If you are thinking about getting serious about your yoga journey and wondering how often should you do yoga – this is for you.
Perhaps there are certain physical benefits you’d like to gain from practicing yoga you have in mind? Or maybe you’d like to connect with yourself more deeply? There are many reasons why we choose to incorporate yoga into our lives, and in this article, I’m sharing how often to do yoga to achieve your goals.
Article content:
(Click any link below to jump directly to section)
SEARCHING FOR THE BEST
ONLINE YOGA MEMBERSHIP TO JOIN?
Online Yoga Subscriptions Offer
- 1,000's of classes
- Best instructors
- Affordability
- Flexibility
⬇Click below for the best online yoga memberships⬇
How often should beginners do yoga?
Beginners are advised to start practicing yoga once or twice a week and scale up until they develop a daily practice.
If you already have a regular workout practice, you can start by doing yoga three times a week.
It's important to remember that there are many different types of yoga, and even living more mindfully is, in fact, yoga! So long as you have balance in the types of yoga you practice, doing it every day is fine.
For example, if you love Ashtanga yoga, you should also sometimes practice Restorative yoga to balance the Yin and Yang practices.
How often should you do yoga to see benefits?
Stress relief and relaxation come after your first yoga class. Then, if you practice regularly and properly with a yoga instructor, you should be able to notice physical changes to your body shape after six to twelve weeks of consistent yoga classes.
How long should a yoga session be?
Twenty to ninety minutes of yoga per session is ideal.
If you only have time to do a few poses occasionally throughout your day, that’s better than nothing. Especially if you’re sitting behind your laptop all day.
I’ve felt positive changes in myself from doing short daily yoga sessions. Yoga changes your state of mind and body, and it can be just that easy.
Personally, I like to practice a little bit here and a little bit there throughout the day. I like to have a 15-minute morning practice two hours after breakfast. I'll do a bit of slow Hatha, Yin, or yoga Nidra in the evening.
Is it possible to do too much yoga?
As with anything, it's possible to do too much of a good thing, including yoga! Here’s how to know if you’re doing too much yoga:
- It’s affecting your social schedule or interfering with your sleep
- Your classes are too advanced or intense, and you’re pushing yourself too much
- You’re not giving yourself enough rest days
The golden rule is to listen to your breath and your body. If the breath flows smoothly, you’re good to go. But if it’s too strenuous, that’s not yoga because yoga is all about harmony. So, while yes, you can practice yoga every day, some of those days should be more restful styles of yoga.
More intense styles, like Ashtanga, have a high injury rate because they are tough on the joints. Be mindful of injuries.
Be conscious in your personal practice, and don’t push it. Don’t go too far out of your comfort zone in a yoga session because your practice should indeed be comfortable.
⬇Great online yoga memberships you should look into⬇
How many times a week should you do yoga to improve flexibility as a beginner
If you want to improve your flexibility, increase your yoga frequency to at least three to four times a week.
It takes most people two to four weeks to see the benefits of yoga in terms of increased flexibility. I've noticed that it takes about two weeks after not having practiced for a while to see improvement in my flexibility.
Takeaway on how often should a beginner practice yoga
The short answer to how often you should do yoga is – the more, the better, but proceed with caution. Listen to your body and pay attention to its cues.
Can you have too much of a good thing? As always, your body and breath know best. They are your best guides. Spoken like a true yogi, right?!
Some online yoga studios, online yoga teacher training programs, and brands that we write about may offer us a small commission should you decide to make a purchase or signup after reading our content. Thank you for enabling us to exist!