forget that I spent many years as a librarian, and I’m always happy to help you find the right book!
Audio options: Apps like Calm, Spotify and Insight Timer all have guided relaxation and visualization. I even have a Soundcloud account where I have recorded free meditations. Audio is a great option when you don’t want to look at a screen or follow complex instructions. The quality of audio can vary greatly, so you may need to try a few before you find a recording that you love. Free services also tend to come with commercials which may jolt you out of your relaxed state at exactly the wrong moment, so just be aware of that.
Video options: There are more video options than ever before, thanks to the pandemic. Many yoga studios moved their classes online and some teachers (like me!) are creating their own video libraries for students. If you’re looking for free yoga videos, YouTube has you covered, as long as you have the time to sort through and find the videos that are appropriate for you. I’ve even got a few free videos up on YouTube that you can find through my videos tab. If you have a chronic health condition and you are trying out an online video, I highly recommend watching it once before practicing to make sure it looks like something that is accessible for you. And remember, it’s a video so you can always stop it or pause it, there’s no rule that it has to be finished in one sitting!