Yoga is an excellent practice for both the body and mind. Studies show that yoga improves quality of life and can help with issues like fatigue, anxiety, depression, stress, and more. It can also positively influence cellular aging (in other words, it helps you age more slowly) and can ease the aches and pains brought on by computer work and getting older.
We know yoga is good for us. But how often should we be practicing it? Is once a week enough, or should we be practicing every day? It depends—here’s what you need to know.
How Often Should You Do Yoga: By Level
The great thing about yoga is that because it has so many forms and styles, you could potentially do it every day.With that in mind, Peloton yoga instructor Mariana Fernandez has some suggested guidelines for how often you should do yoga based on your level.
Beginner
If you’re a beginner, Mariana recommends doing yoga about three times a week. “You can use this time to get used to the language and get to know the postures,” she says.
Intermediate
If you’re an intermediate practitioner, Mariana says a daily practice is a great idea. “Just check in with your body. If your joints or muscles feel fatigued, you can still practice, but maybe shift to a Yin or restorative practice,” she says. “Varying the length of class and style will also help to develop different ways the body can move.”
Advanced
If your yoga practice is more advanced, Mariana says the same thing: You can absolutely practice every day. But again, be mindful of any joint or muscle fatigue and adjust your practice accordingly. To stay consistent with your practice, Mariana recommends a minimum of two to three days of practice.
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How Often Should You Do Yoga: By Goals
Some of us come to yoga with specific goals in mind. For example, you may want to improve your flexibility, improve your balance, lower your stress levels and the list goes on. So, how often should you practice based on your goals? Here’s what Mariana recommends.
If you want to improve your flexibility
If you want to improve your flexibility, you should do yoga at least three times a week, even if they’re shorter classes. “Any focus flow on a specific body part or any mobility class will allow for the lactic acid to release and for the muscles and joints to have more movement and flexibility,” Mariana says.
If you want to get stronger
One to two times a week and up to four times per week is a great number to aim for when it comes to building strength, but this could also depend on if you have other strength-building exercises that you incorporate into your workout routine. “My yoga practice was my strength practice for many years, and I practiced five times a week,” Mariana notes.
If you want to improve your balance
As we age, balance is one of the first things to go, Mariana points out. “Even if you just do standing yoga classes, that's a great way to strengthen joints and work on your proprioception,” she says. “If you want to improve balance, I recommend doing yoga two to three times per week.”
If you want to improve your endurance
If endurance is your goal, aim for longer flows. “A traditional practice is over 60 minutes, but sometimes we don't always have the time. A power flow will build strength and endurance, but a 60 or 75-minute practice will take you on a full journey with a profound warm-up into building strength and heat in sun salutations and the flow, plus a proper stretch to down-regulate,” she says.
In terms of days per week to practice if you want to improve endurance, if you do a longer power flow once a week, that’s a great starting point.
If you want to lower your stress levels
When it comes to lowering stress levels, the type of yoga you do matters. “You can do a breathwork-forward yoga class or restorative to be able to come back to stasis, or for others a faster flow to move through high levels of stress is great,” Mariana says. “A favorite of mine that helps with stress is a good slow flow. It allows you to move with the breath but not so much that you're accelerating the heart rate. More often than not, you feel that a slow flow brings mind, body, and heart in alignment and reduces the noise and stress around.”
Mariana says you should do yoga classes that help with stress as often as you need to. So as long as you’re not dealing with any pain, you can feel free to take yoga classes for stress relief daily.
If you want to improve your posture
Any class that has a focus on the back or core will always help with posture, Mariana says. “It's a mix of strengthening the core to help support and release in your back to reduce tension. Three times a week for a regular flow and any Healthy Back class from 10-20 minutes will always help realign.”
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How Do You Know When You’re Doing Enough Yoga?
If you’re doing enough yoga, you’ll more than likely be experiencing the physical and mental health benefits. You may start to notice less pain in your body, for example, and feel fitter overall.
You’ll also start to experience mental health benefits, like improved mood, lower levels of anxiety and stress, and an easier time sleeping.
It’s important to remember that the “right” amount of yoga is going to vary from person to person. If you’ve been practicing yoga regularly for a few months and aren’t experiencing any benefits, it may be worth it to opt for longer flows or do more yoga classes per week.
Can You Do Yoga Every Day?
Yes, Mariana says, it’s safe to do yoga every day, and you’ll most likely experience a handful of great benefits from a daily practice. But there are some signs that you should slow down, take a break, or even speak to a doctor or physical therapist.
Signs that you’re pushing too hard in your yoga practice
As with any form of movement, the body will start to talk to you if you’re pushing too hard in your yoga practice. “You might feel your wrists start to tweak or soreness in your muscles,” Mariana says. “If you're hyperextending or doing too much, the body will let you know. In those circ*mstances, rest is always advised and allows the body to take a break.”
If pain or soreness persists, it's always best to see a doctor or check in with a physical therapist, just to make sure your alignment is okay.
Can you get injured from yoga?
Yes, like every other form of physical activity, it is possible to get injured from yoga. “The wrists will often start to feel some of the weight-bearing of some of the yoga poses and flows,” Mariana says. “Rotator cuffs and shoulders can also start to feel some pains if the body is not aligned in poses. Make sure to always check in and do an alignment check, even if it's a faster vinyasa flow.”
Overextending or overstretching can also lead to injuries, Mariana says, so always be aware of when you're pushing too much or when you need to pull back. “The body will let you know,” she says.
How Long Does It Take to See Results from Yoga?
How long it takes to see results will depend on what your goal is. If your goal is to get more flexible, you may start to notice that quickly. If your goal is to hold a difficult balance pose, that will happen more over time. “Some results come from one day to another and with others, you will feel them gradually start to happen,” Mariana says. “No matter how many years you've been practicing, there's always something new to learn and explore. With consistent practice, you will absolutely notice how flexibility starts to come into the muscles, how your joints move in a different way, and how you can hold poses for a longer time.”
She adds that it always feels like a victory when you reach certain milestones, whether it's holding a balancing pose that you felt challenging or doing a squat. “A malasana squat is a pose that I've been working on since I started practicing and, year by year, I feel like I am better able to get my heels down and chest up,” Mariana says.
While the ideal times per week to do yoga will depend on your level and goals, one thing’s for sure: A little yoga is always going to be better than no yoga. So if all you have is 20 minutes to practice in your living room, great—do that. Your body and mind will thank you for it.
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