7 tips for the yoga workout at home
Apr 16, 2020
Did you know that the word yoga comes from Sanskrit and means harnessing or tensing? Both are words that fit in well with our current crisis, in which we are all somehow under tension.
And the term "harnessing up" is also quite appropriate for the idea of spending the entire everyday life in one's own four walls. But don't worry, despite its origin, yoga does not increase the current stress.
It is rather a way to self-knowledge and a great opportunity to find physical and mental peace. Sure, in relaxed company and with your favourite yoga teacher it works out great every week. But unfortunately the studios are closed. The good news: You can also practice yoga at home.
There are just a few things you should be aware of. In the following we will show you how you can best integrate the yoga workout into your daily life at home.
Tip 1: The right place to practice Yoga at home
If possible, reserve a quiet place for your yoga practice. This can be a quiet, enclosed space or a sheltered place in the garden, for example. A beautiful view is also particularly pleasant.
Make sure that there is not too much hustle or movement outside. If you live on a busy street, avoid looking outside. Your yoga place should have a relaxed atmosphere - this includes a comfortable room temperature and good ventilation.
In any case, you should be as undisturbed as possible in your daily yoga practice. Exercises between the coffee table and the TV while the children are playing behind you are therefore not ideal.
Make your seat as comfortable as possible. The equipment includes a Yoga matpossibly a meditation cushion and other accessories, such as straps and Blocks. Decorate your little yoga corner to your taste.
You can also light incense sticks or candles before you start - and thus make a small ritual out of your practice. If you do this before each practice session, you will immediately get yourself in the right mood and your body and mind will know: Aha, now it's time for yoga.
Tip 2: The right time for your yoga workout
In principle you can choose the time for your yoga exercises according to your preferences. However, the morning has some advantages: You can easily schedule your yoga session right after getting up and then continue your daily routine as normal.
You will notice that it does you good mentally and physically and you can also start the day relaxed and happy.
Moreover, if you go to bed 15 minutes earlier in the evening, you will not even steal valuable sleep. You also feel good for the rest of the day and don't stress yourself thinking about your exercises.
Yoga for night owls
If you are a night owl, you can of course turn the tables and do your yoga exercises in the evening. It is important that you make a fixed appointment with yourself, which you really keep.
Therefore, set a time that best suits your daily routine and the rhythm of your family, let yourself be reminded of it if necessary, and stick to your plans.
One extra tip: You should practice yoga on an empty stomach. In the morning, just have breakfast after your exercise session. And in the evening, it's best not to eat a meal one and a half to two hours before your yoga exercises.
Tip 3: This is how long your yoga workout should last
The duration of your workout also depends on your preferences. The bigger your ambitions, the harder it is to keep your resolutions. If you can agree to practice one and a half hours every Wednesday, that's great.
It is easier if you train for 15 minutes every morning from Monday to Friday, for example. This short window of time is actually always available - and will certainly cause less resistance than if you plan a whole hour for your exercises.
Because it is: No matter how much you love yoga, your inner bastard may not like to practice all alone. In order to boost your motivation, you can arrange to practice with friends over the Internet, for example. Use video chats like Skype, Google Hangouts, Zoom, FaceTime or the video telephony of WhatsApp and do something good for your bodies together separately.
Tip 4: The right exercises
Think about which exercises you would like to do in advance. There are endless programs from Kundalini-Yoga to especially gentle yoga. For example, watch YouTube channels or search for suitable DVDs.
Important: Take time in advance to view, select and sort the individual programs. You can start as soon as you get on the mat at the agreed time.
Make sure that the level of the exercises matches your level of knowledge. If you have just started yoga, you should focus on beginners' programs. Good channels and videos for beginners and advanced students are for example:
You will have the most fun if you like the teacher and find his or her voice pleasant.
Extra tip: Make sure that all exercises are explained during the execution so that you can do them without looking.
If you are already an advanced yogi, you can of course put together your own program of well-known yoga exercises.
If in doubt, choose exercises where you cannot do much wrong. For example, these could be the following:
Use the workout alone to listen more intensely to your body. Do you need something invigorating or do you feel like a quiet series of exercises?
Tip 5: Ensure relaxation
Ideally finish your yoga exercises with a relaxing meditation. Most videos you find online end with this. If you practice without video, you can record your own voice as an audio file or alternatively, you can wander through your body with your attention and see what the previous exercises have done.
If you have enough time, you can also lie still for a few moments after each exercise and focus on the muscles relaxing in the body. This will make your yoga practice even more intense.
Tip 6: Ideal for beginners - Yoga online with correction
If you have only recently started yoga, you probably still need corrections from a teacher.
Therefore, they walk around the studio during the lesson and gently correct the individual practitioners. This is not easily possible with yoga at home - even if the instructions on the video are detailed. So what to do?
Currently there are many new offers for online yoga classes where the teachers also see you practicing via camera. This way, they can guide you and you can be sure that you are doing the exercises correctly at home.
Check with your yoga studio, maybe they offer such a course there as well.
Tip 7: Stay tuned
The easiest way to keep up is to practice regularly - like every morning before breakfast for 15 minutes. Ideally, you should do this daily or at least five times a week.
If you can't make it several times a week due to time constraints, make an appointment for yoga at least once a week and stick to it. Do you usually go to the yoga studio regularly? Great, then take your usual time for your session at home.
And if you spontaneously feel like doing an extra lap out of the line, do it in addition and still keep your regular appointments. This way you get used to your workout and it becomes second nature to you, so that it becomes routine.
Extra tip: If you don't feel like practicing, grit your teeth and go to the mat anyway. At least take five minutes. The rest will come naturally. As is well known, every beginning is difficult.
Yoga for at home - not only in times of crisis
Yoga at home is a wonderful addition to your regular group yoga classes. Therefore, it is best to keep your private yoga session - even if you can finally go back to your usual yoga class.
You will then also benefit more from the exercises in the yoga class. Because at home you have learned to listen to your body and not only to the instructions of a teacher.
Some yoga practitioners find that practicing alone is even more enriching than the normal studio class. They experience the desired union of body and mind more intensively at home.
And you too will quickly benefit from the home yoga practice. If you let yourself be regularly locked into your routine, you will soon feel less tense and can face the crisis more calmly.
...and don't forget your LUVIYO.