Yoga is all about strengthening the body and clearing the mind, and to do this optimally, you must first prepare yourself properly. Whether you’re a yoga newbie or an experienced poser, update your yoga routine with these six steps before your workout.
- Avoid Heavy Meals
Yoga should feel clean and light, and a heavy meal before yoga will weigh you down. Your body will feel uncomfortable if you have eaten a large amount of food too close to your workout, so make sure you leave around three hours of no eating or light snacking before doing yoga. If you feel hungry right before your yoga session, then aim for foods like fruit, crackers, and raw vegetables.
- Find Your Focus While Getting Dressed
Getting dressed for yoga is a part of everyone’s routine, but you should use that time to start clearing your mind. While you’re putting on your yoga pants and rolling out your mat, take the time to focus on your breathing. If you wear glasses, consider investing in sports contact lenses for more freedom during your workout. This way, you will see your instructor’s poses clearly without any discomfort.
- Play Music
Music can be extremely calming, so get your focus by playing some relaxing tunes before starting your yoga routine. Try to avoid anything too upbeat – think classical, light jazz, or even some simple nature sounds like rain or thunderstorms. If you are working out from home, then you could create your own playlist for before, during, and after your yoga workout.
- Avoid Your Phone
Yoga is all about you, so disconnect from the world at least thirty minutes before your workout. If you are a heavy phone user, then try switching it off and placing it deep in your bag so that you are not tempted to check your notifications.
Many people know looking at their phone screens before bed can disturb their sleep, and it is just the same for a yoga workout.
- Meditate
Meditation and yoga go hand in hand. While yoga focuses on different poses and exercising the body, meditation is all about what is going on in your head. Doing meditation before your yoga workout is a perfect way of clearing your mind in advance to perform better once you’re on the mat. It doesn’t have to be long – a simple five minutes of deep breathing with your eyes closed will suffice.
- Drink Some Water
Make sure you are well hydrated before starting your yoga routine by taking small sips of your water bottle. Avoid gulping down water, as this will feel heavy in your stomach and disrupt your exercise. You’ll also be running off to the bathroom before you’ve finished your warmup!
Preparing for yoga should be a routine all in itself. If you come up with a personalized preparation plan, then when the time comes for the yoga, your body and mind will already be ready.