Everything you need to know to ignite your yoga journey - so you can build a consistent yoga schedule.
Your Ultimate Guide to Building Your Yoga Flow
Starting your yoga journey is not an easy task. Especially, when you are not sure where to start. If you feel that you are being pulled into multiple directions, you are not alone. We all have been there before. The good think is if even you feel you don't have enough time to practice, this Ultimate guide is for you.
You will learn a simple break down how to create and build you personalized yoga follow that fits into your schedule- No matter how busy or hectic it is. Let's get started...
Discover Your Why and How Much time You will Invest
You need to figure out why you want to practice. This will help you have focal point, and a purpose to practice. Knowing what you want to achieve and why you want to practice yoga will help get you put a plan in place to use with any schedule. Then think about how much time are you willing to invest to achieve this goal. Will you invest 15 minutes, 20 minutes, or 60 minutes? Knowing this will help you pick key poses to help you stay within the timeframe you set for yourself.
Step#1: Prep Your Mind and Body: Your Yoga Warm Ups
This is where you set your warm up. here you will pick mild yoga poses that effectively warm up your body to prep you for the rest of your yoga practice
Your options:
Stand in Mountain Pose and hold for 5-10 breaths while you set your intention for your yoga practice.
Shoulder rotations: Rolling up and back 5 times then rolling up and forward 5 times
Hip circles: Rotating to the right and all the way around 5 times then go in reverse 5 times
Seated or standing neck rolls: Looking towards your left shoulder then look to your right shoulder slowly for 3 rounds as you inhale and exhale
Cat & Cow Stretches: Starting on all fours, as you inhale into your cat pose and exhale into your cow pose 6 deep breaths
Depending on how much time you have to practice yoga. You can pick one or more of the following from this step to start then proceed to the next step. Feel free to just do your favorite warm up here.
Step #2: Movement: Energize the body
This section will give you some ideas how to get the blood in your body flowing
Your options:
1. Sun Salutations A or B or Both for 2-5 rounds
2. Warrior flow: Going from Warrior I to 4 for 2-5 rounds
3. Mountain pose to kneeling or low lunge for 2- 5 rounds
4. Downward facing dog to planks for 2-5 rounds
5. Standing knee to chest for 2-5 rounds
6. Chair pose to a twisted chair pose 2-5 times for each side
Depending on how much time you have to practice yoga. You can pick one or more of the following from this step to start then proceed to the next step. Feel free use poses that you are use to for this section.
Step #3: Challenge Yourself: Step out of your comfort zone
This section you can focus on working on poses that you either avoid or find challenging
The key with poses from this section is your hold. Try to go with a range of 30 seconds to 1 minute. For a longer practice increase your rounds.
Your options:
Eagle Pose & Tree Pose
Side Planks & High Planks
Goddess Squat & Low Squat
Camel Pose & Fish Pose
Pyramid & Lizard Pose
Crow Pose & Boat Pose
Depending on how much time you have to practice yoga. You can pick one or more of the following from this step to start then proceed to the next step.
Step #4: Restore & Recover - Cool it down
Now it is time to prepare the body to relax
The key with poses from this section is your hold. Try to go with a range of 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Your options:
Pigeon Pose - Hip opener
Seated or Reclined Bound Angle pose (or both)
Easy pose or Half Lotus
Happy Baby Pose
Firelog Pose
Knee to chest pose (repeat with each leg)
Depending on how much time you have to practice yoga. You can pick one or more of the following from this step to start then proceed to the next step.
Step 5: Meditate
Now it is time to connect with your mind
The key with poses from this section is your hold. Try to go with a range of 1 -5 minutes.
Your options:
Seated Easy Pose
Half Lotus or Full Lotus Pose (Advanced)
Corpose Pose
Depending on how much time you have to practice yoga. You can pick one or more of the following from this step and hold it for 8 deep breaths or more.
There you have it. Once you feel that you want to increase the length of your yoga flow, you can repeat your routine from steps 2-4, add on to your yoga routine or try holding each pose a little longer.
The key is you create a foundation routine that you can add/subtract from based on your needs and schedule.
Don't forget to have fun!
If you enjoyed these steps for Building your Yoga Flow to fit your schedule and would like to practice and learn more routines, while you have access to group support and more....
Then you will enjoy my Practice with Purpose 7-week Yoga Program.
Join so we can Breathe Flow & Grow together!
