Guest post by Joniel Suezo
When you have an established yoga practice, sometimes it’s easy to become complacent. Not advancing or mixing up your practice can make your practice turn stale. Avoid this by seeking different ways to approach every yoga session and not being afraid to try new things.
Here are some simple hacks to become more effective and not get bored when you’re dedicated to yoga workouts as part of a total fitness routine.
Find a Routine that Works
Whilst you may include other types of exercises like spinning, jogging, rowing or even weightlifting, it’s still important to block out a period of time to perform yoga.
If you’re dedicated to committing time to yoga and wish to perform it one or more times per week, then add a block of time to your calendar reflecting that decision. Even if something comes up, just relocate that block to another day that week. After all, you cannot become more effective at yoga if you practice it too infrequently.
Let Your Body Dictate What You Can Do
When you enjoy variety in your yoga routine but lack confidence, don’t let your mind hold your progress back. Instead, trust your body to dictate what poses you can try and those that are best avoided for now.
It’s all too easy to talk yourself out of doing things in life. Yoga is no different. Apply the ‘try it and see’ approach to living. When you see that you’re able to do more than you thought possible, take that discovery into other areas of your life too.
Gain Fluidity by Moving Smoothly Through Different Poses
To gain fluidity, it’s useful to intentionally move through a series of yoga poses once you’ve mastered them.
The idea with this type of movement is to get your body warmed up. It’s simpler to do than trying to hold a difficult, stagnant pose for a period of time. The ligaments, tendons, and joints become better lubricated through this type of continuous flowing motion. It’s also less likely to cause a fresh injury compared to trying to stay in a fixed pose.
For muscular development without building mass, moving through different positions in a sequence creates healthier muscles and active strength. Many yoga poses include movements that mimic everyday life, so running through a sequence feels comfortable. Doing repetitive movements with yoga poses can cause problems for tight muscles. By contrast, going through a smooth routine allows tension to get released.
Increase the Intensity
To really get your heat levels up and your sweat on, it’s time to mix it up. You’ll sweat more with a sauna vest than when wearing regular workout gear. They’re made of Neoprene which is extremely snug and comfortable. As you try out different positions, it will amplify the experience because it gets you hotter, faster. Sweating more during a workout is cleansing for the body, and your skin cells, especially.
Refuel with drinking water to rebalance after the workout.
Avoid Abandoning Fixed Poses Too Quickly
Don’t be in a hurry to move onto a new routine. Once you are comfortable within each pose and moving between them with ease, you’re not done yet.
It’s time to work on your form and get better alignment. If you want to, attend a yoga class and practice a new pose as if it’s your first attempt. Study each small element and the little nuances that you were unable to spot when first learning it. Get the details right which will lead to a more refined position. Focus on excellence; not knowing several poses that you can perform in an average way.
Raise your yoga game!
With a few simple hacks, a staid yoga practice can become new again. Then enthusiasm will return, and progress will be made once more.