How Do You Start Yoga
How do you start yoga when you’re completely new and unsure where to begin? This question shaped my own early journey with yoga. I remember being a beginner, navigating it all by myself before yoga exploded into the online world. I had heard all the benefits, but honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. I’d attempt a few stretches (usually the splits), fail miserably, feel defeated, and call it a day. I resigned myself to thinking maybe I just wasn’t made for yoga.
Eventually, I found a studio I liked, and that provided more structure and insight. I still couldn’t master advanced poses, but the guidance of a teacher kept me going. Most importantly, being part of a class kept me accountable. Practicing on my own often ended with me quitting halfway through, no matter how good my intentions were.
Discovering the Power of Consistent Practice
As time went on, I began to experience the benefits—my body grew more flexible, and my mind became noticeably calmer. This progress made me prioritize my practice. I didn’t want to feel good only when the studio schedule allowed. I wanted that peace and clarity every day. That’s when I decided to start practicing at home. If you’re wondering how do you start yoga by yourself, know this: consistency is the key. Once you commit, momentum builds and you naturally keep going—even if you take a break, you’ll always come back to it.
Make It Work for You—Start Small
When I committed to home practice, I discovered that it didn’t need to be long. Not even an hour. Just fifteen minutes a day created profound shifts in my life. If I couldn’t get to a class, I didn’t feel off-track because I could always squeeze in 10–15 minutes to move, breathe, and reconnect with the present moment. The impact? Incredible.
This beginner’s guide on how to start yoga by yourself is here to help you take the first step from home with confidence, ease, and joy.
What Is the Best Way to Start Yoga?
The best way to start yoga is simple: just begin. All you need is yourself and an open mind. Don’t have a yoga mat? A towel or sarong works just fine. No props like blocks or straps? Use books, belts, or cushions for support. Search online for yoga videos that match your level and goals. Once you start, committing becomes easier over time.
There’s no finish line in yoga—it’s a lifelong journey meant to be savored. Be patient and respect where your body is. With time and dedication, your physical and mental capacity will expand naturally.
The true benefits of yoga often appear off the mat—in your relationships, mood, and inner peace. The quiet, mindful awareness you cultivate in practice begins to influence every part of your life. So if you’re asking yourself how do you start yoga, remember that the most important step is simply to start and keep showing up.
What You’ll Need to Start a Home Yoga Practice
Just You and an Open Mind
To begin your yoga practice at home, all you need is yourself and a willingness to try. Ideally, a yoga mat helps, but it’s not essential. A towel or blanket can be a great substitute.
DIY Props
Yoga props are helpful but not required. Be resourceful—books can replace blocks, a belt can act as a strap, and a rolled-up blanket can be your bolster. It’s more important to get started than to have perfect equipment.
Create a Dedicated Space
Design a space that’s quiet, clean, and free of distractions. A tidy area reflects the mental clarity yoga cultivates. An inviting space makes it easier to commit to your practice regularly.
Use Online Resources
If you’re not confident leading your own session, turn to online yoga videos. There’s an abundance of free and paid content from instructors of all levels. Spend some time exploring different styles and teachers until you find one that resonates.
Make It a Habit: Schedule Your Practice
The real challenge in starting yoga is not finding a class or video—it’s following through. To ensure consistency, schedule your practice like any other important appointment. Look at your weekly calendar and block off a minimum of 15 minutes for yoga. This short amount of time is manageable and can lead to long-term commitment.
The flexibility of home practice is a double-edged sword—it’s convenient, but easy to skip. Stay accountable by treating it as a non-negotiable part of your day. If you’re still asking how do you start yoga, the answer is: plan it, schedule it, and start small.
TRAINING TYPE: FLOW SEQUENCE
CATEGORY:YOGA
SUBCATEGORY:BEGINNER YOGA
PLANNED TIME:10-15 MIN
LEVEL:BEGINNER
PROPS:NONE
What Is The Best Way to Start Yoga?
The best way to begin yoga, is to just start! All you really need is yourself and an open mind. If you don’t have a mat, roll out a towel or sarong. If you don’t have props like blocks and straps, find things around the home like books and a belt. Use cushions for support and jump online to find yoga videos that you can connect with and suit the level you are at. Once the ball is rolling, it’s much easier to commit to practicing. Over time you can work on getting all the right equipment and creating a space that invites you in every day.
There is no end goal with yoga, the journey is life long and every step should be enjoyed. It’s always important to listen to your body and respect where it’s at and trust in the process. Over time and with commitment the body and the mind will expand and grow.
It doesn’t take long until you’ll start to notice the benefits across all aspects of your life. The best rewards from yoga are actually those you reap out in the world and in your relationships with others and with yourself. That quiet, calm mind that you cultivate on the mat, will start coming with you to other places. You’ll find yourself more content in the moment and less triggered or caught up in the stories of the mind. All of this and more is yours when you start practicing yoga regularly, so what are you waiting for?
What will you need to start a good at home Yoga Practice?
All you really need is yourself and an open mind. Also, preferably a yoga mat, but if you don’t have one right now, even just a sarong or towel will suffice! When it comes to props, they are not essential, but there are so many things lying around the house you’ll be surprised you can use. Instead of a block you can use books. Grab a belt in the place of a strap and instead of a bolster grab yourself a blanket and roll it up.
Create the Space
Creating a space that is inviting and conducive to stillness can really help motivate you onto your mat and into your practice. You know what they say about a clean room being the key to a clear mind, well it’s definitely true. We want to create a space that is a reflection of the state of mind we are trying to cultivate – quiet, clear and free from distraction! This will help set the tone and drop you into the zone a little easier.
Jump Online
If there isn’t the confidence there yet to lead yourself through a practice, there is still absolutely no reason to not practice at home! There are so many teachers and yoga videos online to offer you support and guidance, you might just have to flick through a few videos to find one that resonates.
The great thing about the online yoga realm, is that there is an abundance of options out there. You can really get specific with what you are after, what parts of the body you want to target and how long you want to practice for.
Schedule a Time
If you’ve gone through all of these steps, then you’re pretty much ready to go. All that’s left is to get on your mat! However, we all know It’s one thing to plan and create the space to do yoga at home, but actually committing to your practice, that’s another thing entirely. In order to make sure you see it through, it’s recommended to schedule a time in advance.
Yoga is only going to be effective if you are persistent and show up regularly! One of the benefits of a home practice is that you aren’t restricted to a specific class schedule or length of class. This can also be your downfall as there is no teacher or time frame to keep you accountable. So with that in mind, I recommend looking at your week ahead and scheduling a time in advance to practice and treat it like a non-negotiable appointment. Aim for a minimum of 15 minutes, it’s short enough that it’s not overwhelming, but still long enough that it will encourage a steady habit.
Yoga Practice at Home Sequence
We will break down the steps needed to be taken to set up a successful home yoga practice for beginners. It goes over what is needed, the type of space you want to create, the importance of scheduling a time and finding a videos online that can provide guidance until there is more confidence in practicing alone.
When you are practicing at home without support it is important that you listen to your body and take modifications when needed. Never be afraid to simply rest in Child’s Pose and don’t push yourself past your limits, as the body takes time to open up. The real benefits of yoga are the transformations you start to see off of the mat, and they will come with consistent practice. Trust the process and enjoy the ride.
Start Yoga at Home For Beginners Infographic
Cat-Cow – Marjaryasana-Bitilasana
Coming into a Table Top position, making sure that the wrists are in line with the shoulders and that the knees are in line with the hips. Spine is neutral, head and neck in one line, and the gaze is slightly down and towards the top edge of the mat. Inhale, drop the belly down, take the heart forward, arching the back, coming into Cow.
Exhale and move into Cat Pose by pushing into the palms, rounding the upper back, bringing the belly button back towards the spine and dropping the chin to the chest. Inhale, again coming forward, opening the chest. Exhale, pushing back, rounding the spine. It’s good to work through a few rounds of these Cat-Cow movements in order to warm up the spine and let it know we’re going to move into it.
This pose mobilises the spine, shoulders and the neck and is the perfect warm up for all levels of yogi. It is a gentle way of preparing the body and the spine for deeper stretches and is a safe way of relieving tension from the back.
Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
Tuck the toes and push into the palms and take the hips up into Downward Facing Dog. Start by pedalling out the legs and bending the knees. Pushing down into the palms, fingers are spread wide and allow the head and neck to drop.
Downward Facing Dog is an opportunity to catch you breath and balance before moving onto the other side of the body during your flow.
One Legged Downward Facing Dog – Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana
Rise the right leg back and up, coming into a One Legged Downward Facing Dog.
It is very common to dump the weight of the body into the left shoulder here, but try to keep the shoulders square by pressing evenly into both hands.
Low Lunge – Anjaneyasana
Bend the right knee and come forward, transferring the weight into the hands and step in between the palms, coming into Low Lunge. Hands will frame either side of the front foot and you can use the fingertips for support. There is the option to rise the back knee or you can take it down for more support. Make sure that the neck and head are in line with the spine.
In Low Lunge you can start to work into the flexibility of the back hip flexor by squeezing the gluteus muscles. Try to keep the hips square, by sending the back hip forward.
Revolved Side Angle – Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
Take the left palm and press it flat down into the earth and take the right arm. Spinning the chest open coming into an Revolved Side Angle. Gaze is up to the top hand. Really pressing down into the left palm and the ball of the back left foot. Take a breath, and open the chest more.
This pose strengthens and stretches legs, groin, hamstrings and at the same time opens the chest, the shoulders and the spine.
Warrior 2 – Virabhadrasana II
Spin the back foot down and cartwheel the arms, coming into a Warrior Two. The front toes are facing forward, and the back foot is in on an angle. Press down firmly into the outer blade of the back foot. Arms are extending long to the sides and as you exhale, drop a little deeper, staying low in the legs.
Warrior 2 is working deep into the strength of the legs and is particularly powerful if you energetically hug the legs together. This turns on the underside of the thighs and requires strength, determination and concentration. All of this is going on, while you are cultivating balance and groundedness.
Reverse Warrior – Viparita Virabhadrasana
Inhale and lean the torso forward and flip the front palm. Lean back, stretching the front hand up and back, coming into a Reverse Warrior. Stay low in the legs and find strength by hugging the feet to the midline, activating the underside of the thighs.
The key in Reverse Warrior is to stay low in the legs. It might seem like a reprieve and a moment to take rest after a strong Warrior 2, but keep in mind that the mind will often bow out before the body is ready, so see if you can stay low for a couple more breaths!
Eight Limbed Salutation – Ashtanga Namaskara
Cartwheel the arms down to the ground and push back into a Downward Facing Dog momentarily. Take a deep breath here and then move into Eight Limbed Salutation, also known as Knees-Chest-Chin Pose. Drop the knees directly down, take the chest down in between the palms and have the weight is in the hands. Hips and tailbone are staying up to the sky. Hugging the elbows in towards the body, with the chin slightly resting on the earth.
Knees-Chest-Chin Pose pose can seem tricky at first, but the key is to have the weight in the hands and to be drawing the elbows in towards the body. Everything else is relatively light and the chin is only gently resting on the mat.
Upward Facing Dog – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Come down onto the belly and then slide forward into Upward Facing Dog. Make sure the shoulders are down away from the ears and draw the shoulder blades back and together. Exhale, and bend the elbows and lower the torso and forehead back down to the earth.
Here you are stretching and strengthening the spine and shoulders, toning the abdomen and opening the chest and lungs. The key is to really lift the chest and squeeze the shoulder blades back and together. There should be ample room between the shoulders and ears.
Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
Push back into a Downward Facing Dog and then preparing to move into the other side of the body. Notice the difference between your first Downward Facing Dog of your practice and your last. When the body is stiff this pose can feel like a full workout, but as the body warms and opens, it gets easier and easier to hang out here.
Extended Child’s Pose – Balasana
After finishing up the other side of the body, drop the knees down as wide as the mat and settle back into a Extended Child’s Pose. Dropping the forehead down to the earth, allow the belly to be soft in between the thighs and take rest.
This is the perfect pose to take rest in, both during and after your practice. It’s an opportunity to bring everything back into balance, to find your breath and to elongate the spine.
Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
Featured Video How to Start Yoga at Home for Beginners
Yoga Poses for Beginners
If you are still feeling a little lost on your mat, its ok, because Ive got your back :). I want to share with you some very beginner friendly poses that lay the foundations for most of the yoga flows you will be introduced to in a class. It also means if you don’t have access to the internet and an online tutorial. You can simply move through these simple poses two or three times, spend some time is Savasana (laying flat on your back) at the end and bam, you’ve got yourself a solid yoga practice. If you can get comfortable with these poses, and even better their Sanskrit names, you’ll be ahead of the game when you finally do make it into a class.
Cat-Cow – Marjaryasana-Bitilasana
Moving through a few rounds of Cat-Cow is extremely juicy and therapeutic for the whole back and neck. The opposing movements allow you to both stretch and compress the spine, inviting more space and increasing mobilisation. Really be dramatic with the postures by pulling the shoulder blades apart when you’re imitating an angry cat and sucking the belly button right back to the spine in Cow. Spend a few extra minutes working into some intuitive free movement, moving the spine back and forth, the hips from side to side and taking some body rolls – anything that feels good in YOUR body in order to warm up the spine.
Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasan
Downward Dog is one of those poses that in the beginning it simply sucks! Your heels refuse to reach the floor, the shoulders and arms are quick to tire and it feels like your instructor is making you hang out there for hours. You’d rather drop the knees and take a Child’s Pose. However, over time, and once you have the proper alignment down, Downward Dog starts to become your home base. It becomes a pose you can relax into and it provides a reset and full body stretch between flows and the more difficult poses. The key is getting the foundations of the pose down right from the get go. I encourage you to get an instructor to guide you into the pose in class or find a tutorial online!
Low Lunge – Anjaneyasana
Get the alignment of the legs and feet right in a simple Low Lunge and you already have the the foundational base ready to jump into other standing poses, such as the Warriors! Here you have the option to work into both your strength and flexibility; and there is always the option to take a modification and drop the back knee down to the earth. This makes this pose very accessible and beginner friendly, yet you will still be working to stretch, strengthen and simultaneously improve balance and focus. Revolved Side Angle – Parivrtta ParsvakonasanaThe trick to finding some ease in the perceived effort of this pose, is to hug the feet towards the midline. This goes for all the standing poses in order to find strength and activate the underside of the legs. This will tap into your power reserves and you’ll be surprised at the strength you have. Remember, the mind will always want to quit before the body does, so when you feel like coming out of a pose, firm into the legs and see if you can find just two more breaths!
Warrior 2 – Virabhadrasana
I invite you to stand in your strength in this pose, as an incarnation of a fierce warrior, Shiva. When that front leg starts to tire, keep in mind that zen archers would practice holding a bow for two years in this position before they were allowed to shoot their first arrow. Find some ease in the effort by energetically drawing the feet towards the midline, as though you want to bunch up your mat at the middle. The aim is to stand firm and strong, yet at the same time relaxed and at ease.
Cobra – Bhujangasana
An energizing back bend to open the chest and heart. Bhujang means ‘serpent’, and this pose is an essential component of the Surya Namaska – the Sun Salutations. It is a powerful chest opener and at the same time, it is extremely therapeutic for the spine. It also works to stretch and tone the abdominal muscles and organs and stimulate the digestive fires.
Is Doing Yoga at Home Effective?
The more consistent you are with your yoga practice at home, the more effective it is going to become. The same with anything, consistency is the key, but this doesn’t mean that you have to practice for an hour, seven days a week! Spending twenty minutes each day on your mat, to stretch the mind and the body is going to have profound effects on your life across the board. If there are days you don’t feel up to yoga, give some meditation or Pranayama a go.
Meditation
If you are new to meditation, then the chances are that sitting in silence trying to quiet the mind is going to lead to a whole lot of frustration and very little stillness. Meditating in this way is actually very advanced, as you’ll find out quickly that it can be very challenging to quiet down the stories of the mind. A better option in the beginning is to find some guided meditations that resonate.
Pranayama Breathing is something we do so naturally, that it requires no conscious effort. It is an involuntary action that is happening whether we are awake or sleeping. To breathe, is to live. Pranayama is the practice of controlling the breath, with Prana meaning ‘life force’ and yama meaning extending or stretching in Sanskrit. Controlled breathing can decreases the effects of stress, instil focus and mental clarity and can energize and detox the body.
One simple Pranayama technique, is known as the Cooling Breath Pranayama / Sitali Pranayama. Find a comfortable easy seat. Curl the tongue into a U shape and project it out of the mouth slightly. If you can’t curl the tongue it is fine to make an O shape with the mouth. Take the chin to the chest and then begin to inhale through the mouth, taking the chin up and dropping the neck back as far as is comfortable. Close the mouth and exhale through the nose as you drop the chin back down to the chest.
Repeat for eight to twelve breaths. Any time spent on your mat, is time well spent and over time there is an accumulative effect that takes place and the benefits start to ripple out and have a domino effect across so many aspects of your life.
How do you Start Yoga When Overweight
Going into a yoga studio can seem a little daunting if you don’t think you fit the typical yogi image, but yoga can (and should!!), be practiced by everyone. At all ages and stages of life, and by all shapes and sizes. We all start somewhere and there are so many styles of yoga and variations of the poses, that make them accessible to all. If there is some doubt and anxiety in the mind though, there is the perfect opportunity here to start practicing at home.
Jessamyn Stanley is a great role model to check out! She is using yoga to promote positive body image and breaking down mental and emotional barriers to practicing. She emphasizes how you FEEL, as opposed to how you look and she celebrates her students bodies in all the shapes and sizes that they come in. She has a top selling book on Amazon called, Every Body Yoga: Let Go of Fear, Get on the Mat, Love Your Body, and I HIGHLY recommend checking that out!
Yoga is a mindset that cultivates self love and body confidence. Love your body where it is at and show it some kindness by taking this time for self care. With consistency your body will open and start to change, so enjoy the journey and allow the transformation to unfold.
Conclusion: How do you start yoga?
A few things to keep in mind before you jump in! Firstly, always make sure to listen to your body. You know it best and are the only one that can hear its subtle cues. Never force your body into a pose and don’t be scared to take modifications or rest in Child’s Pose when needed. Trust that over time and with consistency your body will open up along with your flexibility. You have the necessary steps in mind now to really get your at home practice going. I promise that the hardest part is just making it onto your mat. Make the time, prioritise this self care and watch yourself blossom and grow.
This article has provided the necessary steps to establishing an at home yoga practice. Grab the essentials, create the space, find some videos online that resonate and schedule the time like a non-negotiable appointment! Prioritise taking care of yourself and loving yourself just as much, if not MORE than you love others. This is not selfish, this is KEY to being the best version of who you already are, for yourself and for others. You have to fill your cup first and yoga is a great tool to do just that.
About
Charlie Hanna
Charlie is a Yoga Alliance certified Hatha, Yin Yoga & Meditation teacher with a psychology degree in her back pocket. She is currently on a mission chasing sun and Read More..
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