How can you start a Home Practice

I encourage all my clients to practice at home as well as here in the studio. We have had a crazy last two years of ups and downs, many of us have been worried, anxious and even irritated at times with all the new rules. We all go through these emotions and I am here to support and encourage you to keep moving through it. A home practice where you can do a little bit more often (versus a lot only once in-awhile) is going to be more beneficial. Yoga and Fitness are powerful, the trick is to keep going regularly. *My personal rule is to never take more than two days off, that way I never get off track and I don’t have to go through the super sore muscles of that first class back :)

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1

Choose days and times that are “dedicated yoga and/or fitness times” and make them important. Put them in your calendar and stick with it. Then there is no “deciding” whether to do it or not, it is a given.

2

Start out slow and steady. It is better to do a small amount more often than too much sporadically. You don’t have to do what you used to do. Give yourself some grace, realize you may be a few years older (it happens to us all) maybe a bit slower than you used to be, so modify, but for heaven sake, just start!

3

Have a dedicated space in your home for your practice. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy, just enough space for your mat and a few weights and props. Hint If you make the space inviting you will go there more often though.

4

Pay attention to the limits and challenges that your body presents. I know when I am teaching Virtually quite a few of my participants have injuries, but they have been working with me either individually or in the small groups here in the studio. They know how to modify pretty much anything to make the exercise or pose work for their needs.

The goal is to Feel Better. You should feel pain-free, strong and stable. If not, back out of the pose or exercise a little and ask for guidance from a certified and knowledgeable instructor. Look for instructors that give you options to make the class easier or more challenging. There are going to be a mix of levels in pretty much any situation.

5

Try an online class for some inspiration and guidance, there are lots out there. Find ones you enjoy, you will stick with those more! Look for instructors that you feel safe with, that give you lots of verbal cues as well as show you clearly how to do the exercises and/or poses. If you can find classes where the instructor can see you as well, even better, then they can cue the modifications as well as let you know how to make things more challenging as they are teaching the class.

6

Start right now, yep, today, stop putting it off. Even 10 minutes is going to help. One of the things that can derail people from success is thinking they have to do an hour or an hour plus to get results or benefits. This is simply not the case. Do what you can, when you can, and go from there. My busiest clients are the ones who Make the Time and they Always see amazing results. It’s a mindset.

7

Invest a small amount in a few fitness props and accessories to keep things interesting. Depending on your goals I would suggest a nice Yoga Mat, a Stability Ball (55 or 65cm depending on your height, and get the Burst Resistant), a Band (I like the Booty-Bands as they last forever and don’t slip down) and a few Dumbbells (I like the rubber coated hex shaped DB’s) and get a variety of weights, start with a set of 2 x 3 pounds, 2 x 5 pounds, and 2 x 8 or 10 pounds and go from there. Build up as you get stronger. All of these can be purchased easily online, or at a Fitness store.

*Try Canadian Tire, London Drugs, and Shoppers Drug Mart too they have almost everything you will need.

8

Find friends and colleagues that want to workout or practice too. Having friends to chat with, challenge, encourage and support makes everything much more fun. The accountability when you know you are not in this alone can be that last little spark that keeps you going. Choose positive people and help each other, sometimes we just need that little nudge forward.

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