Starting any kind of fitness routine always feels intimidating. Starting is the hardest part. You may have the best intentions, but then something comes up and you decide you’ll start next week or after so-and-so’s birthday or after the holidays. You are not alone. We have all done this. Getting to your mat can be the most challenging part. How do you get past the “I’ll start when…..”? You make a commitment to yourself, and you don’t break that promise. It might sound tough, but you may need some tough love. Promise yourself that you are going to start at a certain time on a certain date, and act as though you are making a promise to your child or spouse or parent. Would you break a promise to that person? No. You wouldn't want to let them down. Then don’t break a promise to yourself.
Other than having the dedication and commitment to yourself, you only need 4 things to start yoga at home:
enough floor space to lay down
comfortable clothing
a way to watch a yoga class
a teacher who has beginner classes
That’s it!
You don’t even really need a yoga mat if you have a carpeted area or a towel to throw down on some grass outside. A mat may make it more comfortable, but it’s not completely necessary for just starting out. You only need enough room to be able to lie down with your legs flat. If you don’t have an entire room to dedicate for your yoga practice, you are totally normal! The space next to your bed (sometimes even on your bed), the living room floor, the kitchen floor (with a yoga mat), etc. are all perfectly acceptable!
This may be surprising, but you don’t need expensive yoga clothing to do yoga! You just need to be comfortable. Heck, I do yoga in my pajamas most of the time! See photo on the right. Loose fitting clothing works best. If you want to splurge on specific clothes for yoga, be my guest, but it really isn't necessary. Try out a few different types of clothes while doing yoga and simply see what feels the best for you. Some people prefer pants, while other people get too hot and prefer shorts. For some, t-shirts may feel too constricting, and they prefer a tank top, however some people are more comfortable with a loose-fitting t-shirt. One of the best things about doing yoga at home is that nobody can see what you look like, so there's not pressure there!
The only other thing you’ll need is a phone, tablet, laptop, or tv to watch your yoga classes on. Make sure it’s in a place that you can comfortably see the instructor so that you have proper alignment. You don’t want to have it in a place where you need to constantly crane your neck to see what you should be doing. For this reason, it’s best if your device is portable so that you can just pick up the device and move it as you change directions. If this isn't an option for you, you can always turn your mat instead of moving the device.
Speaking of watching those yoga classes; make sure you have a teacher who is teaching a beginner class. Beginner classes take extra time to explain foundational poses, focus more on alignment, and transition a bit slower between poses. It’s not necessarily easier (you’ll read more later in this blog about how you can customize any yoga class to fit your level), but a beginner's class will give you more guidance and prevent you from feeling lost.
Now you know how to start! Again, the hardest part is just starting, so press play and see how it goes! If you have any other questions about how to start, what type of yoga mat is best, etc., feel free to contact me!
~Sara~
Comments