How Often Should You Practice Yoga?

Yoga Routine

Originating from India, the term ‘Yoga’ stems from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means to bind, and is often interpreted as “union” or as a method of discipline. Discipline is an important skill to have when it comes to how often you should be practicing yoga as it is vital to be consistent with your efforts.

There are no constraints to how often you should be practicing yoga. Yoga is a form of exercise that is considered as slow paced and gentle (a yin form of exercise), therefore it will provide benefits each and every time. Whereas, the more fast paced forms of exercise such as HIIT (high intensity interval training) can be more detrimental to your health and body if performed too often, so those forms of exercise should be limited.

The best way to incorporate yoga into your daily routine is to start small and slowly build it up. Yoga stands for a lot more than just a form of physical exercise, it is a mindset and way of life, exercise for both the mind and the body. It all comes down to the reason behind your goal to start yoga – let’s call it your ‘why’. Why are you wanting to practice yoga? Is it for your mental health and clarity, the physical / exercise aspect or a bit of both?

To see results from yoga, both physically and mentally (more so physically) takes time, dedication and commitment. Yoga can help develop strength and flexibility just by using your own body weight. A consistent approach will allow you to develop your skills in yoga, which will lead to advancement and thus results. If you are only doing yoga 1-2 times a week, you will not be able to obtain such results because a consistent amount of practice will allow your body to recognise the moves more easily and thus develop your strength and ranges of movement.

If you view yoga as a relaxation tool to connect back with your mind, body and soul, you will develop a love and craving to practice yoga as often as you can. It will become a way to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the outside world and focus on the smaller, more meaningful aspects of life. If this sounds like you, then practice yoga as much as you can. Not only will you see results within your body, but it will improve your sleep, your mood and your attitude towards life. However, if you are practicing yoga just as another form of exercise and try and ‘get it over and done with’, then maybe yoga isn’t the right tool for you. Try and look deeper into why you could be practicing yoga and determine whether it is an activity that you would benefit from incorporating into your life.

If you are just starting out in yoga and want to find that passion and drive for it, why not come and check out Escape Haven, an award-winning Bali Yoga Retreat. This Luxury women’s retreat will allow you to learn the basic fundamentals of yoga and form a consistent approach to practicing it. Take a look at their #1 best voted Bali wellness retreat today to start getting consistent with your yoga practices.