Yoga at home. Be inspired by home workouts

Are you focusing on fitness this New Year? From barre classes inspired by ballet, to spin classes that wouldn’t be out of place in a nightclub, London has a lot to offer fitness fans. However, with the cold and wet weather of the season, your home could be your best workout location.

A new year is always the ideal time for setting new goals. The change in the calendar and the heightened sense of ‘new’ and ‘renewal’ provides the impetus for ‘change’, from getting a promotion at work or changing your career path altogether, to buying your dream home. Or, of course, a focus on fitness.

Focussing on fitness might seem daunting at first. You might feel cautious about fitting regular workouts into your already busy schedule of work commitments, social commitments and general city life. But with home workouts, it can be more accessible than ever. One form of exercise perfect for the living room is yoga.

Yoga is hugely beneficial for many reasons:

• Can help to combat stress
• Helps you lose weight
• Increases flexibility
• Improves muscle tone and strength
• Improves posture
• Lowers blood pressure and improves breathing

It can be the perfect way to unwind after a bustling day in Central London. Better still, all you need to get started from home is a mat, some comfy clothing and an online class (thousands of home yoga classes are available on YouTube).

For inspiration, take a look at London based yoga teacher and influencer Katarina Rayburn. An expert in her field, Katarina often practises at home, between teaching at Kindred Yoga studio in Deptford, where she is the co-owner.

Katarina recently explored a few Barratt London developments, including Landmark Place and Nine Elms Point, and discovered how they offer multiple fitness opportunities, including some with impressive on-site facilities, such as modern fitness suites and swimming pools. Perfect for a dose of serenity in the middle of vibrant London, and making it extremely convenient to stay fit and healthy.

Here Katarina shares some of her favourite home workout yoga poses and their benefits:  

Leaning Tree Pose

The Leaning Tree Pose is a balancing posture, which helps strengthen the supporting leg and opens the hip of the bent leg. The leaning stretches the side of the torso and increases the difficulty of the balance

Tips: To simplify the pose, stand straight with both arms reaching upwards.

Level of difficulty: Easy

Bound Half Moon Pose

The Bound Half Moon Pose is another which is great for improving balance. The flexibility it also requires makes it a great hip opener as well. 

Tips: Use a block to support the bottom hand, or release the top foot and straighten the leg to simplify the pose. 

Level of difficulty: Easy

Supported Hollow-back Handstand

The Supported Hollow-back Handstand is great for opening up the shoulders as well as strengthening the arms as they support all of the body’s weight. 

Tips: Place your hands closer to the wall if your shoulders are less flexible. 

Level of difficulty: Intermediate 

Dancer’s Pose

The Dancer’s Pose is a balance and a deep back bend. It opens the shoulders, chest, and hip flexor and quad of the lifted-leg.

Tips: Use a strap to help you reach your foot with both hands.

Level of difficulty: Intermediate 

One-legged King Pigeon Pose

A stunning yoga pose. The One-legged King Pigeon Pose is a great back and quad stretch, as well as a hip opener.

Tips: Twist your body round to the side and use both hands to hold your ankle.

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

Hollow-back Forearm-stand with Eagle Leg Variation

Though complex, the Hollow-back Forearm-stand with Eagle Leg Variation really opens up the shoulders. The eagle legs also stretch the legs and hips.

Tips: This is an advanced inversion, so use a wall for support and keep the legs straight to simplify the pose.

Level of difficulty: Advanced

One-legged Wheel Pose

The One-legged Wheel Pose can be a difficult one to master, but once there, it’s a great deep backbend and hamstring stretch of the lifted-leg. 

Tips: Practice with both feet on the ground first of all. 

Level of difficulty: Advanced

Exercise may be closer to home than you think this year, so ditch the over-crowded classes and travelling across the city just for a workout. You might be about to fall in love with your London home for a whole new reason this New Year.