Whether you’re new to the yoga scene or you’ve got a bit of experience under your belt, there comes a time when you wonder how often you should actually practice yoga. Though it may sound like a cop out, the answer is that it honestly depends on what your long-term goals are.

How many sessions can your life allow?

Yoga isn’t meant to be stressful or induce anxiety. It’s all about feeling good. Whether your time is restricted or your health makes it difficult to stick to a regular schedule, aiming for what works for you works best. If you honestly can’t perform yoga daily, don’t beat yourself up! The most important part of yoga is that it relaxes you and helps you feel better. 

What are your goals?

People pick up yoga for all sorts of reasons; spiritual, mental, emotional, and/or physical health, to get strong and flexible, to meditate, to alleviate aches and pains, to build a strong mind… there are countless reasons. When you have a clear understanding of what you want from yoga, you’ll be able to better understand how often you should practice. For example, for mental solace, just beginning a daily short practice can help. If you’re hoping to cure some pain with it, just 2 – 3 more intense sessions per week could be enough. Find your why then find how often you need it! 

Do you stick with plans?

If you’re good at planning, you can easily plan out as many or as little yoga sessions as you need. If you’re more free-flowing, however, and find that planning your week out is restrictive, aiming for 3 sessions a week is both manageable and keeps your schedule open. 

What do you think Yoga is? 

When you think of yoga, do you picture a tranquil 15 minutes of meditation and poses, a more vigorous 60-minute session of vinyasa, or a full-bore hot yoga class that lasts an hour and a half? It may be easy to fit in a 15-minute pose session every morning, but more difficult to incorporate a full 90-minute hot yoga session every afternoon. Plan to practice at your pace and with what you feel is manageable. 

Remember, any yoga is good for you, and any amount is good progress. It’s meant to make you feel good and give you mental clarity. Don’t stress if you don’t meet someone else’s ‘perfect’ schedule. Instead, make your own perfect schedule and stick to it the best you can!

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