INTEREST OF PRACTICING YOGA AT HOME

Due to the free sessions and the possibility of managing your rhythm in the assimilation of body exercises, the practice of yoga at home is advantageous. Indeed, one does not have to follow the indoor classes which may be binding from a time point of view.

It happens that, in collective yoga lessons, we are forced to follow the rhythm of the group so that, even if the execution of a posture is not completely assimilated, we must move on to the next sequence.

By practicing yoga at home, one can have time to repeat the body exercises as many times as necessary.

On the other hand, yoga, which is a demanding discipline in terms of attendance, which requires a lot of willpower and self-discipline. The risk of yoga at home is quite simply the tendency to give up, faced with possible difficulties. On the other hand, you have to make sure of the good form of the movements practiced, as there will be no teacher to correct your postures in real-time.

Can anyone do yoga at home?

The answer is “YES”, however do consult with your healthcare provider if you have health conditions or you are pregnant. Use caution when you start and if any pose hurts or feels painful, don’t push yourself. With time and experience your body will adjust and your practice will just get better and better.

HOW TO BUILD A YOGA SESSION AT HOME?

When you are a beginner, it is often a bit harder to organize the sequence of perfect yoga postures. In reality, there is nothing complicated, it is a question of finding the right moment, the ideal place, defining your objectives, and following specific stages from preparation to final relaxation through the asanas.

SET A DURATION FOR YOUR YOGA SEQUENCE

The sequence of yoga postures will depend on the time you wish to devote to your yoga class. Do you have 1 hour in front of you? Then you can do a complete yoga routine. However, do you have less than 60 minutes? Opt for a session without the inversion or balance asanas.

DETERMINE THE OBJECTIVES OF YOUR YOGA SESSION

Before starting your yoga class at home, ask yourself why you want to do yoga: to de-stress, reduce insomnia, boost your energy in the morning, increase your flexibility, let go, etc. But, you can also set goals to improve your practice, for example, to succeed in the tree posture.

STEPS TO PROPERLY STRUCTURE A YOGA CLASS

PREPARATION FOR YOGA

Because of the daily hustle and bustle, it is important to start your yoga session with a moment of meditation while observing your breath, or even chanting a mantra. Why? Quite simply to calm your mind.

DON’T NEGLECT WARMING UP

Just like sport, yoga is a physical exercise where there is a risk of hurting yourself. So warm up to prepare your body and become aware of your body shape. It can be done through stretching, bending, and twisting. For example, you can perform the sun salutation. But, be aware that there are other warm-up asanas like:

Mountain Pose (Tadasana),

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana),

Cat Pose (Marjarasana),

Cow Pose (Gomukhasana).

THE SEQUENCE OF ASANAS

STANDING ASANAS

Once well warmed up, do 1 or 2 standing yoga postures to boost your energy and improve your flexibility. Begin, for example, with the mountain asana (Tadasana), then the chair posture (Utkatasana). Finish with the warrior balance asanas I, II, and III (Virabhadrasana) and the tree (Vriksasan).

INVERSION POSTURES

The structure of a yoga class also consists of inverted yoga postures that can tone your nervous system and slow blood circulation. If you are a beginner, opt for the candle posture (Sarvangasana) or the plow (Halasana). The more experienced can carry out the reverse head stands and tensioned support (Mukha vrksasana). Be careful not to hurt yourself!

BACKWARD BENDING

Then do 1 or 2 backward yoga crunches to strengthen your back and stretch your abs. Prefer in particular the posture of the grasshopper (Salabhasana), the bridge (Setu bandha Sarvangasana), and the cobra (Bhujangasana).

TWISTS

The twists of yoga are not mandatory, only if you’re struggling to continue with curls forward. There are various postures such as the Bharadvaja torsion, the half-posture of the fish lord (Ardha matsyendrasana), and the elongated torsion (Jathara parivritti).

FORWARD BENDS

The forward yoga flexes complement the backward flexes. They have the advantage of soothing the mind and stretching your back. Here are some suggestions for asanas:

western stretch (Paschimottanasana),

Mahamudra,

the stork (Uttanasana).

CLOSING POSTURES

Finally, perform closing asanas to relax your body and mind and prepare you for final relaxation. Try the candle (Sarvangasana) then the fish (Matsyasana).

A MOMENT OF RELAXATION THANKS TO THE SAVASANA ASANA

The last step is the final relaxation of yoga in the Savasana position  (posture of the corpse) for at least 5 minutes. This phase is important because it allows you to benefit from the benefits of the yoga session. It’s up to you to choose between meditation in silence, with music, or guided.