Understand That It Takes Conscious Effort To Create Change
Most of what we do during the day is out of habit. Were basically on auto-pilot. Its challenging to do get into a new routine because it takes more conscious effort, and that isnt easy. So if you plan on making a change no matter how small to your fitness routine, expect that its going to take some effort on your part. The greater the change, the greater the required effort.
I Want To Improve Sleep And Relieve Stress Whats The Possible Yoga Regimen To Get The Benefits
Do yoga every day, any time and anywhere you feel like.
Gentle yoga and breathing techniques often have an immediate calming effect. But regular and consistent practice will bring far greater benefits in the long term. You’ll feel more control over your energy levels, emotions, and focus.
If you’re not a regular yogi_ni and have a busy schedule, start small. Even a short and gentle asana practice before bed may have an instant positive impact on the quality of sleep. A simple pranayama technique such as three-part yogic breath at a workplace or during the commute can relieve stress and calm your nervous system.
What Made Me Want To Start Bulking
Hearing about the potentially lowered hormonal levels was the final straw, but I had not been feeling like myself for years.
I was always the guy who could push himself to beat out the competition. I might not be the strongest or the biggest, but I would outwork the competition. Im an athlete. I played lacrosse in college, and I continue to play as competitively as I can in a mens league now. But I had lost a significant amount of muscle since college, and I really wanted to get back to feeling the way I personally viewed myself.
Deep down I always knew that this leaner me wasnt the real me, and in my conversations as well as to myself I joked about how much muscle I had lost, but I also fully expected to one day return to regular weight lifting and get back to where I used to be and hopefully be even stronger, now that, thanks to my mobility practice and improved muscle activation, I had corrected most of the imbalances and mobility deficits that held me back from my maximum strength potential.
I guess the final piece of the puzzle driving me to want to be serious about this was the fact that I am a huge advocate for integrating yoga with weight training. If I couldnt stick out a program myself, how could I recommend it to other people without being a hypocrite? I decided that I needed to set my ego aside, be willing to change my lifestyle, get the information I needed, do the hard work, and commit to the process.
Looking For A Program?
Don’t Miss: What Is The Difference Between Vinyasa And Yin Yoga
Shorter Sessions Make It Easier To Form Habits
As we said at the start the major barriers people face for not exercising are time and motivation. We know from leading behavioural scientists like BJ Fogg and clinicians like Dr Chattergee that when we start with small behaviours were more likely to be consistent with them so that they become habits. So one of the main benefits of shorter yoga sessions is that they are easier to fit into our day and were therefore more likely to keep doing them.
The optimal time to exercise or practice yoga is whatever you can fit into your schedule and repeat. The key thing is to find something we enjoy and then to stick to it!
Thats why we created the Summer Sessions program! 20 minute active yoga classes to fit into your day and keep up your practice when time is tight.
Your Energy Levels May Improve If You Do Yoga Every Day

It can be hard to juggle work, family, school, and other obligations while maintaining a healthy amount of energy and vigor. That can make it all the more tempting to keep a cup of coffee by your side all day, just so you can stay on top of the never-ending inbox and chore delegation.
But believe it or not, if you make time to do yoga every day, you may find that you suddenly can do more with less time, as noted by HuffPost. That’s because it changes your energy levels, according to certified yoga teacher and nutritionist Katie Boyd. “As you continually practice you will notice that you no longer need caffeine throughout the day to keep your energetic vibrational frequency high,” she revealed to The List. “The more energy you have the more things you can accomplish.” She added that the more accomplished you are, the happier you’ll feel, which will fulfill you mentally, emotionally, and psychologically.
Read Also: Calories Bikram Yoga
Benefits Of Yoga: Improve Sleep
Studies show that incorporating yoga into your life can help promote better sleep. In one study in the National Library of Medicine, 69 elderly adults were assigned to either practice yoga, take Ayurveda , or be part of the control group. Research showed the yoga group fell asleep faster, slept longer, and felt more well-rested in the morning than the other groups.
Yoga has also been shown to have an effect on common contributors to sleep problems such as anxiety and depression. Pregnant women who practice yoga have been shown to have reduced sleep disturbances in addition to reduced prenatal anxiety and depression, according to research from the National Library of Medicine.
How Often Should You Practice Yoga To See Results
Its a common question how often should you do Yoga to see progress? And is it a good idea to practice every day or should you have Yoga-free days?
Yoga is both a physical and mental practice. Most of us expect results such as reaching your toes, being able to bend your back more than before, or loosening tight hips and shoulders. And somewhere along the way, you may also discover it makes you feel and sleep better, stress less, and recover faster. These results go hand in hand so no matter if your main goal is to loosen your hamstrings, youll no doubt benefit in other ways too. How often you practice Yoga may determine how quickly you get there but its not a simple equation of the more often you practice Yoga, the faster you get results.
ALSO READ: Ultra-marathon runner Christian turns around his performance with Yoga
Recommended Reading: How To Reduce Tummy After Cesarean Delivery
The Motivation & Deciding To Start Bulking
The weigh-in, or InBody assessment, at the end of April that prompted the beginning of my bulking process revealed that my total weight was 163 pounds, and my fat percentage was about 5.6%. Here are some other measurements and self-assessments that I would use to gauge the effectiveness of my bulking:
My First Hot Yoga Class
My first lesson was a beginner’s yoga class and despite being a completely different pace to other exercise classes I had done in the past, something just felt really good about it.
It was a group lesson so I could feed off the energy in the room but at the same time it felt solitary in a good way. Everyone was focused on their own movements and what they needed to do. This felt like the exact equilibrium I had been searching for.
The instructor was super energetic and motivating, and didn’t make me feel awkward when she came to correct my form, and although the room was hot and you do sweat a lot, I didn’t feel like one sixty minute lesson pushed me past the point where it was no longer enjoyable. I signed up that very same day.
Also Check: How To Carry Yoga Mat Without Strap
What If Im Only Trying To Get Toned
If a toned physique is what youre looking for, more powerful flow or vinyasa classes will peak your interest.
Typically, power vinyasa classesparticularly at advanced levelswill involve the yoga teacher using mainly Sanskrit, are much faster paced and can often be held in rooms around 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even if youre in relatively good shape already, its a smart idea to work your way up to the advanced power vinyasa classes. In classes that are more suitable for all levels, the teacher may talk you through several different options for postures.
In advanced classes, however, fewer options will be vocalized. If you do need to choose another option, its expected that youll know how to modify already. Consider trying a few classes at a basic level to become familiar with the terminology before jumping into an advanced class in the hot room.
Similar to practicing gentle yoga and meditation, its likely youll notice results from power yoga right away. Its an amazing workout that will have you dripping in sweat, and because it is so physically demanding it gets you out of the mind and into the body.
The more familiar you become with the terminology, the less you really have to think at all while practicing.
The balance between strength and flexibility that yoga provides is invaluable and necessary in order to live an optimal life.
I Practice Yoga To Increase My Flexibility How Much Yoga Do I Need
It depends on your body.
Some people are naturally extraordinarily flexible. For them, even one or two of 1-hour yoga classes per week is enough to retain the body suppleness.
Others need to practice every day for the sake of limbering the muscles and joints. I can stretch for splits for months, but when I get back on the mat after a week’s break, I find myself starting almost from scratch.
Every style of yoga will increase joint mobility and suppleness, sooner or later. Longer holds offered by Yin Yoga are the best if the end goal is high flexibility and splits.
There are no restrictions about how often to practice. You can do yoga every day or even twice a day to limber the body if that’s what you need.
There’s a catch though. Flexibility training should always go hand in hand with at least some form of strength training. By focusing on flexibility alone, you’re risking to develop hypermobility and instability in joints. Strength training will help you build muscle around the joints and protect them from injury.
If you’re working towards splits, check out how I participated in a 30-day split challenge and how it changed my body.
Once yoga turns into a habit, it becomes a lifestyle. At this point, no amount of yoga is too much.
Recommended Reading: Can You Do Yoga After Botox
I Don’t Think I’d Replace My Weight
I was a bit surprised that I didn’t have a leaner or more toned look by the end of the month, especially since I’d been pushing my body pretty hard to complete some of these poses.
But generally, I wasn’t disappointed since losing weight and getting toned wasn’t my goal, nor is it the goal of yoga. Yoga is meant to be a lifestyle practice rather than an exercise routine and it wasn’t like the version of it I was practicing was overly strenuous or intense.
But even though I enjoyed the mental and physical benefits of yoga, I won’t continue doing it every single day since I’d rather devote more time to my usual strength and endurance workouts.
That said, I liked how it helped me work on my tight leg muscles so I will definitely start doing two poses a week and maybe I’ll eventually be able to complete a downward-facing dog.
How Long Does It Take To Gain Flexibility With Yoga

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.
- Pin
Think you are too inflexible to start practicing yoga? Many people begin to practice yoga for different reasons and some choose to practice to increase their flexibility. However, many would-be yogis are intimidated to start because they feel that they dont have enough flexibility.
Some start yoga, but become discouraged when they dont see progress in their bodies right away. Yoga is for everyone, regardless of what your flexibility level is like and you definitely do not need to be flexible to begin practicing.
So how long does it take to gain flexibility with yoga? There is no specific timeline with how soon you will see results, as this all depends on your frequency of practice, age, and consistency. However, people typically see results within 3 to 6 months, and the more that you practice, the more that your body will open up and gain more flexibility.
Yoga is a practice, and like any art form or practice, it takes time and dedication to see results in your body. The practice of yoga is not about nailing a specific pose or being flexible enough to do a full split all of these things come as a result of immersing yourself in the practice. Rather, the practice of yoga is all about self-awareness, becoming more in tune and grounded in your own body, and learning and honoring this ancient art and tradition.
Recommended Reading: Aerial Yoga Setup At Home
Is The Yoga Burn Program Worth Buying
If youre already in good shape then I feel like this program wont be challenging enough for you.
If on the other hand you are looking for a program you can follow that tells you exactly what to do in order to lose weight, tone up and feel great then this is the program for you.
Over 97% of women who followed this program for the full 90 days found that they lost weight.
I feel certain that if you stick to the program and show up for every session and you follow my advice on diet and calories then you will get life changing results.
In a few months from now you will be looking at yourself in the mirror in amazement at how amazing you look and feel.
Get your copy from the official website at www.yogaburnforwomen.com
And dont forget youre also covered by a 60-day money back guarantee!
The Yoga Burn program is fantsastic and I have a feeling youre going to love it just like I do!
Flexibility Mobility & Joint Or Back Pain
The flexibility and mobility gains are one of the major benefits of doing yoga vs other forms of exercise.
If youre tight and want to limber up or want to make your body more pliable as you age, yoga is definitely the way to go.
Can you see major progress in regard to flexibility in just one month of yoga practice?
Definitely! In fact, this is probably what youll notice the most within your first 30 days.
Tim Bigknee writes: With consistent effort you can see improvements in flexibility in just a few days of your yoga journey.
Our muscles have significant muscle memory which means that with regular stretching both joint pain and flexibility should be improved. Those who are unable to touch their toes at the beginning of the month should notice an improvement after 30 days, if not less.
Alexandra Ellis adds that your first month of yoga will be extremely challenging if youre tight from sitting at a desk all day, but the rewards will be worth it:
The long-held stretches typical in yoga help to relax muscles and fascia. If youve been struggling with lower back pain or neck tension and headaches, yoga is a beneficial way to bring relief to these areas.
If your muscles are tight and inflexible due to immobility, 30 days is absolutely enough to notice yourself going deeper into poses. I have seen students gain inches with their forward folds in that amount of time, writes instructor Amanda Webster.
Group fitness and yoga instructor Jessica Cerato puts it this way:
Don’t Miss: How Tight Should Workout Leggings Be
How Long It Takes To See Improvements In Aerobic Capacity
Shaving minutes off your racing time doesnt just result in a serious self-confidence boostyoure likely to gain a trove of other health benefits, too. In fact, marathon training can help to decrease stiffness in your arteries and combat high blood pressure, a recent study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found.
Of course, scoring a new PR and lowering your heart rate a few beats per minute are two very different goalswith varying timelines. If your aim is the latterto generally boost your cardiovascular healtheight to 12 weeks is a fairly solid period to do so, says New York City-based Brooke Taylor, a NASM- and ACE-certified personal trainer and owner of Taylored Fitness NY LTD.
This involves a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise three times per week, she explains, noting that several other factorsfrom sleep patterns to even your menstrual cyclecan play a role in your resting heart rate.
Wilson also points out that a supercharged style of aerobic exercise like interval training and high-intensity interval training can improve your resting heart rate, possibly even faster. An athlete can typically start to lower their heart rate within a couple of weeks of training, she explains. Evidence suggests that interval training is the superior method to do so.
In general, it takes about eight to 12 weeks to boost your cardiovascular health and endurance, experts say.
What Type Of Yoga Is Best For Weight Loss
Well, it actually depends on what you prefer and what your current capabilities are.
Hatha yoga, for instance, is generally known as the best branch of yoga for beginners because its slower and gentler than the other types. Interestingly, even this type of yoga burns more calories than general weight lifting according to Harvard, so it does help with weight loss as well.
But from a burning-more-calories standpoint, more intense types of yoga might be better for weight loss. These include:
- Vinyasa because its faster
- Bikram and hot yoga because theyre done in heated rooms, and
- Ashtanga because its one of the more physically demanding types of yoga
We also have a 30-minute yoga routine for beginners thatll help you burn fat if you want to check that out.
That being said, while burning more calories is definitely one of the biggest factors in weight loss, the other is ingesting less of it.
Per research, people successfully lost weight with yoga because their practice helped them shift to a healthier diet and a healthier mentality. These same people also attributed their transformations to the yoga community and culture that helped them do so.
I believe this is where yoga truly shines.
While weight lifting and cardio have the potential to burn more calories, virtually any type of yoga practice encourages you to be more mindful and have a more in-the-now kind of mentality.
Now, you might be asking:
Recommended Reading: How Many Calories Does A Half Hour Of Yoga Burn