Yoga for Beginners at Home – The Most Complete Guide

For beginners, yoga could boost physical and mental wellbeing.

There are infinite benefits and advantages to starting yoga at home.

If you think yoga is difficult, you might change your mind after reading this beginner’s guide.

There are many other types of exercise, like aerobics, but yoga allows you to practice calming your body and mind.

Advertisement

While yoga is a great asset in our lives, unfortunately, not everyone has access to a studio. One reason for this is that there may not be enough time available to complete the whole process in the gym.

Maybe there is a financial problem, or you do not have a physical gym near you, or occasionally, you are not interested in being in a room full of strangers.

If you want to start yoga at home as a beginner, then these instructions are just for you!

If you have any thoughts like:

• What if I am overweight?

• Will a program be flexible enough for me?

• Do I have enough strength for the exercises?

• What if there is a balance problem and I do not have strength in my fingers?

Well…

Do yourself a favor and leave these thoughts out of your mind.

It does not matter how flexible you are, or if you are overweight.

Do not worry if you do not have balance or strength, or if just walking up to the car makes you gasp.

It does not matter at all!

What is yoga?

Yoga is an exercise for the body and mind and is an ancient technique.

It combines the physical postures (the practice of Asana) with spiritual and mental elements.

It aims to strengthen the body and to bring self-discipline, sharpness of mind, and spiritual clarity. Not only that, but it helps a lot in the balance of our body by increasing flexibility, muscle endurance, and strength, through specific postures.

There is a long history and philosophy behind yoga, but in the modern Western world, the term “yoga” is mainly associated with the natural practice of Asana.

There are hard yogis out there who discourage this Western approach.

They claim we should not use yoga simply as an exercise or a workout.

For me, yoga is both a physical and mental workout. It makes me sweat, move, and feel much better about my body while relaxing my mind.

Yoga for me is also a meditation.

It’s a powerful meditation where I need not think about anything.

In yoga, you can practice your mind more or engage in daily meditation practice for relaxation.

Yoga for beginners or not, is terrific!

The beauty of this exercise is that it allows you to choose what is right for your body, rather than what is right for somebody else’s.

Why choose yoga instead of another type of exercise?

Although this is a particularly good question, I would rather ask you – why not?

Even if you choose yoga as a purely physical exercise, its benefits, and advantages, over other types of exercise are endless.

It is an excellent workout that calms the mind, helps increase flexibility, improves posture, and enhances endurance throughout the body.

Yoga can help us lose weight, balance our metabolism, burn fat, and shape the body. Especially, if you combine yoga with detox smoothies.

Yoga can also be extremely beneficial for mental health, even if you only do it for 15 minutes.

It is more of a mind-body exercise because it uses breathing to induce calmness. It removes physical and mental stress and results in peaceful thoughts, which allow easy focus and energy throughout the day.

I have benefited from yoga’s mental advantages, even more than the physical benefits.

It has helped me lose weight in recent years while improving my flexibility, posture, strength, and endurance.

The way my body feels after yoga exercises are unique.

Mental yoga reduces stress and makes me feel less anxious while helping me to think more clearly.

An advantage I desperately need to write my articles.

Can We Lose Weight with Yoga at Home?

Of course, we can!

Even the simplest style of yoga has a remarkable ability to make everything, in our lives, a little easier.

Including weight loss.

A person who weighs 150 pounds (68.04 kg) could burn 150 calories in an hour if he regularly does yoga, compared to about 300 calories for an hour of walking.

However, yoga is a powerful exercise, and many professionals find that yoga can help us lose extra pounds.

Specific postures, such as the Baddha Konasana (Cobbler’s pose) posture, are also designed to reduce thigh body fat.

Note: Avoid this posture if you are menstruating or have a knee injury.

The most important thing about yoga at home is its additional benefits. (1)

First, doing yoga, we are making a deeper and more substantial work in our mentality. We do positive work in our thoughts, in reducing stress, and in calming the mind after exercise.

Through yoga, the mind works by helping in weight loss, since it identifies and fights the causes of the problem.

These causes could be stress, low self-esteem, depression, sadness, or even gluttony.

What a beginner should pay attention to, before starting yoga?

Yoga for beginners, especially at home, maybe considered a difficult exercise, but it is not.

However, by doing yoga, you should not expect spectacular results from the beginning.

You should not for any reason insist on doing a difficult exercise or one that your body cannot stand.

By insisting, you can injure a nerve or even get frustrated.

You need to give your body time to adjust, avoid pushing it to the extremes, and have patience. You will be asked to do things with your body you may not have done before.

Take your time and be polite to your body.

When you feel a suffering tissue or muscle, stop doing this specific exercise.

Important tips before you start yoga for beginners at home

1. Watch the selected video first.
Especially, watch the whole workout and study all the exercises and warnings mentioned before you start Asana exercises.

2. Consult your doctor.
The tips in each video are not a substitute for medical advice.
If you are pregnant or have had any medical problems or injuries in the past, ask your doctor first.
Additionally, be cautious and ask your doctor if there is any other condition that can be adversely affected by exercise, such as neck or back problems, high blood pressure, etc.
Not all exercises are suitable for everyone.

3. Listen to your body.
To get the most benefits and reduce the chances of injury, always listen carefully to your body.
This is the most important thing!
Keep moving just as fast as YOU can do, without straining or overloading your muscles.

4. Do not use force.
You should never force your body to take any position you see in a video or picture.
Nor should you allow someone else (even a yoga teacher) to do it to your body.

5. Never compete with others.
A competitive attitude or trying to impress others can cause you many problems.
It may cause you to stretch or twist more than you should, causing injury.

6. Be responsible.
Oversee your well-being, so you never hold postures that make you feel uncomfortable.
Find the limits of your limitations and stop any yoga pose when needed.

7. Do not push yourself.
If you feel any stinging or pain during an exercise, stop standing immediately and rest.
Stop the exercise if you feel weak or tired.
As you build your strength, you will be able to hold the postures longer.
If you also feel numbness in your arms or legs, get out of the position immediately and consult your doctor.

Yoga for beginners – Health issues and breathing

8. Menstruation.
Avoid yoga exercises at home that lift your pelvis higher than your heart.
This is important to avoid interfering with the natural flow of blood.
Avoid postures that make you feel uncomfortable and those that stretch or squeeze your abdomen strongly.

9. High blood pressure, heart, and circulation problems.
Ask your doctor if and how you can practice and do any breathing techniques safely.
Make no upside-down positions where the head is below the heart.
Do not do intense postures that increase the heart rate.

10. Top-down stops.
Successful postures of some exercises require you to have a strong and flexible neck, but also a strong and flexible back.
Practice these postures only if you can do them without pressure.
Do not do them if you have problems with your neck, shoulder, or back, or previous injuries in these areas.

11. Do not exceed your limits.
If your back, shoulders, arms, and wrists are not strong enough or if your back is not flexible enough, do not push yourself to do such exercises.
If you exceed your limits, you may be injured.

12. Breathing exercises.
While breathing techniques can be very beneficial, they can also have negative consequences if used improperly or if you have health problems.
Avoid them if you have heart or circulation problems (blood pressure).
Avoid yoga if you are over three months pregnant or if you have any other health problems that could be worsened by such techniques.
If doubt occurs, consult your doctor before applying the exercises.

13. Be careful with your breathing.
Do not hold your breath longer than you are comfortable.
When you release the breath, you should be able to take the next breath slowly and with self-control.
Stop breathing if you feel any negative physical or mental effects.

What kind of yoga should I start at home with, as a beginner?

The best yoga for beginners is Hatha Yoga.

Hatha is a general term.

Any style of yoga that teaches natural postures is, technically, Hatha Yoga.

Hatha Yoga is a light, gentle, and friendly exercise for beginners, wherein every exercise we pay attention to our breathing.

It’s a good choice regardless of your goals.

It does not matter if by doing yoga you want to deal with depression, back pain, or lose weight. You will learn all the basic postures, and you will enjoy all the benefits that yoga offers us.

When you get stronger, you may decide that you want to do some harder exercises.

Once you are familiar with this practice, you can proceed to Vinyasa or Ashtanga yoga. These are Hatha-based yoga styles, but they offer us much more than a sweaty workout!

Advertisement

What it takes to start yoga at home as a beginner

Yoga for beginners should be a pleasure.

All you need to start yoga at home are:

• A yoga suit.

• A yoga pillow and,

• A little space.

You need only these three things for starting!

Really!

You can even skip the yoga pillow and just use your rug or carpet.

Be careful of slippery floors and avoid pressuring the carpet as they may burn your hands.

If you have an old exercise mat, use this one.

When you are a beginner, there is no reason to invest in an expensive yoga pillow.

You do not even know if yoga is the exercise you want!

Although, I’m convinced you will make sure that yoga is amazing when you see the positive effects on your body and mind.

Once you see the benefits of this exercise, it is worth investing in a good yoga pillow that is sticky and firm, since this will make you feel safe.

You do not need a massive space to do yoga.

Even a small room is enough!

However, exercising in a tiny room can be annoying, but not impossible.

The most important thing is that you have a calm, comfortable, and safe place to practice yoga.

What exactly should I wear to do yoga at home?

Clothes with which to feel comfortable.

Some sweatpants could get too hot, especially if you do more intense exercise.

Yoga Burn Program Review – A Detailed Guide for Women!

If you have large breasts, you need something that is specifically designed for fitness, such as a sports bra. Just for better and correct support of the chest.

What is the best time for yoga?

The best time to do yoga is whenever YOU feel good about it.

Whenever you have time and you feel comfortable about your body.

Many people like to exercise in the morning.

For example, in Ashtanga yoga, practicing early in the morning, six days a week is ideal.

However, not everyone has the time to do yoga, shower, and prepare breakfast before work. It is especially difficult if you have children who must go to school.

Therefore, practice at times that work perfectly for you and your lifestyle.

What should I eat before and after yoga at home?

You can also do yoga on an empty stomach.

Nevertheless, exercising with low energy will make you feel lethargic and weak, as in any fitness program.

Having an empty stomach, you will not get the most out of the exercise, and this can be very frustrating.

I recommend eating a light snack like fruit, especially a banana, about an hour or two before yoga. Fruits are always an excellent choice.

After yoga, drink plenty of water and eat a healthy meal or snack.

You know your body better.

Listen to it!

What if I do something wrong and get injured?

Many insist you should do yoga with a teacher to avoid injuries.

The choice is yours, but be careful and follow the abovementioned basic rules.

I will just emphasize again:

• Listen to your body!

If you are being hurt, it is not funny anymore!

You know when you feel good, what hurts, and what is uncomfortable.

It makes sense to feel uncomfortable in some postures. Especially initially.

The inconvenience is logical, the real pain is not.

If you experience pain, stop.

The great thing about yoga is that you can always modify exercises. Let your body take its time and stop pushing yourself.

• Feel comfortable on your knees.

This is always important, and especially when you are a beginner.

Knee injuries are painful but common.

Use common sense.

Do not mistake the exercises or make any hand-only balances.

Do not do anything that harms your precious body.

Are you ready to start yoga at home?

If you think you do not have a proper awareness of your body, it makes sense to start in a yoga studio or gym.

In a studio, you can get personal guidance from a yoga teacher and be more confident than yoga exercises at home!

Especially as a beginner!

Buying a good-quality yoga mat will make you feel safer.

It is more than necessary to prevent any injuries.

If you are doing yoga on an unstable mattress, you know how you feel when you are constantly sliding down.

Preparing your yoga mat every night would be an excellent way to remember your fitness routines.

Watching the yoga mat waiting for you every morning, will act as a positive reinforcement for your practice.

You can also place it near your front door, so you can see it every time you enter your home and every time you leave. This is a clever psychological trick to ensure that yoga stays in your mind, even when you feel tired!

Yoga for beginners – Do yoga for a few days a week.

Observe your body and how you feel physically and mentally.

I am certain you would love to continue in the coming weeks! 🙂

Last thoughts on yoga for beginners at home

Have you ever tried yoga at home, or do you prefer exercising at a studio/gym? Do you like the yoga feeling, or do you just prefer other types of exercise?

Please leave your comment below and any other tips I forgot to mention.

I wish you good luck and be always well!