How to Practice Yoga at Home

These days, Yoga is a popular practice in North America, and for good reason: the ancient Eastern practice can bring many physical and mental benefits to its practitioners. Some of its most touted benefits include increased flexibility, weight loss, and an improved sense of well-being. There are now over 6000 yoga studios across the U.S. which offer guided classes to seasoned yogis and beginners alike. But yoga memberships are expensive and not everyone feels comfortable practicing yoga in a studio environment (especially if you’re just starting out). Over the years, I’ve come to prefer practicing yoga in the comfort of my home, so that I can flow how I want, at my own pace. (Plus, there’s no one around to witness my face plants whenever I topple over in bakasana pose!) Even better, a yoga practice from home is cost-effective and easy to start! If you’re brand new to yoga, here are seven steps to start practicing yoga at home: [elementor-template id=”2705″] 1. Attend a Live Yoga Class First Although not strictly necessary, I would highly recommend attending a few live yoga classes first if you are a total beginner. The reason is that it can be really difficult to know if you’re doing the poses correctly without a teacher there to explain how to get into the poses and how to modify them where necessary. Even the most basic poses, like Downward facing dog, are surprisingly easy to goof up without guidance. I can’t tell you how many moments I had in a yoga class when I was (somewhat smugly) thinking I was doing a pose correctly, but then my teacher would gently adjust me this way or that, and suddenly I’d have a lightbulb moment like, “Ahh, that’s what I should be doing!”) Most yoga studios do offer a few free or discounted classes for new students. It’s worth the investment to go a few times just to have a foundation on which to build your home practice. 2. Pick Your Spot One of my favorite things about Yoga is you don’t need much space to get ‘er done. If you can roll out your mat and spread your arms out without touching anything, you’re good to go. However, there are still a few factors to consider. If you have any pets, assume with certainty that they will get in the way. My cat loves to walk through my arms and stick her butt in my face during downward-facing dog. I make sure she is in another room while I’m practicing so that I’m not worried about stepping or tripping over her. I’ve heard that dogs are even worse for this. (Even though you can apparently incorporate them into your practice with one of the newer yoga trends, “Doga”.) And if you have family or housemates around, I don’t recommend using the living room unless you know for sure no one else will be using it. Trying to flow through sun salutations while your sister is watching the...

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