Yoga is well known for its many benefits, which is probably why it is so popular. There’s the physical benefits, such as becoming more flexible and expelling all that stored-up tension.
But there are also plenty of mental benefits that you’ll start to notice too, such as better sleep, faster recovery, less stress, and even alleviating symptoms of some mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
And there’s no doubt that individuals start practicing yoga in order to experience these benefits. But, we humans aren’t always best known for our patience. We want to immediately see these results after the very first toe touch. Now, these expectations are probably a little high.
But this begs the question of just how long it will actually take to start seeing them. Well, we’re about to find out in this article. So, keep reading to find out when you can expect to start reaping the rewards of practicing yoga.
Find Your Frequency
Now, it’s important to state from the get-go that while how often your practice can help determine how quickly you reach those all-important results, it’s not quite as simple as the more your practice the faster you’ll receive those rewards.
Typically, we will be encouraged to practice yoga around 3-5 times a week if you want to start seeing some steady progress. Studies have shown that this is usually the optimal amount of practice to see the results in terms of lower fatigue, better sleep, and overall improved health.
However, the study also states that regular practice is the most important factor when it comes to noticing benefits. So, it’s much better to set yourself an achievable goal in terms of your schedule.
It is better to do fewer sessions that you stick to regularly than to push yourself too hard and then end up avoiding practicing altogether.
This is why finding your frequency is imperative. It’s better to start small and then re-evaluate the amount you’re doing after a month or so. If you’re not getting the desired results, you can then push yourself a little harder.
How Long Should You Be Practicing For?
Okay, so, now that we know how often we should be participating in yoga to start seeing results, let’s take a look at how long each session should take if you want to start seeing results.
Well, again, there isn’t really a black-and-white answer to this question. It’s really down to you and your schedule. Usually though, to see results, you’ll want your sessions to be anywhere between 15 and 60 minutes in length.
And you’ll see results from any session in these time frames. There’s no right or wrong amount of time to practice. Remember doing fewer poses correctly will be much more effective than trying to cram in every pose and doing them incorrectly.
It may also be an idea to stick with little but rather than it is to injure yourself trying to stick with a particularly long yoga session.
Don’t Let Your Desire For Results Ruin Your Progress
No pain no gain isn’t always the ethos to stick with. It can be pretty easy to push yourself too hard in the name of results but this can actually really hinder your progress. Trying to do too much too quickly can result in injury. And yep, yoga-related injuries are more common than you think.
Diving in head first and doing intense sessions for long periods of time is a surefire way to ensure that you pull or tear a muscle and you can even injure your joints this way too.
A dull or mild ache or pain throughout your poses is to be expected, but if it’s significantly hurting, or you have sharp or stabbing pains while posing, it’s an evident indication that something somewhere is wrong.
If you experience severe pain while practicing yoga, you’ll definitely want to tone it down a little to prevent further injury.
Motivation
Even the best of us struggle with motivation from time to time, but it’s also important not to be too hard on yourself. The best advice we could give if you want to see results is to try and keep yourself motivated by opting for smaller sessions on those days when you just don’t feel like it. We’ve all been there.
For example, promise yourself just 10 minutes of yoga on those slower days. You’ll often find that once you begin it was nowhere near as bad as it seemed in your mind. You’ll often end up doing a longer session than you thought.
This is because the exercise will stimulate the blood circulation, producing more oxygen and nutrients in your body’s tissues, and thus boosting your energy levels.
However, it is also important not to be too hard on yourself. If you battle through those ten minutes and you’re really struggling to get through it. Just stop. It won’t hinder your progress if this happens from time to time.
Remember To Rest
Remember to always listen to your body. Sure, you may be pushing for results, but a singular rest day within the week isn’t going to hinder your progress. In fact, it’s actually pretty necessary.
Your body needs time to recuperate and have a day off from anything too strenuous. This is the same with pretty much any exercise regime. And when you don’t allow yourself to rest, you’re actually more likely to injure yourself.
And then you definitely won’t be seeing results because you can’t practice yoga again until the injury heals.
So, How Long Will It Take To See Results?
Okay, so now that we know how often you need to be practicing yoga to see results, you’re probably wondering just how long it will take before you start to see them.
Well, like every other question we’ve answered today, the actual answer will vary. It will all depend on the type of yoga practice you participate in, how often you practice, along with a whole host of personal factors too.
However, as a general rule of thumb, you can expect to start seeing results anywhere between 6 to 12 weeks after you begin. So, be sure to stick with it, allow yourself the rest when needed, and you’ll soon start to reap all the rewards of your efforts.
Final Thoughts
Yoga is an amazing practice that can help you both physically and mentally. And this is why it is such a popular exercise option across the entire globe. After all, yoga helps to alleviate stress, and that is something that we all experience. And quite a lot.
However, for those new to yoga, you may be impatient to start reaping all those rewards from your hard work. Hopefully, from reading this article, you are well aware of just how long that process will be.
You should now know that you should be aiming for around 3-5 workout sessions per week that are anywhere between 15 to 60 minutes in length. And if you stick at this for anywhere between 6 to 12 weeks, you should start to experience all those wonderful benefits.
I created this website to help newcomers to yoga and enthusiasts alike, and to share our common passions for yoga.
- Ultimate Guide to Yoga Strap Stretching: 12 Poses for Flexibility - September 15, 2023
- Phalakasana or Kumbhakasana – Plank Pose - September 13, 2023
- All About Iyengar Poses: Beginner to Advanced Guide - September 11, 2023
