Are you keeping your yoga practice alive during the COVID-19 lockdown?

I’ll admit, it can be hard to find motivation these days. Lack of accountability from friends and fellow yogis, feelings of overwhelm and stress, and lack of structure in our days can make it difficult to keep healthy habits going.

Not only are we having to deal with unprecedented confusion and worry, but many of our yoga teachers have also had to cancel classes or retreat to online yoga videos to adhere to social distancing.

Has your practice gone away? Are you struggling to roll out your mat?

That’s OK.

Take a deep breath, and let’s start fresh.

We need the calming influence of yoga, now more than ever!

Yoga helps keep your body mobile, energized and healthy, and it can also work wonders for centering your mind.

Luckily, there are endless resources to ensure that you can still experience a quality yoga practices no matter where you are. The question is, how can you make sure you’re still getting the best from efforts with no instructor alongside to guide you?

Join video classes

While some yoga teachers have settled on YouTube-based videos to keep practices alive, there are also some video classes taking place on platforms like Zoom. While yoga on your TV or laptop isn’t the same as a live, in-person class, at least the video option helps keep you accountable. Even better, a yoga teacher will see you move through the poses and help guide your practice as they would in real life. As such, the instructor can still advise you on poses, help you to remain focused, and generally give you as beneficial a lesson as possible.

Track your practice

Whether you’re joining video classes online or merely adapting your own practice at home, it can be helpful to log your yoga practice. While most people relate devices and apps like these to running and other such activities, turning to activity tracker reviews is sure to lead you to one that’s suitable for yoga, too. That way, you can track the length and intensity of your session and even your caloric output, as well as your improvements and changes over time.

Film yourself

You might even consider recording your own practice as a way to notice your habits and your alignment in the poses. Would you ever try it? Film yourself during your lockdown efforts. Of course you don’t even need to share the video with anyone (although posting it online could prove motivational to others!). Just watching the footage yourself can help you notice if there are areas of your practice that need attention, as well as notice your breathing, rhythm, spinal alignment, and other details. Use the videos to help you address any issues in your practice and dive deeper into yoga.

Being home for lockdown and shelter in place can be difficult, and I encourage you to be gentle with yourself about how productive or motivated you are during this time. Do everything within your power to keep your yoga practice alive, even if it’s just in small ways!

As always, I’m here if you need support. Namaste.

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