Tips on maintaining a regular yoga practice?
I love yoga, I really do. And every time I end a class or video I feel like a million dollars.
But I have the hardest time motivating myself to actually practice. It's so much easier to just sit around, watch tv, play on the computer, sleep, eat, etc. etc.
And my doctor says if I spend my time doing anything, I should be getting some cardio and that yoga is nice but not enough.
I need motiviation. Help!
Tags: motivation, yoga
Views: 9
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Kathy Cofrancesco on -
Maybe this sounds awful, but I do a lot of yoga while watching TV! And I relax a lot! It's better than not doing it at all. I just wouldn't watch something like CSI. Actually, a yoga teacher I had once told me that's how he got started. You can't do it perfectly all the time.
-
Permalink Reply by Regina Marie Delfino on -
What an interesting solution! Yoga + The Bachelor. Seems sacrilege, but hey, I'll give it a whirl!
-
Permalink Reply by Chad DesMarteau on -
ooo.. that's a tough one. I deal with that same problem all the time. Its surprising how hard it to dedicate just 1 hour or so to doing something that's truly good for yourself. Though I think that if you can just push yourself to practice just 3 or 4 days in a row, or schedule some time out of your busy week to dedicate to yoga, you'll be able to get in the habit of it and it can grow from there. Its a lot like when you go to the gym one day after the other.. you eventually feel as though you NEED to do it because its an essential part of your day, much like the need to eat, sleep, work, etc.
-
Permalink Reply by Shann Sagles on -
I know exactly how you feel, but at the same time, for me, the best yoga classes are the ones I really did not want to attend for the same reasons you gave, but went to anyway. It's all about how much the practice means to you and the intention you set for yourself once you're in class. I think the best way to maintain a regular practice is to go to a studio and try to attend 2-3x per week. The rationale is to establish a routine, plus, it's so much more motivating to practice around the same/different folks (humans are social creatures!) than to do so solely at home where distractions galore exist! In addition, make the practice different for you where you go for peace of mind (restorative yoga) or as a power workout (a good ashtanga practice). A practice such as a power vinyasa, perhaps in a heated room, should also address the need for cardio. You get all aspects of the practice from maintaining great focus and discipline to strengthening and toning one's body, as well as getting a good sweat going! So get out there and practice! Namaste!
-
Permalink Reply by Lorien Neargarder on -
Some tips for starting or maintaining a home practice:
1) Do your yoga in bed, before you get up. I know that as soon as I rise and greet my family, their needs are going to trump mine; call it whatever you want, but if I take care of myself first, I can handle everyone else much better. If you want to know poses you can do in bed, let me know.
2) If possible, leave your yoga props out and ready to go; if you have to unroll, unpack or hunt anything down, it will discourage you. If you can't leave everything out, try stashing certain props inconspicuously around the house - ex: eye pillow by the bed, block near the tv, mat near a favorite wall, etc. I have props all around the house and will spontaneously move into a pose sometimes just because I see them.
3) Set an attainable goal; maybe a 60-minute practice isn't realistic, so shoot for 15 minutes. Practice just a few poses. Chances are, you'll want to do more once you get down there and feel how good it is. I once heard some advice about setting routines that I always follow: make the goals simple and attainable; if you are trying to get better at flossing your teeth, let's say, set a goal to floss 1 tooth a day. You'll find that you can attain that goal, and even exceed it!
4) Be consistent, but allow for exceptions. If you can set aside a specific time of the day, that's best, but if your schedule fluctuates, try to go with it and get in your yoga when you can.
5) If you are going to join a class, try joining with a buddy so that you can motivate each other. That really works! Here in the SF Bay Area, there are lots of people on craigslist.org looking for "workout partners". (I'm hoping that's really what they mean and that the phrase isn't a euphemism :-)
6) Subscribe to a journal or web service that inspires you to practice - whether that is the physical yoga or breathing or meditation. There are times when my practice feels stale and I'll pull out a yoga magazine or poke around on some of the yoga teacher's websites I haunt and suddenly I'm interested again.
I hope that helps. ~Namaste.
-
Permalink Reply by Liz Lawler on -
1) get up early.
2) have faith.
3) "do your practice, all is coming" (again: have FAITH).
4) forgive yourself when you just hit the sooze button and re-set your intention for tomorrow.
5) 15 minutes consistently is better than 60 minutes once a month.
6) cardio can be yoga, so if your doctor is pushing that on you, that's fine: just take the cardio time to focus on your breath, your form; move slowly and with skillful action.
© 2013 Created by Yoga Bear.
