How to practise yoga at home, from space to sequence

Practising at home takes away the commute, the booking and the cost of every session. It also takes away the teacher, so a little planning helps. This guide covers the space, the sequence, the timing and the safety basics.

What do you need for yoga at home?

Very little. A non-slip mat is the one thing worth buying first, because a mat that slides makes standing poses harder and less safe. Our guide to the best yoga mats in the Philippines compares grip and thickness. Two blocks, a strap and a firm cushion or folded blanket cover nearly every beginner pose, and a towel or a thick book can stand in for a block at first.

Wear clothes that stay in place when you fold forward. Practise barefoot on a clean floor.

How do you set up the space?

• Clear about two metres by one and a half. Move anything you could kick or knock over.
• Check overhead. Ceiling fans, low lights and shelves are easy to forget when your arms go up.
• Keep it cool and quiet. In Manila heat, a fan on low and an open window help. Mornings and evenings are kinder than midday.
• Put the phone on silent. Use it only as a timer.

A corner you return to each time makes it easier to start, even if the mat is rolled up between sessions.

What should you practise?

Start with a ready-made plan rather than inventing one. The sequence for first-timers is written out pose by pose, and our full library of yoga sequences covers mornings, bedtime, hips, balance and core. If time is what decides, pick a timed session by length: a 10-minute yoga routine, a half-hour flow or a slow 45-minute practice, each playable in the app. When you want to choose your own poses, the yoga sequence builder lets you put one together and print it, and the random yoga flow generator makes a fresh flow at your level when you would rather not plan. If you would rather follow a day-by-day plan, the home yoga programs include a 4-week beginner program and a month-long daily challenge. For something to pin up beside the mat, the printable yoga resources include Sun Salutation A and B cards and a set of 52 pose of the week cards.

A simple home practice has four parts:

1. Arrive (2 minutes). Sit or lie down and let the breath slow.
2. Warm up (5 minutes). Cat-cow, gentle neck and shoulder rolls, a few slow sun salutations. A slow moon salutation flow is a side-to-side alternative.
3. Main poses (10 to 20 minutes). Two or three standing poses, a balance, then floor poses such as a twist and a forward fold.
4. Rest (3 to 5 minutes). End in Savasana. Do not skip it.

If you are not sure which poses suit a beginner, start with the twelve yoga poses for beginners.

How long and how often?

Fifteen to thirty minutes, two or three times a week, is a good start. Regularity matters more than length. See how often you should do yoga for rhythms by goal, and build a personal yoga plan if you want a 4 to 8 week calendar that adjusts to how each week felt.

How do you stay safe without a teacher?

• Stay with the basics. Leave headstands, deep backbends and arm balances until you have learned them with a teacher.
• Use a mirror or record yourself now and then to check the knees and back.
• Move slowly into and out of poses. Most strains happen in transitions.
• Stop at sharp pain. Discomfort in the muscles is fine; pain in a joint is not. See a doctor or physio if pain keeps returning.

The guide to common yoga mistakes beginners make is worth reading before you start.

Should you still take classes?

A teacher can see what you cannot: a knee drifting in, a shoulder lifting, a breath being held. Many people do well with a mix, one class every week or two for feedback and home practice in between. A weekly yoga schedule planner helps you place both around work. If you are just starting, yoga for beginners explains how to begin, and your first yoga class explains what to expect when you do go to a studio.