How to Curate a Powerful, Sustainable Home Yoga Practice

A global pandemic.

Health care workers without the supplies they need.

Businesses shut down.

Jobs lost.

News outlets running non-stop notifying anyone scrolling of the latest detail, the scary updates, and the uncertain reality in which we’re living.

Schools flat out closed in an effort to protect our communities and slow the spread of COVID-19.

People everywhere stressing the F out … and understandably so.

Stress overcomes so many people during this unprecedented time, and it’s really normal to take that stress on physically and mentally.

Emotionally too …

Three times a week, I watch my son’s kindergarten teacher show up online for 20 youngsters with more energy than she had on the first day of school. Each time my son logs on for class, the lump in my throat grows, and I blink back tears as I imagine this can’t be the way she envisioned teaching. And the remarkable detail lies in the truth his teacher isn’t throwing in the towel, and neither are these kids. Rather, they’re embracing this far-from-ideal situation and doing their damn best. Showing up. Sticking with it.

As you well know, businesses large and small are all shut down too.

I closed my small business, Hometown Sweat, on March 15th.

And while waves of panic churn in my stomach at points every day, I’m more inspired and impressed as I witness the adaptation that so many individuals and communities have made during this transition to shelter-in-place.

While we closed the physical studio on the 15th, we didn’t miss even a single day before getting up and running with online classes.

I know that people are stressed, and I know they need yoga now more than ever.

I also know deep in my soul that sweating, physical activity, and positive mindset are absolute musts in order for us to persevere throughout this quarantine and shut down.

Yoga studios all around the world know this too. That’s why they’re all encouraging their communities to keep moving, to keep stretching, to stay connected.

But what if your preferred method of sweating feels a little different at home?

And what if you, like us at Hometown Sweat, enjoy a HOT yoga or fitness practice where you sweat like crazy?

I’ll be the first to tell you straight up that your home yoga or fitness practice is not going to look like your studio one. There’s just no way.

I’ll also tell you to not to pretend you’re at your studio.

There, I said it.

When you close your eyes on your mat, I want you to bring awareness to exactly where you are. Even if that’s in your attic or bathroom or walk-in closet.

Feel the reality of your situation.

Pay attention to how you’re prioritizing your health and well-being in the midst of a global pandemic, and sometimes that means waking up at 5am before the rest of your family and sneaking into the playroom to make absolutely sure you fill your own tank before the opportunity vanishes.

If you practice at a brick and mortar yoga or fitness studio, understand that months if not years have been dedicated to curating your yoga experience. Everything from heat and humidity to essential oils and music make your yoga studio the special place that it is.

And your home practice is not going to feel exactly the same way.

But let me tell you this and hear me clearly: if you abandon your yoga practice now, not only with it be so much harder coming back, but your body will miss the physical work it so desperately needs, and your mind will crave the recharge it so massively deserves.

There are always excuses of why people can’t work out:

• Too much traffic
• Inconvenient class times
• Too crowded
• Too hot
• Work/parent/volunteer/travel

Now that we’re all quarantined, the excuses aren’t gone, they’re just different:

• Home-schooling
• Kids around all the time
• Parenting in the first part of the day and working from home in the second
• Too stressed and paralyzed to begin an exercise routine at home

Listen, I know. I’m right there with you.

My six-year-old is doing online kindergarten.

My four-year old clings to me like she wants to climb back inside my womb.

And my not-yet-potty-trained two-and-a-half-year-old has just discovered how to undress himself, diaper and all.

I’m also transitioning my brick and mortar business to online overnight. Or at least trying to!

I tell you all this to let you know I understand.

I get that it sucks waking up at 5am to workout before the rest of the household. I feel the guilt kick me in the gut as I extract myself from a hectic dinner-time to steal a chance to sweat and stretch.

But know what sucks more? Having screaming tight hip flexors from sitting so much and glute muscles that are under amnesia from lack of activation. And the guilt that brings regret is always over what I didn’t do for me, the time I didn’t give to myself.

I want to look back on this quarantine time and realize that not only did I keep my family healthy (social distancing for the win!), but that I also took care of myself too. That I made sacrifices that were hard in the moment but that were monumental in maintaining my sanity and my health.

I look ahead to the summer, and I have a picture of myself in my mind:

I envision a strong and compassionate, adaptable and creative, patient, and kind mom/wife/friend/bad-ass business owner who can still bang out her push ups and rock a good a triangle pose.

And then I work backwards from there and get real about the effort that’s needed to transform that vision into a reality.

I’ve heard all sorts of different feedback from folks over the past few weeks regarding their home yoga practice:

Some of you love it. You love the connection, the schedule, the commitment, and the exercises themselves.

Some of you aren’t warm enough. Quite literally, you miss the heat and the humidity. You miss the sweating.

Some of you can’t find the time. Too many kids and projects and work deadlines. Too much juggle.

Some of you are having a hard time with the virtual nature of exercising. And as someone who often welcomes people into my studio with an actual hug, I understand this too.

If you’re struggling to curate your home yoga experience or even just looking to amplify it, look no further than this epic guide below!

The first several points will give you ideas to curate your actual practice space. We’ll cover how you feel, what you hear, what you smell, and what you can wear. Take what works for you and leave what doesn’t.

Since I’ve fine-tuned every detail at my studio when it comes to environment and experience, I figured I’d share it all here so you can curate what’s important to you too!

The major points that I’ve broken down in this guide will serve you whether you’re coming from my studio, Hometown Sweat, or another studio who’s owner is throwing her heart and soul into making sure you stay healthy and her business stays viable.

Without further ado, here’s the epic guide!

1. Get a space heater already! If you crave the heat, a little space heater will go a long way. Amazon has about a bajillion, especially affordable ones like this, and you can select the one that’s best for your budget and your home.
2. While you’re at it, get a humidifier too. Make sure to get a warm-mist humidifier like this one (as opposed to cool mist), especially if you want that warm, humid room in which to get your sweat on!
3. Prep your practice room ahead of time. Did you know that we turn on the heat and humidity about 30 minutes before class at the studio? If you want to really heat up your home yoga room, you should do the same.
4. Consider the bathroom as your temporary studio. If you love a nice steamy yoga room, take a hot shower before practicing. Keep your bathroom door shut tight and end your shower just a few minutes before you start your class. Keep your yoga mat in the bathroom, change into your shorts and top, and take advantage of the heat and humidity your shower creates to get you nice and warm.
5. Essential oil diffuser with the right blend. Adding some essential oils to your environment will help switch your mindset from home and work responsibilities to yoga time. At my studio, we use this exact diffuser with the blend of: 2 drops organic tea tree oil, 5 drops organic peppermint oil, and 5 drops organic lavender oil.
6. Small bluetooth speaker that packs a punch. Let’s face it: just like curating what you smell, playing the right music completely transports your mind into yoga-state. I’ve been using this powerful little bluetooth speaker which produces the perfect amount of sound at a high quality.
7. Layer up. If you’re used to a hot yoga practice, you likely have a drawer full of string shorts and bra tops. And if you pull these out for a home practice your teeth will be chattering! Layer on the sweats and fleeces. I know it might feel weird but it’ll keep you nice and warm.
8. Try a sauna suit. If you really crave that sweat, you can try a sauna suit. I personally got myself this one, and it’s … interesting. I feel a bit like a men’s baseball coach when I wear it, and while it does makes me sweat, it doesn’t really make me hot. Still, it’s definitely satisfying to get a good sweat on! (Side note: I’m not a huge fan of how all these sauna suits promote weight loss; in fact, one of the reasons I’ve come to love hot yoga and hot Pilates so much is because these modalities of exercise are about so much more than losing weight and being a certain size. What so many of us crave is the sweat, regardless of weight loss).
9. Water water everywhere. There’s never a bad time to hydrate, and when you’re in the midst of a home yoga practice routine, this especially rings true. Your home may be drier than the studio, so even though you might not feel thirsty, drink up to feel your best both on and off your mat.
10. Make a schedule. Whether you’re participating in live classes on Zoom or taking pre-recorded classes, schedule in your practice time just as you would as if you were leaving your house. This gets your family members on board, and they’ll begin to understand and respect that you have an important obligation during your designated yoga time. This is the exact way I explain this to my husband: “I need the next hour to do this yoga class if I’m going to be a good mom and wife and not totally lose my sh*t. Please do not come up here and do not let the kids interrupt me no matter what.” Clear as day. Gets the point across.
11. Epsom Salts! If you have sore muscles, soak your body in an epsom salt bath. A few of my Hometown Sweat teachers and I are big fans of the Dr. Teals Epsom Salts specifically.
12. Get your expectations in check. Will your home practice be the same as your studio practice? Probably not. But different does not mean worse, and it certainly doesn’t mean anything to be bummed out about. You’ll still experience breakthroughs and meditation, and you’ll still find inner peace no matter where you practice. If you’re not as hot as you would be in the studio, you likely won’t be able to stretch as deeply. Remind yourself early and often that this is ok. Remember, yoga is not actually about the pose, it’s about strengthening the union between your mind in your body. If you’re standing on your mat in your home wishing you were in the studio, you’re missing an opportunity to embrace a new outlook.
13. Remember the 5 mental qualities you work on in every single yoga class, and apply them to your home practice: Faith, Self-Control, Determination, Concentration, and Patience. All in all, taking care of yourself during this time when everything is closed and when families are living within the same close quarters, you have a tremendous opportunity to call on and improve your inner motivation. No one can do this work for you, and that’s especially true now.
14. Think about the post-quarantine you. I’m talking the highest vision you have of yourself. Who do you want to be when this is done? How do you want your body to feel? What’s your general mindset like? How’s your stress level? What communities are you still connected with? We can’t be sure how long this will last and how life will be different which is all the more reason to move your body and challenge your mind now so you stay sharp, connected, and committed to your health and well-being.

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Bottom line, we need to stay healthy.

Our communities, hospitals, health care workers, small businesses, schools, our families, the grocery store employees, and the world population as a whole need us to stay healthy.

The hashtag #stayhealthy has been used almost 5 million times on Instagram for goodness sake!

One person doesn’t have to do everything. But everybody does have to do a little something. We will truly make a difference by caring for ourselves RIGHT NOW.

And if this guide helps you dig in and stick with your yoga practice just like the kindergarten teachers are sticking with their lessons, we’ll come out of this stronger and more resilient with unwavering determination and perseverance.

Happy sweating!

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