How to Build a Strong Foundation and Progress Your Practice

Maybe you're new to yoga, and wanting to reap some of the benefits you keep hearing about. Perhaps you’ve been practicing yoga for a while and you’re experiencing an “is that all there is?” moment. Maybe you find your yoga practice falling behind in your list of priorities and becoming inconsistent. Whatever the reason, we’ve got you.

Creating the habit of a regular yoga practice and then sticking with it can be a challenge. These days we're busier than ever, and tethered to our devices 24/7. And since the pandemic, we’ve taken on additional responsibilities, from teaching kids to cooking more meals at home. And many of the cues we used to rely on to tell you it's time for yoga - studio membership, the routines of changing into yoga clothes, driving to the class, and meeting with fellow students - are out the window since many studios have closed due to the pandemic. With so many changes and distractions, getting in the habit of putting yourself first can be hard.

So how do you recharge your practice and make sure it gets the attention it deserves? Read on for tips to help you make the commitment to cultivating a consistent and satisfying yoga practice.

• Join a Challenge

Studies have shown that it takes approximately three weeks to create a new habit. If you can stick with your routine for 21 days, you have an excellent chance of incorporating your new habit into your daily life. Our challenges are designed to establish a routine, progress your practice over a series of days or weeks, and create an immersive experience. You can join a challenge at any time and unlock a series of classes that are designed to be taken consecutively on a daily basis. We also include relevant tips and suggestions to keep you on track with each particular challenge.

• Make it Special

Turn off notifications on your devices when you’re practicing. Make a playlist of favorite songs or find a relaxing mix of nature sounds to accompany your practice. Ask family members to consider your yoga time as “out of office”. Invest in a few new pieces of exercise wear to reward yourself for making your physical and mental health a priority. Ritualizing sends a message to yourself that your practice is more than just another item to check off your to-do list.

• Automate Your Practice

We automate our savings so that making a deposit directly from a paycheck is a hands-free no-brainer. This tactic works for exercise, too. Download an app, add a reminder, or have an accountability buddy to help you stay on track and make bailing last-minute out of the question.

• Keep it Short and Sweet

If you’re finding that time is the stumbling block, Yoga Anytime offers short flow classes and bite-sized meditations that can help you get your practice in even when you don’t have a lot of time.

• Switch it Up

If you’re needing a little more zip in your practice, pump up the level of intensity or difficulty with one of our intermediate or advanced classes. Trying a new-to-you style of yoga like Ashtanga or Kundalini can rekindle your interest in yoga by looking at it through a different lens.

• Visit the Beginners Center

Yoga Anytime has a Beginner's Center to help you start and progress a yoga practice. Our beginner series includes Start Yoga, a six-week course to get you acclimated to a yoga practice, Welcome to Yoga, perfect whether you are coming back after a while, or simply like the pace or tone of a basic class, and Flow Sweet Flow, which will help you develop a solid yoga foundation with detailed alignment cues. You’ll learn the shapes and postures that appear again and again and learn how to ensure that you’re practicing safely. You’ll also build confidence and acquire skills that will support you along your yoga journey.

• Join Us LIVE

With many studios either permanently closed or on hiatus due to the pandemic, live-streamed sessions are the next best thing. Our live classes replicate the energy, spontaneity, and sense of community of the studio experience. Bonus: they’re recorded and made available on our site the same day, so you can catch up if you miss the live broadcast or want to do the class again. And you won’t even have to look for a parking space.