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How many times have you told yourself that you are too busy to do yoga? It happens to us all from time to time, and there is no reason to feel bad about it. However, just because you don’t have time to attend a class doesn’t necessarily mean you have to skip yoga altogether. In fact, all you need is five minutes to get a quick session in. You may be busy, but chances are you have at least those few minutes to spare.

Yoga is an all-or-nothing activity for a lot of people. It’s either an hour class at the yoga studio, or nothing at all. Unfortunately, when work piles up or social obligations take center stage, it can be hard to fit in 30 minutes or an hour for a class. And that doesn’t even factor in the time needed to get to and from the yoga studio.

If your schedule has sucked out of your day the time necessary for a traditional class, we have a ready-made alternative that will let you reap the benefits of yoga in just five minutes. Sure, it’s not as good as a full session, but even five minutes of yoga can have long lasting benefits, whether you are doing it morning, noon or night.

For starters, a five-minute yoga session will help you clear your head, leading to less stress. This is especially great if you are busy and find your mind constantly racing. A short yoga session can also help balance your metabolism, ensuring your body is running at optimal efficiency. And even at five minutes, you still get the normal benefits of yoga, like improved flexibility and lung capacity.

So instead of lying in bed tapping away at your phone before going to sleep or just after waking up, why not squeeze a little yoga back into your busy life? As your parents always said, even a little goes a long way.

The five-minute yoga routine

Mountain Pose (arms up)

– 60 seconds
A nice, easy way to get things started. The key here is to focus on taking long, deep breaths. Make sure your mind is clear and you are paying attention to your breathing.

Side bend

– 15 seconds each side
From the previous pose, perform a side bend to both the left and right side. Remember, this is not a race so there is no need to rush. Take the full 15 seconds on each side. Return to the mountain pose when finished.

Child’s pose

– 30 seconds
After the side bend, move to the ground and enter into the child’s pose. You may have your arms outstretched or to your sides. Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Downward-facing dog pose

– 60 seconds
Gently transition to a downward-facing dog from the previous pose. This is a great way to stretch out your body as well as get the blood flowing.

Cat and cow poses

– 60 seconds
For the next pose, transition between the cat and cow pose. Don’t go too fast when doing these two, as this can put unnecessary pressure on the spine. Make sure you begin and end the asana with your spine in a neutral position.

Lotus pose or standing backbend

– 60 seconds
You can choose how you wish to end the session. The lotus pose is probably better to do before bed, as it allows you a chance to focus your mind, while the standing backbend is good for stretching and helping to wake up your body in the morning. You can also do both by splitting them up into 30-second segments.

If you have some free time and want to get back into the yoga studio, get in touch. We have many different types of classes to fit around your schedule and needs.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.

Practicing yoga on a regular basis helps improve your concentration, relieve stress, and increase your sense of wellbeing. But sometimes your hectic life and busy schedule can really get in the way of your yoga practice. We all have excuses for skipping a class, but sometimes it’s more important to exert self-discipline and stick to the plan rather than abandon it completely. Are you constantly making these common excuses to avoid yoga? Read on and find out how you can overcome them.

I’m too busy

This is perhaps the most widely used excuse for missing a yoga class. You might say you’re too busy to drop by your nearest studio, but guess what? Everyone is busy these days! There are many yogis out there who can carve out time for a daily one-hour practice, and they must be doing something you’re missing. We all have 24 hours in a day – it’s just a matter of prioritizing and making small tweaks to your daily routine to squeeze in yoga practice.

I’m not flexible enough

If you’re intimidated by the extreme flexibility and bendiness of the yogi on that magazine cover, or how easily your fellow classmates can bend over and reach their ankles with their hands, here’s some consolation: it takes time and consistent yoga practice to create and maintain flexibility. You might not be able to twist your body into some of the more complex and demanding poses on your first attempt but, with more practice and patience, your flexibility will definitely improve over time.

I’m overweight

You can’t afford to let this excuse stop you from trying out yoga. Many classes for beginners have no prerequisites, meaning your bulky body shape won’t be a problem. In fact, low-impact exercises like yoga may be more comfortable for overweight people than other types of workouts like running or weight training. What’s more, professional yoga instructors can provide modifications for all fitness levels and various types of bodies in a class, so even plus-size yogis can ease into poses quite comfortably.

I’m too old

It’s never too late to start practicing yoga, regardless of the stage of life you’re in. Although certain postures like handstands can be more difficult for older adults as a result of less flexible joints, the challenge of balancing, and other health concerns, many other poses are not physically demanding at all. There are special classes designed for people in their forties and beyond, where poses are modified and the pace is a lot slower than in other classes. Don’t let your age become an issue!

I don’t know what to do

Are you worried that your inexperience will be a burden and slow the whole class down? Don’t be. The truth is that not everyone really knows what they’re doing in a yoga class, even if they’ve been attending for weeks or months. And even if you’re in a class full of experienced yogis, there’s no reason to feel intimidated. Yoga instructors are accustomed to having new faces in the class, and they can help guide you into sitting, standing, and moving so that your body can find balance and you can achieve the perfect alignment.

Don’t let these excuses hold you back from practice! If you want to learn more about yoga, get in touch with our expert instructors today.