Yoga is an exercise routine that may seem both simple and complex at the same time. By this statement, we mean that yoga exercises might seem basic on the surface but also physically challenging as well. In fact, people often learn this art at different paces, meaning that one individual might master its challenges fairly quickly, while another takes more time.
But what exactly affects a person’s learning speed when it comes to yoga? Like mastering any new skill, there are many factors that can affect your progress. If you’re interested in learning more about how long it takes to master yoga, please read on to get the inside scoop. Furthermore, we’ll also provide you with some resources that can improve your learning time.
What is Yoga?
While yoga’s popularity in the US skyrocketed in the late 20th century, it was actually introduced to here far earlier: in fact, a Hindu monk named Swami Vivekananda is credited with introducing yoga to America in Chicago as early as 1893! The history of this stretching exercise is even longer than that, with many sources believing it originated in India as early as the fifth century BCE. During these early times, yoga served as a critical spiritual practice.
Throughout its long history, yoga has been refined and perfected into a series of stretches and breathing exercises that can improve physical, emotional, and spiritual health. In fact, the coolest thing about yoga is this adaptability: many people perform yoga simply to boost their physical strength, while others use it to calm their minds and manage anxiety. That makes yoga incredibly beneficial and one of the most adaptable and enjoyable exercises in the world.
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Benefits of Learning Yoga?
Mastering yoga provides a myriad of physical and emotional health benefits, including enhancing your strength, improving flexibility, calming the mind, reducing anxiety, managing depression, and more. In fact, multiple scientific studies have just confirmed what practitioners have been saying for centuries: yoga is one of the most beneficial exercises. Even better, once you master its techniques, you can teach them to friends and family members.
In fact, if you’re looking to start a new career, mastering yoga might be an excellent option for you! The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that yoga (or fitness) trainers can earn $40,700 per year without attending college or needing any other work experience. While your state may require you to get a certification, these are usually not hard to get. For example, Yoga Alliance provides a certification for yoga teachers who takes just 200-500 hours to complete.
Average Time It Takes to Learn Yoga
In an article published by Yoga Baron, yoga instructor Kino McGregor was quoted as saying “Yoga is a path of effort, ” meaning that there’s no real set guideline for how long it should take to learn yoga. As a result, it’s tricky to calculate an average learning time. Some people might master basic moves in just a few sessions, while others require several more. In the same article, it’s stated that it might take weeks or even years to master this skill fully.
In fact, it’s probably better to think of learning yoga as a matter of matching your needs and skills with your expectations. You shouldn’t expect to pull off master-level yoga skills on your first day. Furthermore, you might never have the strength and flexibility to handle these higher-level techniques. That’s okay! Yoga is a very personal process, one that you can adapt to suit you. You can learn a few sun salutation techniques and practice them daily, if that’s what you want.
That said, experts do state that more frequent practice will speed up your learning time and improve your results. For example, author William J. Bond said in the book, “The Science of Yoga, ” that “Practicing once a week is good. Practicing three to four times per week would be better.” Frequent practice helps you master various techniques and poses more quickly and improve your techniques. It can also boost the benefits you receive by focusing your techniques more effectively and making them easier to practice without stressing out your body too much.
So, a good timeline for yoga success is likely a few weeks or months, depending on why you’re practicing. In an article published by Livestrong, the writer stated that people hoping for lasting improvements in their flexibility should see results in eight weeks. The same article said that a couple of weeks of practice should make yoga easier, while 12 weeks can improve hand and leg strength. Keep those guidelines in mind when starting your practice.
Other Factors
While your physical strength may affect your yoga learning speed, there are many other considerations before starting your training. The following factors all play into your yoga practice and can affect how well you learn and progress. Read through each of these sections to learn more about what might be holding you back from mastering yoga further.
Experience
Do you have previous experience with yoga (even a class or two) or are you a complete newbie? You’ll likely take more time to master this skill if you haven’t done yoga or other similar routines, like Qi Gong. Thankfully, CourseHorse classes like Adult Yoga by Tiger Strong NYC in New York can help by assessing your skill level and making sure you get the specialized attention necessary to progress at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
Yoga Skill Level Practiced
Are you looking to master a couple of basic yoga poses or do you want to master advanced techniques? Well, harder lessons will take longer to perfect, which can slow your learning time considerably. Often, people pick skill levels based on their physical health. For example, Yoga for Seniors by Los Angeles City College teaches senior citizens how to practice yoga at a pace that makes sense for them. Choose a class carefully to ensure you get the best results.
Personal Learning Speed
Everybody learns at a different pace, meaning that you might pick up on yoga faster or slower than others. Thankfully, many classes take this issue into consideration and adjust your learning based on your abilities. For instance, Tai Chi/Eight Treasures Qi Gong is a Suuz Moves course in Charlotte, North Carolina, that teaches slow-paced Tai Chi exercises. This class may work well for someone who needs a little more time and attention to master their yoga.
Learning Method Practiced
Yoga is a multidisciplinary practice that includes several different learning methods. For example, Yoga Sculpt is a more dynamic yoga type offered by Dance Dynamics in Chicago. This class teaches dance-based yoga that requires more training to properly master. Basic yoga techniques are a little easier to master and don’t require nearly as much in-depth exercise. So, make sure you balance your expectations with what the class requires.
What to Know Before Learning Yoga
Before you jump head-first into a yoga learning program, it’s important to understand a few basic facts about your practice. We have defined these factors as level of difficulty, prerequisites, and cost. Each is carefully explained below to provide more context. We’ll explain our reasoning behind each succinctly to ensure you are prepared:
- Level of Difficulty: We believe that yoga is an intermediate to advanced skill to learn, depending on what techniques you practice. While anyone can learn yoga through practice and determination, its unique physical and mental requirements make it a little trickier to master than some skills. That said, you can also choose beginner-level poses, like cat/cow, and focus on them if you’re not interested in advanced techniques.
- Prerequisites: There aren’t many things you have to know or do before you start practicing yoga. That said, we do strongly suggest visiting your doctor to see if you have the physical strength and flexibility to handle these routines. Holding yoga poses can be tiring and even damaging if not done properly. A quick physical with your physician can ensure that you’re at the right place in life, physically, to start learning yoga.
- Cost: It’s possible to learn yoga for next to nothing by using free video classes or printable instructions. That said, buy comfortable clothes, a yoga mat, and even stretch bands to put on your hands and feet if you like. Note that costs go up if you take courses from professionals. Even a community center group class will cost a little more due to gas expenses and other fees. That said, yoga is a fairly low-cost skill to practice.
Can I Learn Yoga for Free / on My Own?
You absolutely can learn yoga using YouTube videos or other free online courses. But is this a wise option? Well, when learning art skills that don’t require specialized physical motions or poses, free courses are a great way to save money. However, free instructional videos are a little more troubling when learning yoga. That’s because this exercise requires precise techniques that, if you get them wrong, could cause real physical damage. As a result, it’s best to just work with an instructor. Guided online classes from CourseHorse are a good idea because they provide a live teacher who can catch your mistakes and correct them before you hurt yourself. Note: free lessons might be a better idea after mastering basic skills.
Key Takeaways
- Yoga’s history is expansive and goes back over 1,000 years
- Yoga is a beneficial practice that provides many advantages
- Learning yoga may take weeks or months, depending on your skill level
- Persistence and patience are critical for learning yoga
- Learning time may also vary based on your yoga goals
- You can learn yoga with CourseHorse’s in-person, online, and private group sessions