One thing I’ve noticed since I returned to yoga is just how much time it takes up. It’s hard to believe that I used to go every single day to a 90-minute class, often fighting my way though thirty minutes of traffic in L.A. just to get to class, and then another thirty minutes to get home! Many adults complain about not having enough time to exercise, and I sometimes wonder about this since you could, say, go for a 3-mile run 5 times a week without putting a dent in your schedule. But yoga is different; it takes up a huge chunk of your day to practice at a yoga studio. How does anyone manage to have a regular practice?
Just practicing twice a week at the local studio, I am devoting 5 hours per week to my yoga practice. It takes about 20 minutes for me to walk to the studio (15 if I really book it), I’m in class for 90 minutes, and then another 20 minutes to walk back home. Add in additional time for chit-chat at the studio, showering, getting changed, and that’s easily another 20 minutes, which brings the total to about 2.5 hours for one yoga class.
Now if you go 7 days a week, as I used to, that’s a whopping 17.5 hours per week devoted to yoga! That’s a full waking day (and then some) for most adults. Spread that out over a year, and you’re looking at some 55-60 waking days spent doing yoga. Or two full months!
This was my yoga schedule when I used to live in L.A. I can’t say that I regret having spent so much time doing yoga. It’s just that now, after having taken some time away from the mat, it seems astounding to me that a human being would ever spend that much time doing yoga. Going twice a week is already a considerable time commitment. Today, I can’t fathom going 7 times a week.
I know, however, that I need to increase the regularity of my practice to really start enjoying the benefits of yoga. So my immediate goal is to increase my practice to 3 times a week, but this has proven challenging. Part of the problem is the lack of weekend classes at the studio where I practice. You pretty much have one class a day you can go to on Saturdays and Sundays. If you miss those classes, you’re out of luck until Monday.
In addition, I’m having trouble justifying the amount of time I’d be spending on yoga if I went 3 times a week. Somehow, I used to have no problem spending hours and hours at the yoga studio. It was my second home. Nowadays, though, I feel like going to the yoga studio is a luxury and an indulgence. When I’m there, I often find myself thinking about all the things I could be doing instead of yoga. I often feel guilty before and after class for “wasting” so much time. I’m not sure how my attitudes changed so much, but they have. Maybe this worrying and anxiety about doing yoga is just further proof that I need to spend more time doing it, not less.
30 Comments so far
Leave a comment
When I consider what I would have been doing instead of yoga, which I practice about 4 – 5 times a week. The answer is usually nothing I couldn’t accomplish at a more appropriate time, or something I wouldn’t have missed at all, like reading, video gaming or surfing the net. There is just not enough of a reason to keep me home to avoid a great class that is filled with friends who I am also glad to see. After a year of solid practice the physical, mental and health benefits have become obvious, and there’s no way I can fall back to my old levels of inactivity short of an injury. It just feels too good. Better than whatever I’d be doing instead.
On nights when I decide not to go, it’s because I have an actual plan on something I want to do instead. This is a powerful and enabling decision. I am doing this other thing because I need or feel it is important. I stay focused on what I’m feeling and doing in a way that wasn’t there before yoga. That extends to who I decide to spend time with too.
I’m glad you’re back to health and practicing again!
cheers!
Comment by Bob DeMaa April 19, 2011 @ 4:54 pmI’ve recently moved and haven’t been able to find that sweet heated vinyasa I used to frequent in my old place of residence. I’ve found the heat, but it’s Bikram, which I don’t like. I’ve found the vinyasa, but not that amazing heat coupled with it. That, coupled with more of a time requirement for my new job has had me practicing less the last couple months. I’m really noticing the difference. I am much more irritable, I feel fat and slow, less light, less elongated. So I think your final idea that if you were practicing as much as you used to, you might be less worrisome. I know that is the case with me.
Comment by Andy April 19, 2011 @ 6:05 pmHave you tried practicing at home? I know this can be a challenge if you have a small/crowded living space. But it saves the commute time and you can do it whenever you like, regardless of the studio schedule.
Comment by Jen April 20, 2011 @ 1:24 pmIf you did 17.5 hours of yoga a week that would blow my mind! I don’t think that I could do that, not because of the physical aspect, but of the mental aspect. I like to keep my routines different and exciting! That being said, how many different kinds of yoga are there???
Jason Stieler
Comment by How to do Yoga at Home for Beginners April 20, 2011 @ 2:11 pmhttp://www.gitfitnow.blogspot.com/
I do not go to the Yoga class any more since 2 years. It’s first of all because I found my path, but also I deeply realized that the best teacher was in me.
I meditate 2-3 hours and I share another 2 hours for asana practice “almost” every day.
Of course, you have no more time to watch the TV, or to do some usual things but I can say you that it is life-changing experience for me.
With metta
Comment by Nataraja April 21, 2011 @ 10:11 amFor decades, I have been practicing Hatha Yoga in my own home by myself. I usually do it for 15-20 minutes. Sometimes 1/2 an hour. That’s all I need to get the most incredible results. I wrote a piece sometime ago about this. You might like it: I wrote a little piece “Thoughts on Yoga” a short while ago. I’ve been practicing for longer than I can remember. You might like to read it: http://johnarcher11.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/thoughts-on-yoga/
. . ./John
Comment by John Archer April 24, 2011 @ 12:31 amI did martial arts for few years and I was totally obsessed: I could do 12-13 classes each 60 min or 90 min long + 4 hour long of selfpractice on Sat. Only Sundays were karate-free. And I’m not adding all the time I spent travelling there and back
I was exhilarated by the practice and when I had to miss a class I was very unhappy. It stopped when I had to go abroad and I had a forced karate-detox 
… I realised that there is life outside karate too 
I also realised that there are so many other things I would like to do and that my obsession is limiting me. Now I practice yoga, learn horseriding. looking forward to other adventures and experiences. I know that I can come back to karate whenever I want to, but I also learnt that being too much into something is not good for me – it was out of balance. Now I see that clearly. So my advice would be: simply do what makes you happy, satisfied, in agreement with you. Don’t force yourself to doing more yoga if you don’t feel like it. Man has so many obligatory tasks during the day at work that one has to take good care of one’s spare time and make the most of it.
Comment by sss May 3, 2011 @ 3:35 pmSSS is right. Do what makes you happy. I have never forced myself to do Yoga. That defeats the whole purpose of it. I have been doing it most of my life, but I certainly don’t do it every day. I’ve been known to not do it for a few weeks. BUT then I start to feel the urge and I sit down on my carpet and away I go. A little stiff at first, but then it starts to flow and the wonderful feelings are generated by the stretching.
Comment by John Archer May 7, 2011 @ 9:15 amI agree with the above…. don’t force yourself to do it because you’ll get burnt out. Pace yourself and make that time enjoyable.
Comment by Terry Allen May 12, 2011 @ 1:21 pmEs ist einzig und allein eine Frage der Prioritäten. Das Ziel im Yoga ist der Geist und nicht der Körper.
Gruß Ivy
Comment by YoNaScha May 18, 2011 @ 7:57 amI think that like anything else we love, making time for yoga is the sacrifice that we pay for doing what we love. How many hours a day do we spend doing similar hobbies, like cooking or reading? Yes, 17 hours a week seems like a lot for yoga, but if you’re doing something that you love, that number is completely irrelevant. I wouldn’t stress about the time spent doing yoga – I’d stress about missing a yoga workout instead.
Comment by Kristyn June 5, 2011 @ 6:01 pmI wish i had more time!!
Comment by Alexandra Kahler June 9, 2011 @ 11:41 pmI recently moved to the Middle East and can’t find a yoga studio in which to practice. I’m finding that in doing my yoga practice alone, I feel so isolated. I used to look forward to going to class, now I dread having to lead myself through a practice or watch a DVD. I need to get out of the rut, I just wish I had some people to practice with.
Comment by jenmaaninamman June 27, 2011 @ 12:16 amIt sounds like it is not Yoga you need, but socialization with people. I have been practicing Yoga alone for my whole life and I love it. Yoga is actually a very private thing and the benefits are very private and personal. This is very different than the experience you get from socializing with people. Perhaps joining a gym might give you what you need..
Comment by John Archer June 27, 2011 @ 7:26 amthank you for the post, i guess i do have enough time for yoga.
Comment by DanEastSide July 6, 2011 @ 8:49 pmpeace
Thank you for this post; I’ve been practicing yoga for only about 6 months. I began by going once or twice a week and have now increased to 4 to 5 times a week ideally. I would love to practice with my teacher 7 times a week but scheduling conflicts make it difficult. In any case you’re right, yoga is a huge time committment but I look at it is a “me” committment…reducing my practice would make me irritable and blue. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Comment by Ashton July 31, 2011 @ 2:48 amIts on you if did not find the time for yoga and I think you are full of energy but when your body energy will loss then you wil thing of yoga only at that time you never prefer the exercise..please start for long life.All the best
Comment by kelly August 1, 2011 @ 7:35 amThat’s great … I am very happy to see you all guys who are doing Yoga regularly. Its good thing to do regularly you should not worry about time because its only for your good health.
Comment by Break The Norms August 8, 2011 @ 1:25 amI spend as much time doing yoga as I can because it’s just so relaxing and my yoga clothes are my favourite items in my wardrobe! If you want inspiration to get back into yoga make sure you’re as comfortable as you can be jersey is fantastic.
Comment by Chloe August 31, 2011 @ 10:12 pmJustine…where can I buy Katie Perry.I had a look at the website and it looks HOT
Thank you for this post.i enjoy doing yoga because it’s just so relaxing .
Comment by Ultimate Yoga Blog September 11, 2011 @ 2:44 pmI loved this post. I have two kids and even though my wife teaches yoga I never have the time myself. But I need to make it. As someone said above, yoga gives you energy. I need to remember that too and make some time for me!
Comment by mzalota September 28, 2011 @ 10:46 amNow this is an interesting article. I never thought of all that extra time (going to and from, chatting, changing etc). It sure does add up quickly. I do all mine at home, so I don’t spend time traveling. But I do spend time getting ready, (changing, clearing the room etc).
Comment by Wayne October 14, 2011 @ 5:33 amAs a full time student taking 5 classes and 20 units, I’m having a hard time trying to squeeze yoga in my schedule – but I can’t live without it! I get cranky, I start having an “itch” to do something, and I stress way more. The days I forgo yoga for extra 2 hours of studying (biology is a terrible time-consuming subject…) – I can’t seem to focus! Not to mention I start eating out of boredom… Terrible, terrible! Haha
Comment by rachel November 29, 2011 @ 8:27 pmExcellent. Normally, I do yoga every morning and evening. Sometimes I feel the same. But I have yoga every day. I love yoga.
Comment by YogaStudy December 19, 2011 @ 11:57 amIt’s really hard. I used to go 4 times a week before I had my son. Now I’m lucky if I can get 2 60min classes a month! At least we can all practice “off the mat yoga” anytime!
Comment by thecoastallivingmom January 12, 2012 @ 3:42 pmOr you could get into practicing Ashtanga and follow that sequence and practice at home like a lot of people do.
Comment by andy January 12, 2012 @ 3:48 pmVery interesting post. I wonder if it’s necessary to spend a lot of time with yoga in order to reap the benefits or if once or twice a week offers enough for most people. Obviously the more yoga, the more benefits, but if a person can get enough out of a day or two a week, then why feel obligated to do more?
Comment by Dharm January 31, 2012 @ 9:33 ami admire very much you because it’s very hard to dedicate every day so much time to one thing very important like yoga or meditation. I admire you because i’ve failed with my intention to follow a tai chi class for time problems with my job.. and now i’m trying to find some time to dedicate to yoga, tai chi and meditatation, but maybe this is only an excuse because i’m lazy.. i don’t know i hope in some suggestions from you, bye…
Comment by naturopatia February 1, 2012 @ 2:47 pmThis is very nice blog. I am waiting for your next blog post.Yoga is usually taught as a way to achieve physical and mental fitness, not
Comment by Srimoon February 2, 2012 @ 12:12 pmas a way of life. To create stability, strength and flexibility to create balance, de-stress, revitalize while respecting any structural anomalies you might have, to know more about Yoga and Fitness Centers in Bangalore, please visit bharatdesi.com to get more details on Yoga and Fitness Centers.
thank yoga sites
Comment by telefon dinleme February 21, 2012 @ 2:53 am