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Is 20-minutes enough? Top 3 Reasons for a 20-minute Yoga Practice

Yoga has infinite benefits. From stretching and toning the body to grounding and calming the mind, yoga is a practice that, when presented properly, supports you and your wellbeing in all facets. The effects - feeling good in our bodies, feeling confident, and moving with ease - are something we should benefit from all the time. The trouble with this is yoga is traditionally presented as a 60 to 90-minute class and there’s not a lot of people I know who have a spare hour to dedicate to yoga multiple times a week. 

One of the best ways to implement a consistent yoga practice into your routine is to try out a 20-minute yoga flow. Here are some of the reasons why you might want to try it out.

flow and go yoga overhead shot of 20-minute yoga flow.


Top 3 reasons you should have a 20-minute yoga practice:


1. You’re multi-passionate or have a busy schedule


If you’re anything like me, you’re super excited for the day. There are multiple things I want to do from seeing friends, reading books, or catching an episode of that binge-worthy series to getting outside, going for a hike, and having dance parties in the kitchen. All of these things are amazing but to do them and dedicate a full hour to yoga each day is a challenge. Even if I had the time, there are so many other things I’m looking forward to doing that I still wouldn’t choose to do an hour of yoga. 


It’s wonderful to be passionate about many things but sometimes your schedule is just busy with the “must do” items and that leaves little time for yourself. Long hours at work, taking care of the kids, and trying to keep up with the basic daily tasks like eating, cleaning and laundry can quickly fill up a good portion of our day. Of course, when our schedules do get packed with things like this, our other habits tend to go out the window. It’s so easy to get out of practice and then we run the risk of not doing any yoga. If we can carve out just 20 minutes for ourselves and our practice, we’ll be able to show up better for the other areas of our lives. Just showing up better in our lives and feeling good about it is such a huge win in itself. Knowing that you can get there in 20 minutes? That’s just a lovely miracle you get each day! 


2. You’re just starting out


An hour of activity is a long time when you’re just starting out! If you’re beginning a yoga practice, an hour can be a daunting commitment to moving your body in new ways. At the end of your yoga session, you should be feeling confident, strong, and empowered. Doesn’t it make sense to set yourself up for success and start with smaller amounts of time?


Twenty minutes is enough for you to learn to move the body and flow in ways that feel good and that are more supportive to learning without pushing you beyond your limits. If you practice for twenty minutes, it allows you the space to build confidence and feel accomplished as you start to know yourself and the practice of yoga (however you define your yoga practice). You’ll be feeling refreshed and empowered rather than exhausted and let’s be honest: how you feel at the end of something is what dictates whether or not you’ll be back. 

downward dog pose in a 20-minute yoga practice


3. Those yoga benefits? You get them all the time!


Imagine moving well and feeling good in your body all day, every day. You don’t notice stiffness because your joints are happy and you have this feeling of trust in your body. Not only that but you’re getting stronger, more flexible and you carry less tension. Best of all, this is your legit reality. C’mon, what’s your secret?


You’ve heard the saying “a little goes a long way” and it’s entirely true! Having a consistent practice where you can hit your yoga mat for a little session multiple times a week is going to change how you move every day. A shorter, more frequent session is going to grow your practice faster and leave you feeling better more often (or always!) than longer, less frequent classes. Of course, for those moments you want to really lean in and go deeper, it’s always an option to do a longer class but a shorter class will give you all the benefits and help keep you consistent. 


The other magical thing that happens is this wonderful concept of momentum or energy begets energy. As you put a little bit into yourself and your practice (think: just moving on my mat in ways that feel good), you actually start to have more energy. It’s weird to think that it takes energy to get energy but it’s true. As your body feels good, so does your mind and then you’re better able to move, focus and you show up as your best self. The hardest part is showing up the first couple of times. After that, it gets so easy. Don’t believe me? Try it yourself! Twenty minutes of yoga is all it takes.



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