22 Dec How to Start Your Yoga Practice At Home

Now more than ever, at-home yoga is a fantastic option for moving your body and improving your physical and mental health. Pandemic or not, exercising from the comfort of your home is a convenient option for anyone interested in either giving yoga a try or advancing their practice.

Ready to get moving? In this post, we’re sharing how to start your yoga practice at home.

Create a Comfortable Space

Getting ready for your at-home yoga practice begins with creating a perfect space to exercise. Home gyms are great, but you don’t need a dedicated room or anything fancy. For starters, you’ll want to pick a spot in your home where you have enough room to lay out your yoga mat. Try to select a clean area with minimal clutter – if your yoga space looks nice, you’ll be more likely to use it!

The best at-home yoga spot is a peaceful place that’s free of excessive noise and distractions. If possible, choose an area that has natural light. If natural light isn’t available, consider using adjustable or dimmable lights to create a calm ambiance for yourself. During warmer seasons, you might even consider a quiet patio or balcony.

Choose a Class

With virtual and on-demand yoga classes, VIBE has options for everyone who wants to practice yoga at home.

Streaming a class is the best way to enjoy yoga at home. Whether you’re brand new to yoga or a seasoned yogi, VIBE has a growing library of on-demand yoga classes for you to choose from at any time that works for you. With VIBE On-Demand, you can access a variety of 30, 45, or 60-minute classes, including: 

• VIBE Yoga Flow: Created to connect with breath, move the body, and clear the mind. 
• VIBE Flow: Our signature vinyasa yoga class created to connect with breath, move the body, and clear the mind. 
• VIBE Gentle Flow: A slow pace flow class incorporating gentle stretching and strengthening movements performed in a sequence. 

For those who want to experience a live class, we offer our studio yoga classes virtually! You can tune in and practice along with our instructors and fellow participants from the comfort of your home. Wherever you are on your journey with yoga, VIBE’s virtual and on-demand class offerings have an option that will work for you.

Gather Your Equipment

To enjoy your yoga practice at home, you don’t need shelves of equipment, but you do need a few essential items. 

Yoga Mat

There are a variety of yoga mat options available out there with a range of price points. To help you make the right selection for you, here are a few yoga mat features to consider:

• Texture: Your yoga mat’s texture provides traction for your movements. If you tend to sweat a lot or want to avoid a slippery mat, a raised-texture mat is for you. If you’d prefer a smooth finish, or if raised textures or bumps will be bothersome to you, a slick mat is best.
• Firmness: Softer mats are ideal for cushioning your joints. Mats that are more firm provide stability for more advanced and balanced moves.
• Thickness: Thin mats (1/16 in.) are great for balancing and make it easier to connect with the floor. Thickers mats (¼ in.) are ideal for supporting your back during core work. Mats that are in between (⅛ in.) are an excellent in-between option. 

Yoga Blocks

Yoga blocks are helpful tools for modifying yoga poses and helping you find alignment and balance. They’re available in foam, wood, and cork, which provide different levels of cushioning and support. 

Blocks come in 3-5 in. sizes, with 4 in. blocks being the most commonly used size. You’ll often find that one yoga block will meet your needs during your yoga practice at home. With two blocks on hand, though, you’ll be prepared for any pose or movement that might call for their aid. 

If you’re not sure about investing in yoga blocks, you can use makeshift items in your yoga space at home if you choose. Folded blankets, a stack of books, foam rollers, or even couch cushions can give you a bit of the assistance yoga blocks do. 

Yoga Strap

Setting up your yoga space with the right equipment will help you get the most out of your practice at home.

Yoga straps help you modify poses and are especially useful for helping you explore deeper stretching. Like other equipment, they’re available in a variety of sizes and materials, though longer straps (8ft or longer) are ideal for just about any pose you might do. A strap that features some sort of buckle or closure at the end will let you transform it into a loop, which can also be a useful accessory for your practice. 

Make Time for Yourself

Our lives at home are about as busy as ever right now, with so many of us spending more time in our homes than perhaps ever before. It can be challenging to carve out a window of time to focus on yourself and your health, but doing so will create countless mental and physical benefits. 

Making time to practice yoga at home might be as simple as putting it on your calendar. Mark your dedicated yoga time as “busy” or “out of office.” Make arrangements with your family so that you can commit to 30-60 minutes for yourself. Once you get in the habit of setting that time aside, you’ll be grateful for the mental break it gives you and the health benefits that moving your body provides.

If you’re considering practicing yoga at home, there’s no time like the present! With a dedicated space, a variety of VIBE classes to choose from, the right gear, and some time for yourself, you can start enjoying the benefits of yoga in no time. 

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