Yoga routine: How often should you practice yoga per week?

Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise – the asanas from Buddhist teachings have long been an integral part of the activity routines of many conscious people. Beginners, in particular, wonder how often they should practice yoga and when they can expect to see the first results. This article will help you get an overview of how often yoga exercises can be performed and why certain postures are better suited at certain times of the day.

How often do you need to practice yoga?

Preferences and individual life situations vary from person to person. Some yogis can schedule an hour for yoga every day, while others can only find shorter time slots.

In principle, you can practice yoga daily—adapted to your daily routine. The advantage of yoga is that even just one practice can make a difference in your well-being. At the same time, however, you shouldn't expect the greatest progress in strength and flexibility if you only practice once a month or once a week.

The more often you incorporate these movements into your daily routine, the greater the success and improvements on a physical, mental and spiritual level.

15 minutes of yoga a day makes a big difference

Anyone who thinks that yoga must be practiced for at least half an hour or even an hour is mistaken. Many yogis have found that even a 15-minute daily yoga session can make a big difference.

Therefore, it is advisable to regularly incorporate yoga into your daily routine.

Tips:

• If you're short on time, you could set your alarm 15 minutes earlier in the morning and use this window for your practice.
• It can also be helpful to engage in calming exercises in the evening to bring more peace of mind.
• If you also incorporate breathing exercises and relaxed meditation, you can expect an even better effect.
• If you can't manage to practice daily, it might be advisable to incorporate a one-hour practice two to three times a week. You'll have to find out for yourself what works best for you, as not everyone responds the same way. However, if you experiment a little, you can find out when the positive effects are most easily felt.

What are the benefits of daily practice?

The different types of yoga all have different effects on the body. Depending on the exercise, you train different parts of the body, but the numerous sessions also have an impact on the psyche.

• Deep, conscious breathing increases awareness throughout the day. Those who practice daily will notice that they breathe more deeply and mindfully throughout the day.
• Thanks to the diverse yoga sessions, you can expect special effects on your entire body. Twists, backbends, and forward bends have different effects on your organism.
• You'll be much more connected to yourself and strengthen your body awareness. This will have an impact on your entire life.
• Many yogis have much more conscious thought processes and are significantly less stressed.
• The body is freed from toxins and you can move closer to holistic well-being.
• Those who want to lose weight and practice power yoga or other challenging yoga exercises daily can achieve great results. Combined with other sports, it's a helpful way to strengthen and mobilize your body and do something good for yourself.

Which yoga asanas should I plan for when?

Yoga beginners should first figure out which exercises are best used when. Each asana has different effects on the body. Accordingly, there are sequences on the mat that are particularly good for the morning, while others have a more relaxing and calming effect and are therefore better suited for the evening.

In the following section you will get a brief overview of when you can do what.

a) In the morning

If you want to do something good for yourself in the morning, start the day with yogic flows. A mindful morning is very important: In addition to emptying your bowels, you should cleanse your tongue and practice oil pulling. The following exercises can, for example, be aimed at mobilizing your spine and warming up your muscles. This will help you start the day even better. The sun salutation is an excellent way to start the morning mindfully; the warrior pose, cat-cow pose, hip bends, and triangle poses are also valuable and beneficial.

b) Fit lunch break

If you're not an early riser and therefore can't practice in the morning, you can incorporate the asanas at lunchtime. If you sit a lot, exercising at lunchtime can be beneficial. It can also help prevent back or neck pain. After eating, you can do a few twists to stimulate digestion. Meditation on a cushion also helps with greater concentration and improved receptivity. Try it and see if you notice a big difference. If you do yoga before eating, you can perform more challenging poses or flows. This is perfect for those who like to work up a sweat.

c) After work

To truly enjoy the evening, it's important to establish a clear boundary between work and after-work. This can be achieved with a workout. If you've been under pressure all day, you should incorporate a calming and relaxing routine into the evening. A long cool-down, Savasana, or Yin Yoga are particularly suitable. Power yoga should be avoided unless you want to really work up a sweat.

Just before bedtime, child's poses are ideal for letting your thoughts drift and completely calming down. You can be sure that this will help you fall asleep more easily.

Do you practice yoga regularly? How often per week do you incorporate your asanas?