Getting Prepared to Exercise
At-home yoga is one of the best ways to get started with a yoga practice, but since the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s essential for any beginner or expert yogi. Beginners can get comfortable with the movements in the comfort of their own home, practicing when it is convenient for them.
Once you have been practicing for a while, though, you may start to feel like your at-home yoga practice isn’t challenging enough.
Try some of these tools and tips, courtesy of David Dummett, to upgrade your practice and find new motivation to keep things going if you’re not comfortable returning to your in-person practice.
9 Ways to Upgrade Your At-Home Yoga Practice
Get Straps
Straps are one of the simplest yoga accessories out there, and they are also one of the most effective. A strap is particularly useful for building flexibility, allowing you to safely go deeper on several stretches. Straps can be used to enhance traditional yoga poses like staff pose and half pyramid pose, but also less conventional stretches like the posture backpack and head hammock.
Buy a Yoga Bolster
If you haven’t experimented with restorative yoga at home yet, this is definitely something to try. This type of yoga is slow, relaxing, and mindful, using passive stretching and only a handful of poses. You can use a pillow or blanket for many of the poses, but nothing does the trick quite like a yoga bolster. Investing in one is the ultimate way to commit to a calm, restorative practice.
Try an Advanced Pose
Ever fantasized about being able to do those impossible-looking poses you see on Instagram? Do You Yoga has some great advice on moving on to advanced yoga poses, starting with the importance of regular practice. You should also focus on doing whatever part of the pose you can do at any given time, and building things up slowly. It takes time, but it’s enormously satisfying to note your progress.
Invest In Yoga Clothes
The beauty of at-home yoga is that you can do it in your pajamas or old sweatpants, and you should absolutely continue to do so if that’s what’s comfortable. However, you may find that investing in some nice new gear gets you more excited about your practice. Some of the best yoga brands out there include Lululemon, Joah Brown, JoyLab, and Girlfriend Collective.
Use Your TV
This may seem like a given, but you’d be surprised how many people are using tiny laptop and smartphone screens to guide them in their at-home practice. Invest in something that allows you to livestream yoga classes directly to your TV in crisp high quality, like a streaming media player. Before purchasing a device, compare the latest models to see what’s affordable and compatible with your television.
Download a New Yoga App
There are countless great yoga apps out there, which means that there’s always something new to explore. Downloading a new app can help you get out of your usual routines and poses and get some new perspective and advice. If your older tablet or smartphone can’t handle these newer apps, consider upgrading your device. You can find savings by trading in for last year’s model or even previously owned devices.
Buy a Better Mat
Chances are that when you started out, you just bought a basic cheap mat to get you started. Now that you’re a more experienced yogi, you may want to upgrade.
Some things to consider when buying a new mat include thickness, texture, length, material, and budget. Think about what you like and dislike about your current mat to help guide you, and read reviews before buying a new mat online.
Take It Outside
This may not be available to everyone, but if you do have a space in your yard where you can practice safely, taking your practice outside can give you a great boost. According to Shape, outdoor yoga is great for getting you out of a rut.
Improve Your Interior Space
If you can’t practice yoga outside or want to make your interior space more comfortable for yoga, consider some methods of making your home more inviting, such as getting rid of clutter or sprucing up your decor with live plants or flowers.
Unique pieces of natural art, like calming amethyst crystals, a perfect way to decorate your at-home yoga space. Making these kinds of improvements renders the space more welcoming, inviting you to practice.
The Wrap Up
There is something special about cultivating your own at-home practice. Whenever you feel like you are hitting a wall, make an effort to switch things up. This will keep your practice fresh and exciting until you can return to the studio while giving you a strong foundation to improve.
This article is brought to you by David Dummett, an NASM Certified Personal Trainer whose mission is to implement and develop advanced and effective personal training services for his clients. For more information about David’s services, contact him today!
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