4 Ways to Boost Your Yoga Routine During Quarantine
Yoga is an activity with almost limitless potential for improvement and advancement, which is one of the things that makes it so enriching. However, during the pandemic, it can be easy to get stuck and plateau, which can be really discouraging. Luckily, there are many ways you can switch things up and boost your routine, which will keep you coming back to the mat time and time again.
Get the Right Accessories
You really only need your body and a mat to practice yoga, but accessories can make a big difference in your practice. A block is a great place to start, as is a set of yoga straps: These can help you stretch more in certain positions and provide added support in others, allowing you to maintain those positions more correctly and for a longer period of time. The simple act of holding poses longer can improve your fitness, balance, and focus.
You may also want to try out a few different mats. Not all mats feel the same, with key considerations being thickness, material, stickiness, and texture. For example, PVC and textured yoga mats are best for people with sweaty hands, and thicker mats are ideal for those who need more cushioning on the joints.
Perfect Your Home Yoga Studio
“Studio” may be a slightly grandiose term for your little yoga corner, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put some effort into it. Pick out personally meaningful decorative objects and place them where they can serve as focal points. Get some house plants, which help to purify the air and make a space more soothing. Yoga Baron suggests trying varieties like palms, ferns, and aloe vera.
If you really only have enough floor space for a yoga mat, you can still create ambiance with things like lighting and scents. In fact, several of the top essential oil diffusers on the market also come with changing mood lights, making it super easy to set a certain tone for your practice.
If you’re going to be practicing yoga at home, don’t limit yourself to just adapting your yoga space. Instead, find ways to relieve stress and promote positivity throughout your home. Spend a weekend decluttering and disposing of items you never use. Clean your windows and open the blinds to let in more natural light. These small steps can make it easier to concentrate and stay mindful as you advance in your practice.
Make the Most of Your Teacher
If you’re able to take classes at this time, you should be taking full advantage of having a professional guiding you. Asking for help can be intimidating, but it can also help you nail that pose you’ve been struggling with, or explore a whole new style of yoga. Great subjects to ask about include things like anatomy, potential modifications, and specific details on more abstract concepts that you don’t understand. If you’re concerned about returning to your studio too soon, contact Wellness With Molly to learn more about outdoor yoga events and classes and one-on-one sessions as well.
Also consider whether you’re under the guidance of the right teacher. After all, every teacher has their own style. This goes for online instructors as well. If your studio is closed, you can try a few different online instructors to find your “vibe.”
Practice Regularly
Yoga, like most practices, really benefits from consistency and repetition. There is no “right” number of yoga sessions a week, but One Flow Yoga points out that 3-5 sessions per week can ensure a healthy practice balanced with rest days, especially at the beginning. Some people choose to start there and then expand, but another way to go about things is through a 30-day challenge. These challenges abound online, and can kickstart or revitalize a yoga habit. The daily practice will encourage noticeable effects, which means you'll be on track to keep up the good work when the month ends.
Above all, remember to enjoy your yoga sessions! Yoga shouldn’t be something you force yourself to do, and there are always ways to make things interesting or to adapt your routine to how you’re feeling on a given day. The more you actively try to make yoga fun and engaging, the more you will gain in the long run and stay sane and healthy during these difficult times.
Written by Sheila Johnson
Sheila Johnson left the corporate world and long hours behind to start her own business. She’s seen so much personal success with her health and wellness routine that she wanted to share it with others. By creating WellSheila.net, she hopes that sharing her story will help people put their physical and mental health first.