6 Daily Habits To Support Your Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Practice
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a disciplined form of yoga. Apart from being a very physical practice, it’s also a way of life. You have to deal with the early morning yoga routines, the repetitions and the demands of its inner and breathwork. Remember, you have to sustain Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practice for not merely weeks or months, but for years. To survive this, you must build a lifestyle that supports you in maintaining it.
Learning Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga from a qualified instructor helps you avoid common mistakes and is safer, as it prevents injuries that can arise from practising improperly.
Listed below are 6 daily habits that have helped Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practitioners become more consistent, resilient, and enhance the depth of their practice.
1. Waking Up At A Consistent Time For Good Quality Sleep
Ashtanga Yoga is traditionally practised early in the morning. Your body and mind will love it if you practice consistency with your sleep and wake-up times. When you wake up at the same time every day, even on rest days, you train your body’s circadian rhythm, which helps you to be more alert in the mornings. Here are some tips to help you stick to your scheduled waking time.
• Don’t start a new sleep schedule abruptly. Make small changes and ease into the new habit gently. Begin by going to sleep and waking up early by 15 minutes for a couple of days. Then, readjust your schedule by 15 minutes every 2 to 3 days until you reach your desired wake-up time.
• Get more morning light, and it will help you adjust your circadian rhythms more quickly.
• In the same way, try to limit your exposure to evening light or artificial light as much as possible. Avoid blue light from smartphones, TV or computers at least two hours before you go to bed, since it interferes with the ability of your body to go to sleep.
• Research has shown that caffeine can inhibit your ability to sleep, even when consumed six hours before bedtime.
• Timing your meals is another effective strategy. Try to have an early breakfast and an early dinner, at least two hours before going ot bed. Keep your meal times consistent. Avoid heavy meals, caffeine and alcohol near bedtime.
• Keep your bedroom quiet, cool, dark and noise-free. You can use a white-noise machine to cancel out sounds.
• On days when you are resting from your ashtanga vinyasa yoga practice, remember to wake up at the same time, but use the extra time for meditation or merely sipping warm water in silence.
• Reward yourself each time you stick to your early wake-up routine for practising Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga.
Poor sleep is the result of irregular sleeping patterns. Poor sleep interferes with your body’s immune system, depletes concentration or focus and messes with your hormones. Our body needs sleep to repair itself. Because Ashtanga yoga is practised 6 days a week, rest is important. You can sleep better by turning off your screen time 2 hours before bed, eating foods rich in magnesium and journaling to empty your brain of worries.
2. Keep Yourself Well Hydrated
Hydrate yourself! Water is important for our bodies as it is made up of 72% water. Morning hydration is essential because our bodies are thirsty after 6-8 hours without water during our sleep. Ashtanga yoga is typically practised on an empty stomach. Hydration can be provided to the body by drinking a glass of warm water. Around two glasses of warm water have a lot of medicinal value. You can drink it with lemon, ginger, or Himalayan salt. This will prevent lethargy on the mat and also aid your digestion. It is cleansing, mineralising and gentle on the stomach.
Some tips according to Ayurveda on keeping oneself well-hydrated for Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice are;
☐ Men should consume around 3.5 litres per day, while women can consume around 3 litres per day.
☐ Water should be taken in small sips and drunk while sitting down, as this helps in the proper distribution and absorption of water.
☐ Drink warm water or room temperature water. Ice-cold water should be avoided as it harms the heart and kidneys and causes constipation and a sore throat.
☐ Keep a gap of at least 45 minutes between food and water intake.
Drink water only until you are satisfied and do not overdrink. Some signs that you are dehydrated are:
• Lips will become dry and chapped.
• Urine will become yellow.
During your Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice, it is important to know when you have to drink water. It is recommended to drink water 30 minutes before your class. The aim is to focus on balanced hydration and not overhydration. Your body should be hydrated, based on its needs. However, you can take a water bottle to class and take small sips when it is essential.
You may drink water before poses that require deep breathing. Monitor your hydration levels and the amount you sweat. After your practice is over, drink a glass of water. Enrich it with electrolytes if the weather is very hot. Don’t intake sugary drinks, instead, drink coconut water.
3. Stick To A Light Diet
The best diet that supports your Ashtanga yoga practice should be simple, nourishing and easy to digest. Heavy processed foods lead to bloating, lethargy and a lack of concentration. Consuming these heavy foods will affect your practice of breath and bandhas, which are essential to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.
An ideal yogic diet is typically a Sattvic diet in which you eat more Sattvic foods. What are Sattvic foods, and a Sattvic diet?
Sattvic foods are those foods that are high in nutrients and plant-based. They are raw, ripe to eat, low in fat and freshly prepared. Foods that are unhygienically prepared, processed and fried foods are not considered Sattvic.
Sattvic food examples are sprouted whole grains, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, vegetables, nut or seed milk, sprouted seeds, honey, herbal teas, ghee and cheese.
Foods that are to be avoided while you are on a Sattvic diet are Salty, sour and spicy foods, fried foods, tea, coffee, alcohol, fast food, frozen food, garlic, onion, processed food, microwaved food, stale food, meat, fish and eggs.
As the Sattvic diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, it is very healthy and decreases the risks of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and stroke. Listed below are some suggestions to follow while on a Sattvic diet;
1. While a Sattvic diet is very healthy, it is important to take care in including a variety of legumes, grains, fruits and vegetables, for proper nutrition.
2. Maintain your optimal omega-3 fatty acid and protein levels by incorporating a variety of sprouts, cheese, dried fruits, and nuts.
3. Eat food that is warm and freshly prepared, like soups, steamed vegetables, khichari, etc.
4. Have an early dinner. You should finish your dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime.
5. Keep your intake of tea, coffee, alcohol, and fizzy drinks to a minimum.
6. Increase your intake of water-rich foods such as cucumbers, watermelon and oranges as they provide nutrients as well as hydration.
A Sattvic diet is based on the principles of Ayurveda. It follows Sattva, the highest guna, which represents the highest yogic state of balance and harmony.
4. Practice Breath Awareness
The breath in Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga is very important. The practitioner should form a deep connection with the breath. It’s what transforms movement into meditation. Whether it’s simple box breathing, Ujjayi, or simple breath awareness through Nadi Shodhana, due care should be taken in forming a habit of breathing intentionally, on and off the mat. You can do 5-10 minutes of simple box breathing, that is, inhale-4, hold-4, exhale-4, hold-4.
However, for a more focused Ashtanga yoga practice, it is important to practice Ujjayi breath or victorious breath. When combined harmoniously with Drishti, it enhances concentration. Ujjayi has 4 main stages:
• Inhale your breath slowly and deeply through your nose until you feel your lungs expanding fully.
• While doing the above step, constrict your throat slightly to create a soft hissing sound as you breathe.
• Maintain rhythm with an even and steady breath. Match each inhale and exhale with your asana movement.
• Tune your mind to the sound of your breath, keeping it centred and in the present.
Practising Ujjayi calms your mind, increases your stamina, oxygenates your muscles and keeps your Ashtanga yoga practice flowing smoothly.
Nadi shodhana, also known as alternate nostril breathing, is another powerful breathing technique in Ashtanga Yoga. Nadi means channel or flow, and Shodhana means purification. So, this purifies and clears the body, and balances all three doshas of our bodies. It improves concentration, oxygenates our body, releases stress, calms our minds, rejuvenates the nervous system, balances hormones, removes toxins and allergies from our bodies and a lot more. Even when it is practised for as little as 5-10 minutes daily, it has astounding benefits on our body. It is ideally done in the evening to balance our bodies and minds and has a calming effect.
5. Get Familiar With Your Bandhas
Bandhas are the energy locks of our bodies and are fundamental in the Ashtanga yoga practice. The three primary bandhas are:
1. Mula Bandha, which engages the perineum and is known as the root lock.
2. Uddiyana Bandha activates the lower belly and is known as the abdominal lock.
3. Jalandhara Bandha or throat lock, which is done by tucking the chin to the chest.
Practising these energy locks not only helps in controlling and directing your prana (life force) but also supports a safer, more effective practice by stabilising your core, refining your alignment, and aiding in detoxification. Understanding and mastering the Bandhas will enrich your practice, bringing greater power and depth to your Ashtanga journey.
6. Have A Proper Warm-Up Routine
Before you start your Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga asanas, it is important to prepare your body and mind. Warming up increases blood flow, prevents injury and improves flexibility. Start with 5-10 rounds of Sun salutations or Surya Namaskars to activate your body. Flex your joints by rolling your neck, shoulders, wrists and ankles to release stiffness and stress. Do further warming-up exercises like leg swings and torso twists to loosen your core muscles.
After you feel sufficiently flexed and stretched out, practice Ujjayi Pranayama to focus and centre your mind. This will make you mentally ready, allowing you to practice each Ashtanga Yoga pose with full engagement and enabling a smooth transition from one pose to the next.
Doing warming-up exercises helps you move forward from a state of rest to an active state. It makes your body more flexible and prevents painful strains and sprains.
Some More Tips To Support Your Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Practice
It is important to establish a routine around your Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practice, and here are some additional habits and tips to help you do so:
• Treat your Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practice class as a non-negotiable appointment. Don’t bunk the classes. Consistent timing and disciplined attendance help one to create a rhythm that soon becomes ingrained in our subconsciousness as a habit.
• Rituals like meditating before class and doing warm-up exercises signal to your body and mind that it is time for your Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practice.
• You can also use alarms or app notifications to remind you of your practice time.
• Maintain a journal to track your progress in your Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practice. Journaling helps you to track the time and duration of your practice and the challenges you faced with your poses. You can also record your breath quality, physical and emotional sensations, your energy levels and insights.
• Invest in a good-quality yoga mat. It should have a non-slip surface, adequate cushioning, the ability to resist wear and tear from frequent use and should preferably be made from eco-friendly materials.
Conclusion
The deeply transformational Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practice is not merely a system of poses; it is a holistic lifestyle. These 6 daily habits will set a strong foundation for your Ashtanga journey. Incorporating them into your daily life will enable steady progress and a deeper connection to your body and mind. Be gentle with yourself and know your limits to practice safely and effectively. Take small steps, and listen to your body, as Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga is a personal journey.
These 6 habits and the tips given above are not meant to be followed as a rigid rule, but rather, they are tools to support your Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practice, both on and off the mat. It is best to start small by picking one habit and focusing on it for a week. Then move on to one more habit. Be consistent, because consistency is the key to transforming your lifestyle. Let your lifestyle support your practice, and in turn, it will support your life.