Hey everyone! I’m super excited to finally take the plunge into yoga at 33… better late than never, right?
It’s hard sometimes to get to a local studio, so I’m really looking for advice I can use for at-home yoga.
I’ve been carrying some extra pounds and my knees have been giving me grief lately, so I’m hoping to start gently with some home videos that won’t make me feel like a pretzel on day one. Would love any recommendations for beginner-friendly routines that are kind to creaky joints. I promise to update you all on my journey from couch potato to… slightly bendier couch potato!
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When I first started practicing at home, I kept burning out because I was trying to recreate full hour-long studio sessions and felt like a failure when I couldn’t keep up.
The first step is to get a consistent practice of just 10 to 15 minutes of light stretches on my living room floor, which was infinitely better than skipping practice altogether because I couldn’t do a ‘real’ session. Now I think of it like making a simple sandwich instead of a five-course meal, both nourish you, and sometimes the simple option is exactly what your body (and those creaky knees!) needs.
I’d definitely recommend checking out Yoga with Adriene’s YouTube channel!
She has such a warm, approachable teaching style that makes you feel like you’re practicing with a friend (plus her dog Benji makes adorable cameos). Whether you’re looking for morning flows, bedtime stretches, or targeted practices for specific needs, she’s got hundreds of free videos to explore. Her ‘30 Day Journey’ series is especially great for building a consistent practice.
There are other channels too, but it’s a good way to learn without a teacher and without (too much) guesswork.
I got started by learning from home, and the main thing I really wish I’d known early on was to focus on the role of breathing. Too easily missed if you’re using apps and videos but it’s perfectly fine as long as you actually know to look for it.
I’m still learning myself, but I’ve discovered that when I focus on deep, controlled breathing, it seems to make such a difference in my yoga practice, particularly on days when my joints feel uncomfortable. I’ve been exploring some pranayama exercises, though I’m far from mastering them. Perhaps others have had similar experiences? Just something I’ve been thinking about in my own journey.
Just remember, beautiful soul, your body is your temple, and we want to honor it with love and kindness!! A teensy bit of stretchy discomfort is totally part of the journey, embrace it! But actual pain? NO WAY that’s your body saying ‘Hey friend, ease up!’ You won’t have a teacher there to watch for signs of overdoing it, so learn to take care of yourself.
If you can maintain those gorgeous, slow, deep breaths that flow like a peaceful river, then you’re TOTALLY CRUSHING IT!! Unless you’re in one of those super fun cardio flow classes that get your heart pumping (which are AWESOME too!), if your breath gets all choppy and rushed, it’s time to float into child’s pose or take a beautiful rest!!
You’ve got this, yoga warrior! Namaste and sending you ALL the good vibes!!
I’d actually challenge the notion that investing in an expensive nonslip mat is necessary.
Some of the best yoga experiences I’ve had were on thin, worn-out mats or even directly on the floor. There’s something to be said for learning to find stability within yourself rather than relying on external equipment. Plus, becoming too attached to having the ‘perfect’ mat can actually work against the yoga principle of nonattachment. Instead of focusing on gear, maybe we should embrace the wobbles and slips as part of the practice; they teach us presence and adaptability in ways a grippy mat never could.
Yoga with Adriene has her 30 day program called Center and it’s ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!
I’m totally blown away by how incredible it is! When you’re done (and trust me, you’ll be sad when it ends!), you HAVE to check out her other 30-day challenges, Move and Breath! The way she’s structured these programs is pure genius! Each flow transitions SO beautifully between different muscle groups, it’s like magic on the mat!
Seriously, I can’t rave about these enough! Your body and mind will thank you!!!
When I started practicing yoga in my small space, I started using a yoga strap or a belt to help with stretches. It was a lifesaver for those times when I didn’t have room to fully extend my limbs. Trust me, it kept me from knocking over any lamps!
I like Travis Elliott’s teaching style. There’s something about his approach that resonates with me. I started with his free YouTube videos, kind of testing the waters, and eventually found myself subscribing to his app because I wanted more of what he offers.
What really draws me in is his power yoga sequences, which challenge me in all the right ways. He doesn’t make you feel like you need to be some perfect, ultra-flexible yogi to participate. His classes feel accessible, whether you’re built like me or completely different. There’s this unspoken understanding that we’re all just working with what we’ve got, and that’s perfectly okay.
When I started learning from home during lockdown, consistency made it easy.
Even rolling out my mat and just lying there for five minutes counts as practice. The intention alone makes it valuable (and honestly, some days that’s exactly what my body needs!). This mindset shift helped me stay consistent because I stopped beating myself up about not doing ‘enough’ and started honoring whatever my body could give that day.
Sure, there’s the convenience of apps and streaming services.. But I’d actually argue there’s something valuable about the DVD approach that we might be losing. This is how many experienced Yogis got started, and learning through social media might be hurting us.
The constant connectivity and endless options of digital platforms can sometimes pull us away from the meditative simplicity that yoga embodies. With a DVD, you commit to one practice, one teacher, without the distraction of notifications or the paralysis of infinite choice.
There’s a certain mindfulness in putting in a physical disc and dedicating that space and time without the temptation to browse or switch to something else mid-session. Perhaps the ‘limitation’ is actually a feature that helps us go deeper into our practice… like listening to a record over Spotify.
I actually started with studio classes but shifted my practice to the home. Partly for convenience, but mostly it let me remove my ego and worry about what a pose was looking like or how I “should” be performing on any given day. Now I get to listen to my body.
Something DVDs can’t give you is new content in a format that continues to help you grow.
Starting with a structured 30 day challenge really helped me build a consistent home practice (way better than my previous random YouTube surfing approach!). Having that daily commitment takes the decision-making out of it, you just roll out your mat and follow along, which is perfect when your knees are cranky and you don’t want to overthink modifications.
The progression is usually gradual enough that by week three, you’re surprising yourself with what feels comfortable, and by the end, you actually miss it on rest days.
If you ask me, starting with gentle practices is the way to go. Yoga with Adrienne (as others have suggested already) is solid gold for beginners, just my humble opinion! Those who ease into it with restorative and yin styles tend to stick with it longer than folks who jump straight into power flows. You can always switch to them later, but starting easy is my advice.
I personally believe yoga works best when you listen to your body rather than pushing through poses. Forget about looking perfect or keeping up with others. Everyone’s too worried about their own alignment to judge yours anyway. Pairing your physical practice with some philosophy really deepens the experience. Ram Dass’s teachings are wonderful if that resonates with you, but that’s just my personal take.
This practice (at home or from a studio) has a way of touching every aspect of life: physical, mental, spiritual. Give it time, be patient with yourself, and see where it takes you!
My practice is about 50/50. I like the freedom and flexibility (heh) of home yoga but I also like to be around a class and an instructor who can give me a little guidance.
I don’t think anyone’s mentioned this yet but an online class gives you the best of both worlds. I can roll out a mat in the morning, turn on my webcam and my instructor can tell me if she see’s I’ve gone a little too far or misunderstood. They can’t physically make corrections but the flexibility is worth the trade off.
… I just make sure to keep my morning coffee hidden from the camera
The biggest problem with yoga from home has one of the easiest fixes.
While practicing at home has its beautiful moments of solitude, placing a mirror nearby revealed how different my poses felt versus how they actually looked.
What felt like a perfectly aligned warrior pose was actually quite crooked, which explained why my knees were protesting! Consider recording yourself occasionally or practicing in front of a mirror, as these reality checks can help you nurture proper alignment and protect those precious joints on your journey.
