Yoga: How To Be Flexible (on and off the mat)

Yoga has always been something I wanted to get into, a hobby that I’ve always wanted to develop. Unfortunately I’ve never been very flexible (with exercise or with my time), and so after a few years of trial and error, I thought I’d share my tips for those of you who want to start practicing yoga. 

The first thing that’s important to know is the origin; which can be traced to northern India over 5,000 years ago. At its core, it is a spiritual discipline that focuses on bringing harmony to mind and body. I thought that yoga was a few stretches every morning, but it is so much more than that. This blog isn’t about the history so much as the present, but if you have a spare few minutes I would really recommend some research. 

So we’ve established that it’s more than some exercises, now let’s get into fitting it into your schedule. Whether you’re juggling a thousand jobs or sticking to schoolwork, fitting in a hobby and actually sticking to it can be really difficult. One of my biggest issues when starting yoga was continuing it, so here are my top three tips when adding it to your calendar: 

-Be realistic; we all want to say we will dedicate an hour to exercise everyday but realistically work and life gets in the way. I personally recommend starting between 15-20 minutes everyday when you wake up. It’s no longer than a short tv programme and you should still feel the benefits. 

-Start your day right! Yoga can be a great way to wind down in the evenings, but I think it’s the best way to start your day. Within minutes of getting up you’ve done something productive, and that’s something everyone can be proud of. 

-Write it down! Write it down, type it, add it to your reminders. Make it a permanent part of your calendar. Believe me, this is the best way to stick to anything. It’s so much easier to skip something that’s not concrete- so make it concrete!

So now you’ve got the time slot booked in; what are you going to start your first session with? Not to be lazy but I’ll start with a recommendation- “Gotta Yoga”. Don’t get me wrong, almost any app will do, but if you’re a beginner like me I would really recommend downloading an app or watching some introductory videos to get you started. Having someone professional and experienced to run you through the poses can prevent injury and make the sessions a lot more useful for your mind and body. Remember that the goal is to harmonise, and there’s no harm in getting a little help (pun intended). 

My favourite beginners move would have to be sun salutations- these are great to get started with. They are a nice and simple move that force you to become one with your body, the Gotta Yoga app has a brilliant tutorial for this move and so many others.