Yoga...at home?

Runemist34 started this discussion · 5/6/2011

Hey everyone! I have a little bit of a dilemma. I'm terrible with making time for things, and I would really like to make time in my day for Yoga. I've got books and videos and things, and that's totally fine...but I need a little help! I've had yoga classes and I really enjoy it, but classes are a litte different. I don't have the money or time for them anymore, as I have work and I'm closing most of the time, and I've gotta pay rent and such! So, I like yoga... I just can't find time for it! I don't really know how to make my own "routine," as it were, for it either. How long do I hold poses for, normally? Does anyone here do Yoga by themselves at home that could give me some tips? When do you normally put yoga in your day, and how long should it take? Thanks!

7 replies

VinterVild · 5/6/2011
I don't do yoga but I do a stretch routine every morning. I set the clock half an hour earlier than I would need and get into it. Takes 30-40 mins and is a great way to start the day. As for a yoga routine, check the books and videos. Start with a little, just the Sun salutations a few times and then add more as you go along. If you do too much it is easy to get discourage. I started my morning stretch routine with only two stretches and 10 mins. I hope you get into it! :)
Maria Joao · 5/6/2011
Hi Runemist34 :) Take as little as 15 min a day, just right after you wake up or at lunch or at night. You can do sun salutation once ot twice, and 2/3 asanas per day. For me, it's how it works! I have classes twice a week, but some weeks I can't attend not even once, so I make my class at home, usually at the end of the day, before dinner. It helps me get more relaxed, more energetic also, and the stretches feel quite nice! :)) Don't forget the pranayama, it really is important to get focus. Namaste :)
Mechie · 5/6/2011
I have really tight muscle so I usually try to do 30 min of yoga on days where I don't have pole or yoga class. I'm NOT a morning person so I prefer to do yoga prior to dinner and before my shower. But like you said, it is hard to squeeze it during a weekday, but once you set time for it and stick with it, it'll get easier. Happy Yoga~
dustbunny · 5/6/2011
A typical class is about 90 min. but I know that is unreasonable for most people to do on a daily basis. Some days, all I do is 3 slow sun salutations, it takes less than 10 minutes! If I have more time (or more often than not once I get started I just want to keep going) I will do a couple standing asanas; maybe a sequence of warriors 1,2,3, or high lunges, or triangle. After that is just depends how I feel, or what I want to work on. Maybe I'll work on inversions, or arm balances. When I'm ready to cool down I move to some seated poses and twists. Don't forget Savasana when you're done. As far as how long to hold the poses, every style of yoga is different. Some styles you can hold a pose for 5 minutes! It's not really my thing though, I prefer Vinyasa yoga which means that you flow from one pose to another in sequence. The most I usually hold a pose for is 5-8 breaths, and usually only 1-3. I found www.yogajournal.com very helpful in planning out sequences of asanas becuase you can search poses by category, or even by what it helps with (ie. sciatica) so if something specific is sore or hurting you can build a sequence around it. Start small, 10-15 min a day and see how it goes. Good luck :)
Runemist34 · 5/6/2011
Wow, thanks everyone! I knew that most yoga classes were at least an hour, which is why I wasn't sure if you could really see any benefit (other than the mental benefit!) from it with just 10 minutes a day. But, apparently so ;) I'm not normally a "morning person," as I tend to stay up quite late, and getting up early with my sleep habits is nearly impossible! I don't often sleep well, and even when I do, I just want to stay there forever~ my bed is nice and warm and comfortable, and for those few extra hours, I don't have to bother with the world! However, I always notice that, if I get up early, I feel a lot better all day, I'm less grumpy and I actually tend to sleep better. It's also getting harder to sleep in now, because my blinds suck, and it's totally daylight in my room when the sun comes up! And, well, the husband is a daytimer. He likes to be up by 9am...at least! So, perhaps a little yoga in the morning to wake myself up and get myself going would be really good! It would give me something to look forward to. I'm still getting used to a lot of the names and poses and things, but I've got an awesome book on Hatha yoga, and it talks all about the different poses and focus points and such, as well as categorizing them by type; twists, standing, sitting, etc. Very interested in that website, Dustbunny! Thanks! Anyways, I should stop rambling and get on with it, as there is much housework and pole to do, and I've still got work! I'm feeling accomplished ;) Thanks again, everyone! :)
Yogini · 5/6/2011
Hello Runemist! Yoga is such a great practice, even if you can only squeeze 10-15 minutes a day in. I especially think supplementing pole with yoga is a great idea. Yoga works muscles I miss in pole, and vice versa. Plus it works wonders with flexibility. As a daily routine, I suggest following any/all of the tips in the above posts. My personal practice, when I can't get to a class for a while, is: 5 surya namaskar A; 5 surya namaskar B; a mix of standing poses like the warrior sequences, high lunge, parsvottanasana, triangle, revolved triangle; back bending poses like bridge and wheel; seated forward bends and twists, pigeon pose, wide-legged forward bend; headstand; shoulderstand; plow; fish; savasana. If I'm pressed for time, I only do the 5 rounds of surya A and 5 rounds of surya B. It takes under 10 minutes and gets the heart pumping. At the bare minimum, I suggest 5 rounds of surya A. Aside from the suryas, which move with each breath, I hold each pose for about 5 breaths (longer in forward bends). As Dustbunny suggests, go to yogajournal.com for photos of the poses and how to be in proper alignment in them. Yoga Journal is a really great resource! Sorry if I got too specific! I'm a certified yoga teacher with over 10 years personal practice, so it's kind of a passion, I guess! I don't know much, but I know my yoga :)
Runemist34 · 5/6/2011
Hey Yogini! I'm impressed ;) I like details, so that's totally cool! I still have to learn a lot more about yoga, I think, before I can really feel like I'm doing it properly, such as breathing and what everything is called and all. I went looking for another book to supplement the one I have, and came away appreciating the one I have even more! It's basically everything I was looking for, and I spent a portion of my day at work reading it. It was a slow day ;) I'll check out the website! Thanks so much!