PERKS OF YOGA AT HOME
The biggest benefit to practicing yoga at home is that you can maintain physical and mental health at a time that fits your schedule. Having your yoga mat at home makes it easy to hop into a flow and find peace of mind when you need it most. If you follow one of the many yoga tutorials on YouTube, then you can find what styles of yoga you like best—and save money while you’re at it. If you don’t have yoga props, you can easily make your own at home. Use a rolled-up towel, blanket or pillow as a yoga bolster and a solid object about four inches high as a yoga block. A timer is useful to ensure you’re holding poses for the right amount of time. A quality mat helps your practice, but to get started, you can always begin on a forgiving surface like carpet or a soft blanket.
HOW TO DO YOGA AT HOME
• SET YOUR ZONE
At home, it can be difficult to get in a workout mood. Find an area where you can lay out a mat and have enough space to extend each pose without knocking anything over. Find some music that makes you happy, spray some aromatherapy, or light a candle to help you relax into your space.
• GET YOUR EQUIPMENT READY
A yoga mat gives cushioning and traction for your body. If you don’t have a yoga mat, try practicing on carpet or a rug with non-slip padding underneath. Have your props beside your mat.
• GET INTO COMFY CLOTHES
Whether it’s fitted leggings or loose sweatpants, wear whatever you’re most comfortable in. Check out our selection of yoga clothes for practicing yoga at home.
• CHOOSE YOUR YOGA STYLE
There are many different types of yoga workouts, and it’s all about finding what you like the most. If you’ve never done yoga before, Hatha yoga is a great place to start. Read our descriptions of a few popular styles, choose a video to follow, and begin your practice.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF YOGA
Yoga is different for everyone, and there are rarely two sessions that feel exactly the same. Whether you want an active, sweaty session or a slow, relaxing class, there are many different types of yoga to try out. Below, we’ve described a few popular types of yoga and poses to get you started. When you become a student of yoga, you’ll start coming across many more styles.
HATHA YOGA
Hatha yoga moves at a gentle pace and is designed to align and calm your body, mind and soul. Unlike Vinyasa or power yoga, Hatha style isn’t meant to be a sweaty workout, but you’ll still find similarities between the poses. You’ll recognize common poses like warrior II, downward dog, triangle pose and more, but the goal of a Hatha class is to focus on channeling your breathing and energy throughout each posture.
RESTORATIVE YOGA
Restorative yoga is a calming, static class where you are encouraged to be 100% comfortable. No active stretch is happening in a typical restorative yoga class, and you hold poses for up to 20 minutes, restoring your inner health and wellbeing. It is a meditative class that allows your muscles and mind to melt into harmonious relaxation, which helps with stress reduction. Lots of props are used in an in-studio restorative class, so if you choose to do this style at home, make sure you have a calm, quiet space with blankets, pillows and blocks, and a timer or a video guide to keep your session on track.
VINYASA YOGA
A popular class offered at many yoga studios and online classes, Vinyasa yoga is a great style for everyone, from people just starting out to yogis who’ve been practicing for years. It’s good for active people who like an energetic pace because this style is designed to generate heat within the body and break a sweat. Every class offers a new sequence, using breath and movement to flow through each pose, making for an invigorating session. Work up to this type of practice by checking out our article on Yoga for Beginners to see detailed instructions on how to do the poses below.
Poses that are common in Vinyasa yoga flows are:
Side plank
Warrior II
Chair
For a full Vinyasa flow, try this 30-minute Yoga for Runners workout with trainer Ida May.
FAQ
TIPS FOR BEGINNING YOGA AT HOME
1. START SMALL AND BUILD FLEXIBILITY
Everybody is different, so try not to compare yourself to what you think yoga should look like (another great perk of practicing yoga at home). If you can’t reach your toes, that’s perfectly okay. The more you practice, the more your body and mind will open up each session.
2. MAKE YOUR OWN PROPS
Props are helpful for all levels of yoga. They support your body and help with relaxation and balance in poses. Common props are yoga blocks and bolsters, which you can recreate at home with rolled up towels, pillows and blankets.
3. FIND YOUR STYLE
With over eight different styles of yoga, the form you like depends on what you’re looking for. Whether you’re wanting an active strength workout, deep stretch, or mind-body restoration, try a few formats to see what you like best.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IN STUDIO YOGA VS. AT HOME YOGA
The main difference between in-studio yoga and at-home yoga is practicing in isolation. By setting up a routine at home, you can stay motivated and experience the same feelings of connectivity, kindness and mindfulness that in-studio yoga teaches. Plus, you can move at your own pace and comfort level—whether it’s by streaming classes or using a timer to keep you on track.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I PRACTICE YOGA AT HOME?
If you’re just starting out, try doing an hour of yoga two or three times a week. This will get you used to the movements, increase your flexibility and relax your mind. Remember, yoga is what you make of it, so even doing child’s pose every day for 15 minutes will have many benefits for your body, mind and soul.
WORKOUTS TO TRY AT HOME
Yoga methods like breathing, alignment, stretching and mindfulness can be used throughout all kinds of workouts. Although the workouts listed below are not traditional yoga flows, they use yoga philosophies and techniques that you might enjoy trying at home.
30-minute Yoga for Runners workout
Hip flexibility flow with Ida May
8-minute Gentle Pilates Flow with Isa-Welly
10-minute Pilates Workout with Lottie Murphy
7-minute Guided Meditation for Mindful Breathing with Alli Simon
We love getting inspired by everyone’s home workouts, so be sure to share your at-home yoga set-up with us by tagging #HOMETEAM @adidas or @adidaswomen on Instagram and Twitter.