How to Get Better at Yoga: 5 Tips to Make Your Practice Better

If you want to get better at yoga, these 5 tips are a must! (Image via pexels/Prasanth Inturi)
Tips to get better at yoga (Image via Pexels/Prasanth Inturi)

You're probably among millions of people who want to get better at yoga. We don't blame you — the benefits of yoga are well-documented.

Whether you're looking to improve your flexibility, strength, or mental health, yoga can help. Even if you're already committed to practicing regularly, there's always room for improvement. With the following tips, you will be able to take your practice to the next level and reap all the wonderful benefits.


Tips to Get Better at Yoga

Here're five tips:

#1 Set a Goal

The primary way to get better at yoga is to set a goal for yourself. Have a specific ending in mind, and make sure it's achievable, specific, measurable, and time-bound if you seriously want to get better at yoga. For example, if your goal is to be able to do a crow pose (Bakasana), you know exactly what you want to achieve and how long it will take for that goal to be achieved.

Make sure your goals are flexible enough so that if something comes up or changes along the way, you can adjust accordingly without feeling like you failed yourself because of an unforeseen obstacle that came up unexpectedly.


#2 Find a Good Teacher

Finding a good teacher and a supportive group is one of the most important things you can do to improve your yoga practice.

The teacher should be experienced and with a good reputation in the community. They should also have a positive personality and be knowledgeable on all things yoga-related.

They should be able to answer your questions about your specific needs and help you improve by offering modifications or alternative poses if required.


#3 Make Sure to Take Time to Rest

Resting is important in every part of life, but especially during yoga practice. A lot of people think that if you’re not sweating and panting, you aren’t doing anything. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Resting is just as much a part of your practice as any other pose, and taking a few minutes to recover can eventually help you get better at yoga. Taking breaks can help your body recover from any injuries or soreness so that you can continue with a healthy routine.

Remember: there's no right or wrong way to do yoga. It's all about finding what works best for you, and that may mean skipping some poses.


#4 Stay Committed and Consistent

If you want to get better at yoga, it's important to be consistent. The best way to make sure you stick with your practice is by setting a schedule for yourself and sticking to it.

Whether that means doing morning or evening practices, getting up an hour earlier than usual, or making sure you don’t miss any days of the week. You can also try carving out time during the day when distractions are minimal (like before work) so that nothing gets in the way of your practice.

Most people find that they need some time away from their mat once in a while. However, if you go too long without practicing, as you didn't set aside enough time or took off more than what was necessary (like when life gets crazy), you start feeling that your body has got stiff and become unmovable.

Be mindful about how often you take breaks — and know when it's worth going back after taking an extended one.


#5 Enjoy the Process & Take it Slow

The most important thing when trying to get better at yoga is to take time and enjoy the process.

Focus on what you're doing in the moment instead of worrying about how far you are from your goal. While it's great to have long-term goals for yourself when practicing yoga, it's also important to remember that those goals will only come to fruition once you've mastered the basics.

Take things slowly and steadily so that you can focus on building up strength over time. Beginners should start off with basic poses like a downward facing dog (adho mukha shvanasana) or cobra pose (bhujangasana) before moving onto more complex postures like the tree pose (vrikshasana).

Even if a beginner wants to master handstands right away, they should still practice holding their balance first by raising one leg at a time while standing on one foot instead of trying both at once immediately.


Takeaway

Yoga can be beneficial in different ways for different people, but there're some things to keep in mind if you want to get the most out of your yoga practice. If you want to get better at yoga, work hard, and stay consistent. Take your time to get to know yoga, as it can become an indispensable part of life.

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