You want to achieve your fitness goals but don’t have the time to spend hours in a gym or yoga studio. You want it all – the cut physique, the strength to achieve jaw-dropping yoga holds, and the endurance to power through your workouts. But what happens when you don’t have a several-hour-long chunk to devote to yoga?
Key Points:
- Regular yoga practice can lead to numerous health benefits, such as improved flexibility, bone strength, and energy levels.
- Ideally, a 20-30 minute session is adequate, but if time is limited, you can aim for 15 minutes.
- Factors like frequency of practice, diet, hydration, and sleep all play key roles in achieving long-term fitness goals.
Maybe you’re a busy mom or spend long hours in the office without the time to spare for a lengthy yoga session. So, can you achieve your goals with a shorter yoga session, maybe even as little as 15 minutes? Let’s find out!
How Many Minutes A Day Should I Do Yoga?
In a world of busy schedules and chaotic deadlines, many people don’t have time to carve out their day for a lengthy yoga class. A short session? Maybe. But an hour plus? Not likely. So, many folks begin to wonder: how many minutes a day should they do yoga?
Ideally, you should do at least 20 to 30 minutes of yoga in each session. For many folks, this is doable. After all, many of us come home from work and spend hours in front of the TV, whittling away at the time left before bed and starting it all over again. So, setting aside half an hour or less is entirely doable.
As you build your strength and endurance, you can increase the length of your sessions. You might be inclined to increase the time to over an hour, especially as you become more dedicated to the practice and your improvements.
The total chunk of time you should devote to your yoga practice hinges on your goals. If you want dramatic results in a shorter period, dial in on your practice frequency, diet, and sleep. Try to practice at least three times per week, ideally with 30 to 60-minute sessions each day. Consume plenty of protein, stay hydrated, and get plenty of quality sleep.
However, if you’re okay with taking things slower and reaping the benefits over the long run, you don’t need to be as focused. Shorter practice times, like 20 to 30-minute sessions, a few times per week is adequate. While you won’t see results as fast as you would when practicing more frequently, you’ll begin to notice changes after a few weeks or months.
Is A 15-Minute Yoga Session Enough?
While a 20 to 60-minute yoga session is ideal for numerous fitness goals, it isn’t the best choice for everyone. Some folks are tight on time, with barely twenty minutes to spare throughout their day. So, will a 15-minute yoga session be enough if that’s you? It can be.
It all comes down to your goals and how you address the rest of the picture. After all, exercise is only one part of achieving your fitness goals. Sleep, diet, hydration, and various other factors substantially influence how fast you reach your goals. On top of these factors, you need to consider your goals.
If you’re hoping to achieve an advanced level of yoga, 15 minutes per day might not cut it, especially if you want to see results fast. If this is your goal, it’s best to devote more time to the practice (30-60 minute sessions at minimum).
On the flip side, if you’re simply hoping to improve your strength and endurance, 15-minute sessions are an excellent place to start. While you will likely need to lengthen your sessions to challenge your body as you improve, 15 minutes is plenty of time for the beginning stages.
Benefits Of Yoga (Even With Short Sessions)
Numerous studies display the correlation between regular yoga practice and various health benefits. For example, one study found that practicing yoga for just 12 minutes each day can help strengthen your bones and prevent osteoporosis. Another study found that practicing yoga just once per week can help improve spine and hamstring flexibility.
And yet another study displays the correlation between increased energy levels and a routine 25-minute Hatha yoga practice. Researchers believe this stems from increased blood flow to the brain and the release of endorphins.
Dozens of studies display the connection between a consistent yoga routine and various improvements. So, even if you only have 15 minutes per day to devote to your yoga practice, it’s well worth incorporating it into your day.
How Many Minutes Of Yoga Should I Do Per Day To Lose Weight?
The total amount of time you should devote to yoga to lose weight depends on your schedule. Many folks don’t have hours to spend in a yoga studio but still want to achieve their fitness goals. Luckily, you don’t need to devote hours to a yoga session to achieve your weight loss goals.
In an ideal world, you should do 30 to 60 minutes of yoga in each session to lose weight. With longer sessions, practicing two to four times per week is sufficient, although this may vary based on your fitness level.
That said, any time you dedicate to yoga will help you chip away at your goal. So, if you want to lose a certain amount of weight but only have fifteen minutes each day to practice, work with what you have!
Remember, you’ll need to adjust other parts of your life to reflect your goals. This means you’ll need to change your diet to accommodate your weight loss goals, ensuring you eat plenty of protein to power you through your workouts. In addition, you’ll need plenty of sleep to recharge for the next session and plenty of water to remain hydrated.
Without these changes, you likely won’t see the results you hope for, so ensure you adjust your lifestyle to match your goals. And don’t forget – fitness is a journey, not a destination.
How Long Does It Take To See Results From Yoga?
The total amount of time it’ll take before you start to see the results of your yoga practice hinges on a few factors. Multiple aspects of your life, including your diet, sleep, and exercise regime, will affect your progress rate. For example, if you practice yoga regularly but fail to adjust your diet to match your goals, you likely won’t see the results you expect.
Or, if you don’t practice yoga frequently enough and don’t get enough sleep, it might take you longer to achieve the results you’re hoping for. Read our in-depth take on this topic here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will I See Results With 15-Minute Yoga Sessions?
The answer to this question hinges on you, your goals, and how you approach them. For example, if you want to achieve a six-pack core in a few weeks, 15-minute sessions likely aren’t going to cut it. Of course, this could vary based on factors specific to you, but for many folks, more effort through longer sessions is necessary.
Conversely, let’s say you want to advance enough to achieve a particularly difficult pose. While it might take you a bit longer to achieve this goal, 15-minute yoga sessions will send you in the right direction.
How Many Days Per Week Should I Do Yoga?
Generally, you should do at least 2-3 yoga sessions per week. Practicing a few times weekly gives your body enough time to recover between sessions, especially for newbies. As you improve, you can start doing yoga more frequently, upping your practice frequency to 3-6 times per week.
Of course, it all depends on your fitness level. So, you might find that more than one or two sessions per week is challenging in the beginning, but as you get stronger, you can start adding as you feel comfortable.
