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As a yoga beginner, it’s hard to decide how long a yoga session should be. This isn’t a surprise, because there isn’t a simple answer.
How long a yoga session should depend upon a number of things including your experience with yoga, the style of yoga practice, your general fitness level, your current energy level, and the environment where you are practicing yoga.
Now let’s dig into the details regarding how long your yoga secession should be.
How Long Should A Yoga Session Be?
Typical yoga sessions last from 30 to 60 minutes. Beginners’ yoga secessions are often as short as 15 minutes and more advanced sessions can last up to 90 minutes. These general lengths of yoga sessions can be modified by a number of factors.
For those who are very new to the practice and have health problems such as being overweight, joint pains, etc. it is important to keep the exercise at a level that is comfortable for you. There is no need to immediately jump into long yoga asanas that require advanced skills and strengths.
Remember that everybody starts somewhere and if you find that you can’t finish a yoga session that is absolutely okay. Do what you can, focusing on the journey and building your strength and your confidence and you will be able to do longer sessions and more advanced poses in no time.
If you are struggling to complete a longer yoga asana, you can consider exploring different kinds of yoga. For example, hatha yoga is a slow yoga that is perfect for beginners, but we have some members of our team who are thrill-seekers and are more interested in doing some unconventional types of yoga such as acro yoga or aerial yoga.
Whatever it is you decide to do, you just keep doing it and do it a little longer each day until you get to at least 30 minutes of practice.
Top 5 Factors That Determine The Length Of A Yoga Session
Fitness Level
If you are generally unfit because of a lack of recent exercise, you are going to have to start slow.
People who have not exercised for a long time or who are just starting to get into the habit of exercising must opt for shorter yoga sessions. Shorter sessions will allow the body to adjust to the new activity. Also, keeping the sessions short will reduce any post-exercise soreness and help you avoid injury.
Yoga should never hurt you, and if you are unfit, injury is much more likely so start slow and build up daily.
Experience With Yoga
Yoga activates your body in ways that no other activity does. If you are brand new to yoga, you are going to activate muscles and joints that you’ve never used before, and if you overdo your first sessions, you are going to be really sore in new and unusual ways.
Once again…
Yoga should never hurt you!
Charmed Yoga
Personal Schedule
Your personal schedules also determine your ideal length of yoga sessions. Some who are very busy such as new mothers might only have 10 minutes of time to spare just a few times each day.
That’s just fine.
All of the yogis on our team have had moments in life when they felt too busy for yoga. Yet every one of them agrees that the only instances where that lack of time did them harm were when they choose to give up their practice instead of just scaling it back.
Do what you can when you can, and don’t judge yourself for shorter yoga sessions. You got this.
Style Of Yoga
The length of each yoga practice varies depending on the style of yoga being practiced.
Some kinds of yoga such as Power Yoga lasts for only 15 to 20 minutes while Bikram Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga may last for more than 30 minutes.
In general, more physically strenuous styles of yoga will have a shorter duration.
Many members of the Charmed Yoga Team combine different kinds of yoga practice. On busy days, some people opt for Power Yoga, and on weekends longer more meditative yoga sessions.
Not only do we believe that this mix-and-match style of yoga is okay, but our team also believes it will make you stronger and healthier than focusing on just a single style. Exposing yourself to different kinds of yoga means maximizing the benefit and fun that yoga gives.
Heath Limitations
Health limitations can also be a factor in the length of yoga sessions that one should be doing. Those who have joint pains or lower back problems for example should probably be doing shorter yoga sessions.
These sessions can be increased once you have already developed your strength and your stamina.
If you have any health limitations, you really should consult your medical professional before making any major changes in your lifestyle, including adding an exercise regime, including starting a yoga practice.
Health Objective
Different kinds of yoga tend to work more quickly towards different objectives and these objectives can dictate the length of the session.
For example, yoga sessions that are aimed toward weight loss tend to be longer and sweatier, usually over 45 minutes. Yoga styles that are meant for strength building and are shorter to avoid muscle fatigue, usually less than 20 minutes. And finally, yoga practices focusing on improving flexibility tend to be in the middle at around 30 minutes in length.
Bikram, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, and Power Yoga are great for weight loss. They tend to have more advanced poses and tend to move from one asana to another at a fast pace to speed praticioners heart rate and improve cardiovascular health.
Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin Yoga are outstanding for improving flexibility and strengthening your meditation skills.
Aerial yoga is perfect for upper body strength training.
Remember that yoga is a practice of staying grounded in this body, listening to its needs, and then honor it.