When this pandemic started, I committed to only doing to types of at-home work-outs that I really WANTED to do. For the most part, it’s been walking and yoga until recently, when I added in some strength training.
I’m happy to report that I’ve averaged 4 yoga sessions each week since April, which is my most successful workout streak of all time!! I wish I could tell you there’s some secret to this, but the truth is, I do it because it feels good, it helps me sleep better, helps me manage my shoulder pain, and most of all, I can measure changes in my practice.
It doesn’t hurt that I’ve managed to create a little sanctuary in my office for my practice, and today I want to talk about a few things that can help build a consistent yoga practice.
Pick an instructor
At the beginning of the pandemic there were a lot of free yoga classes on Instagram - some were live, other were saved on IGTV, but it’s generally not difficult to find some back catalogs. These days, there are live yoga events available via eventbrite or at your local studio, or you can pick free yoga instructors on YouTube. Personally, I’m subscribed to Alo Moves - I like it because the instructors go deep into the correct alignment and provide lots of technical training. Alo Moves also offers a number of skills classes that have been tremendously helpful in elevating my practice.
Pick a yoga mat
You don’t need a lot of room to do yoga, but having a little bit of space to move your arms and legs is helpful. If you’re a beginner, you can get away with buying your mat at Target, or Amazon on TJ Maxx, but if you’re ready to commit to a practice, having a really nice mat makes a big difference. I have a LOLE yoga mat in my car for practices outside my home, which I really like, mostly because it’s bright yellow. After a couple of months of a regular in-home practice, I treated myself to a SUGARMAT Suede mat which makes the whole experience so luxurious. It’s such an indulgence, but the suede feels so nice under my feet!!! That said, I don’t take this mat outside my house.
The optional accessories
You can improvise everything else you might need - using a towel as a strap, and some books instead of a yoga block, but if you decide you want to invest in these pieces, I strongly recommend cork yoga blocks over foam ones - yes they are harder, but that’s helpful when you’re using them to push off or properly align your body.
Yoga blankets can also be helpful to give you a slight hip elevation so you can bend deeper in seated folds. Any blanket will do, but if you choose to buy the Mexican falsa blankets that are popular in yoga studios, please consider buying them responsibly.
The luxurious extras
Speakers: I typically connect my phone to my mini jambox so I can stream my favorite playlist while I receive my instruction via my laptop, but any speaker you already own will do just fine.
Candle: Completely unnecessary but they add just a nice ambiance to the practice. Just remember to blow them out when you’re done! More on my favorite candles here!
Yoga bolster: Again, unnecessary, but very nice to have, especially if you’re ready to try restorative yoga.
Plants or fresh flowers: bring a little bit of the outdoors inside.
As I mentioned previously, you don’t need a whole lot to get started with a practice. I used some of these purchases as rewards for a sustained practice and help keep my consistently on the mat!
What are you doing for your at-home workouts? Yoga? Peleton