12 Practical Tips For a Consistent Yoga Practice

If you have been dreaming of having a consistent yoga practice this guide is going to help make that happen for you this year! 

In this post you will learn all the ways to actually stick to your goal of a regular yoga practice either in the comfort of your own home or amongst other passionate yogis at your local studio.

These tried and true tips come after years of my own missteps on the journey of a regular yoga practice but luckily you can learn from my highs and lows. I hope you walk away from this post feeling confident about your future as a consistent yoga practitioner! 

This post is all about how to cultivate a consistent yoga practice.

How to Maintain a Consistent Yoga Practice

The most important tips for creating a consistent yoga practice are to find an incredible yoga teacher you connect with (virtual or in person), find comfortable yoga clothes and gear, educate yourself on the history and depth of yoga, and try multiple styles of yoga to find the one you love and will crave every day. 

Let’s explore a few more ideas to help you make yoga a routine in your life! 

The Best Tips For Maintaining a Consistent Yoga Practice

1. Find a teacher you connect with

This may be one of the most important tips on the list so I wanted to have it front and center! Whether you are practicing at home with yoga videos or found an amazing studio nearby, try out different teachers and take note of the ones you love. 

Feeling safe and welcomed is so incredibly important so tap into your intuition and feel out the best teachers for you. There are millions of people in the world and not everyone is everyone’s cup of tea and that’s ok! 

Maybe you prefer a sweet and bubbly teacher that makes you feel uplifted in the mornings and ready to start your day. Or maybe you like a more serious teacher that is calm and prioritizes detailed alignment cues in class.

It really depends on you and how you want to feel while in class. Don’t be afraid to “shop around” and find the best teacher for you! 

*Also wanted to mention that you and your body are your #1 teacher. Listening to your own needs in a yoga class is most important but finding a great external guide is important too (: 

2. For a home yoga practice, create a peaceful and dedicated yoga space

Being able to roll out your mat whenever you want to get your regular yoga practice in can be so convenient and a great kickstart to your day. 

Instead of rolling your mat out just anywhere in your home, try to be intentional about where you will practice yoga. 

I’m not saying you need a dedicated yoga room, although that would be incredible! But find a consistent spot that is kid and pet free that can be just for you. Even in my little studio apartment, I’ve made it work so I know you can too! 

Here are a few nonessential but fun things you can add to your yoga space at home to make it feel more peaceful and intentional: 

• A yoga mat you love and feel comfortable practicing on 
• Candles or essential oils 
• Yoga books 
• Yoga props 
• Art that inspires you 
• A hydrating beverage you love 

If you want all the details of creating a yoga studio or yoga corner in your home check out the post below! We cover everything you need to know to put together a space in your home to practice yoga consistently.

{RECOMMENDED POST: How to Create a Peaceful Yoga Corner in Your Home}

3. Invest in yoga clothes you love and that you feel comfortable in

So don’t take this the wrong way, you definitely do NOT need to spend hundreds of dollars on yoga clothes.

Instead, find yoga clothes that feel comfortable for YOUR body. That could mean a matching set of a sports bra and leggings or a t-shirt and shorts. 

As long as you feel comfortable and confident (and your clothes are not sliding around too much) then you have found the perfect yoga clothes! 

{RECOMMENDED POST: 6 Best Sustainable Yoga Brands For Ethically Made Yoga Clothes and Props For Every Budget} 

4. Explore what time of day works best for you to practice yoga

Although I think a morning yoga practice is an amazing way to start you day, not every one is a morning bird.

To make have a regular practice you have to find ways to make it enjoyable and fit it into your current lifestyle.

Maybe yoga before bed works better for you rather than trying to squeeze it in before you head off to work. Some people like to practice yoga mid-day on their lunch break for a boost of energy for the rest of the day.

The most important thing is that you feel awake and ready to flow!

5. Research local yoga studios

Just like yoga teachers, yoga studios can each have a different personality and priorities in terms of how they want their students to walk away feeling. 

Ask around and research yoga studios online to see which ones fit the vibe of what you’re looking for. 

Here are some questions you can ask yourself in order to find the right yoga studio for your needs: 

• Do they have great reviews?
• Is it a clean and welcoming facility? 
• Do they offer the style of yoga you want to practice? 
• Does the studio seem to respect the traditions of yoga? 
• Parking, bathrooms/showers, events at the studio, etc.? 

It can also be helpful to take the free intro class or deal that many studios offer! Yoga studio owners want you to love their space and feel at home so many studios offer a discounted package for new members to give their studio a try! 

You could even try a few studios until you find the spot you want to commit to. 

6. Find a studio within your budget

Committing to an in person yoga practice can be intimidating for many of us

because yoga studio memberships are not cheap! These days yoga studios can cost you $80-$200 for an unlimited membership. 

Don’t be discouraged though if you want to practice in person but can’t budget that much for yoga. 

Here are some great places to start looking for more affordable yoga classes: 

• Donation-based yoga classes 
• Yoga classes at gyms 
• Zoom yoga classes (not in person but more interactive than Youtube videos) 
• Yoga at churches and community centers 
• Here are even more ideas for finding affordable yoga classes!

7. Try different styles of yoga until you find one you love

It seems as though Vinyasa yoga is the most popular style of yoga outside of India. But there are SO many other styles of yoga to try. You may find that you love another style of yoga which makes it easier to commit to the practice. 

Here are some other styles of yoga you can look into! 

• Hatha yoga 
• Bikram yoga 
• Yin yoga
• Aerial yoga 
• Yoga sculpt 
• Restorative yoga 
• Ashtanga yoga 
• Power yoga 
• Prenatal yoga
• Iyengar yoga 
• Hot Yoga 
• Kundalini yoga 

There are yoga classes and yoga events that fall outside of these main yoga styles that many people from the Indian community have said is offensive to the original practice of yoga so be sure to be mindful of that as we appreciate this practice. 

Some examples of yoga classes that may not be the most respectful are goat yoga or beer yoga. 

I am in no way an expert on this topic and there is always nuance but just use your best judgment and if it feels off it probably is! 

8. Expand your view of what yoga incorporates

Yoga is so much more than the physical postures. Maybe you can try out meditation or breathwork as you build up your physical strength for your physical yoga practice. 

Spend some time learning more about what all yoga includes and you may find other parts of this ancient spiritual practice that you connect with as well!

9. Expand your view of what consistency means. A consistent yoga practice doesn’t have to mean a daily yoga practice.

It is easy to assume that when people say a consistent yoga practice it means doing yoga every single day. But doing something consistently just means that you do it regularly. 

That could mean four times per week or even two. Don’t feel pressured to show up on your yoga mat every single day unless that is your goal which is great too! 

Even experimenting with differing levels of consistency week to week could be helpful in finding a yoga schedule that works well for your body and lifestyle. It may not be realistic or possible for everyone to practice yoga daily, and that’s ok. 

{RECOMMENDED VIDEO: 20 Min. Morning Full Body Hatha Yoga Flow For Beginners & 5 Min Meditation | Full Body Stretch}

10. Try a shorter length of yoga class

This tip is similar to the one above but consider how much time per day you want to commit to doing yoga. You may be surprised at how good you feel incorporating 20 minutes of yoga per day plus a 5 minute meditation.

Every time we decide to practice mindfulness it truly does add up and help us to naturally be more mindful people in our day to day lives off of our mat. 

Experiment with different lengths of your yoga practice. Maybe a 90 minute Bikram class is perfect for you or a 20 minute yoga class in the morning works better! 

And of course, I have to plug my own yoga videos which are meant to fit into your morning yoga routine. Most Sustain Life Journal Yoga classes are 20 minutes of yoga asanas and 5 minutes of meditation (Dhyana). You can find the free classes here. 

11. Learn more about the history of yoga to gain a deeper appreciation and connection to the practice

Yoga is an ancient practice that started in India and has become popular and adapted all over the world! 

Learning about the origins of yoga or even more about the practice outside of just the physical practice can help you gain a deeper appreciation for it and the people that created it. 

How does this enhance the consistency of your yoga practice? Since yoga is more than just “exercise or stretching” as it is commonly confused as you, will see that it is more of a lifestyle that you can incorporate into your current lifestyle. And lifestyle changes tend to stick better than stray/random goals. 

Yoga is not a religion but the teachings really can help you improve your life and your communities wellbeing. Once you commit to a lifestyle change you are more likely to keep up with a consistent physical yoga practice too. 

12. Do a yoga challenge to build a daily routine

A 90 Day Yoga challenge on Youtube is how I was able to start a consistent yoga practice and I am so eternally grateful for it!

No, I did not do all 90 days straight. I think I did about 40 days but the consistent yoga classes really made me fall in love with the practice! There is just something about making a huge goal and being able to tick off the boxes as you go that is really motivating! 

This might not work for everyone but if creating a calendar and committing to a set number of classes sounds fun to you you should try it! Getting some fun stickers to add to your calendar could be a fun addition too! 

13. Make friends and community at your yoga studio

If you choose to practice in person, be sure to say hi to people practicing near you and get to know your fellow yogis! 

Feeling like you are part of a community at your studio and have built in accountability partners can really go a long way in reaching your goals of maintaining a consistent yoga practice! 

14. Consider posting your regular yoga practice on social media

So this tip will not be for everyone but it may be helpful to some! If you don’t have a friend to go to yoga classes with, you can use your social media as a sort of accountability buddy.

Since video is getting more popular you can add yoga videos or pictures of you doing yoga. If you don’t want to have photos of yourself all over the web you can set your account to private or post yoga related content on the days that you show up to your mat.

This tip is kind of like a sticker chart for kids. You can easily track the days that you practiced yoga and eventually have a full grid of all the times you decided to show up on your yoga mat and committed to your yoga journey!

Benefits of yoga and practicing consistently

• builds confidence in your yoga practice as you improve every time you step on your mat and build a new habit
• helps you to stack other healthy habits like drinking water, noticing your feelings, noticing sensations in your body and your body’s signals. This can help you to regulate your nervous system when needed.
• greater inner awareness which improves mental health
• can aid in weight loss (This is a complex topic, talk with your doctor is you are worried about this)
• increases muscle strength as you hold yoga poses

Did we miss any other helpful tips for creating a consistent yoga practice? Let us know in the comments below! 

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter if you would like sustainability and wellness tips sent directly to your inbox! 

Stay well, 

Maggie 

This post was all about the best tips for creating a consistent yoga practice. 

Other posts you may like: 

Your Go To Guide for Sustainable Yoga Clothes

Everything You Need to Know Before an Amazing Yoga Teacher Training Experience

Ultimate Guide to Your First Yoga Class (Everything You Need to Know To Feel Confident)

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