About the Author:
Arlet Koseian is a yoga instructor and owner of extendYoga.
I love being in a class setting and practicing yoga with a group— in fact, the more people, the better! I love the energy of a full class, but as an avid yoga student and especially as a yoga teacher, I find a home practice, (alone, with no others) is important.
I find that when I jump into my “home” practice (which almost always takes place at my second home, extendYoga), the magic happens. It’s when I am alone that I can really work on my practice and see what I’m working with or what I need to work on. Don’t get me wrong, breakthroughs happen in a class too, but sometimes it takes working on your handstand everyday against a wall (and falling A LOT, where no one can see you), before you attempt to try it in the middle of the room in a full class.
Here are a few other reasons home practices are great ….
Stuck in traffic? Running late for class? Don’t fret, head home and roll out your mat.
If you are working on a couple poses in particular, a home practice is a great time to do just that— practice, practice, practice.
Feel like you just need a quickie or want to get something in and you are low on time? Get in a 20-30 minute practice and call it a day or warm yourself up for class later on!
If you have an odd schedule and are working early mornings or late nights, your local studio might not offer a compatible class time. The good news is that you don’t need a studio to get your yoga on!
This might convince you: a home practice will take your current practice to another level and make you better as a yogi and a person.
Perhaps the most important reason to have a home practice: time to yourself, with yourself. No distractions, no outside pressures, no excuses.
Since it is one of my personal goals for the new year to deepen my home practice, this blog is all about some tips for starting (or resurrecting) your home practice. Who’s with me?
First things first: it’s natural to feel nervous or intimidated about practicing at home. A good place to start is by writing down what you love about yoga. What are your favorite poses? What do you love about your favorite yoga class or teacher?
If you want to keep it simple, you can focus on one specific pose that you work on a couple of times a week or maybe every day (make sure to add some warm up poses before jumping right into it). That could be your practice — easy enough, right? Trust me, if you keep this up, your practice will slowly, but surely grow.
If you’d like to put together a short sequence or class, a vinyasa yoga class generally consists of:
centering exercise/poses
warm up
sun salutations
balancing poses
core work
seated poses
backbending
twisting
inversions
final relaxation (savasana)
OF COURSE, you can pick and choose what you like and don’t have to stick to any order, but use this as your guide. The only thing to remember is to be safe and make sure to warm up properly before getting into anything too intense.
If you still feel confused or don’t know where to start, lucky for us, there are tons of amazing online resources. You can even take virtual classes with your favorite teachers in the comfort of your own home. Check out these excellent videos and affordable, if not free, online yoga awesomeness:
http://www.yogaglo.com/ – Despite all the recent patent drama, YogaGlo is a great and affordable online resource for anyone interested in yoga. It is the online yoga experience in HD video that provides the feel of being in the class, at your home.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga – YouTube is a yogi’s playground. There are lots of great informational videos out there and some teachers also have YouTube channels. Check out videos from Tara Stiles.
http://www.myyogaonline.com/ – My Yoga Online offers yoga video classes for streaming or download. Advance your yoga practice with renowned teachers from around the world. Reduce stress, get fit, and find your balance with yoga videos and wellness content filmed at the top studios, and festivals.
Here are some things to think about when as you get started …
Home Practice Dos & Don’ts:
Do what feels good. If something feels uncomfortable or hurts, you probably shouldn’t do it. Trust that you know your body and listen to it.
Don’t get caught up in “Am I doing this right?” Chances are you know the pose, so take notes from your teachers, double check a reliable source, and carry on.
Do your research. With so many resources out there, you can pretty much find anything you are looking for and the answers to any questions you have.
Do remember, there really actually are no rules, so whether it’s a pose a day for 10 minutes or a 90 minute juicy practice with a beginning, middle and end, the key is it’s YOUR practice, so you can do whatever you want!
Do get creative with where you practice. “Home” can be at the park, at your desk, in your bed. The only thing you need is you and your mat.
Don’t skip Savasana.
Now that you have all the tools, roll out your mat and let’s have at it!
About the Author:
Arlet Koseian is a small business owner and a lover of food, friends, pop culture, and of course, yoga. She spends most of her time at her yoga studio, extendYoga, and teaches yoga classes in the community. To learn more about Arlet or take a class at her studio, checkout: extendYoga.com, Facebook, Twitter and/or her blog.
Have Your Say:
Do you practice yoga at home? If so, share any tips/resources you have found helpful in building your home practice.
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