Not everyone is a fan of going to the gym, and that is totally okay. It’s not an environment that everyone likes, you don’t have to set up your workout routine around your school’s gym if you don’t want to.

Also, you might not be a gym person, gym’s usually come with some high-intensity machines and workout regimens. If you’re hesitant about immediately jumping into an atmosphere like this, yoga is a great way to dip your toe in especially if you haven’t been exercising for a while.

Yoga is great because it's something you can do at home, without having to worry about prying eyes. It’s calming, and strengthens your body, and all you need is a mat and a flat space to do it.

Space in dorms is rather limited, but that doesn’t mean you can’t crack out the yoga mat. Best done in the mornings or at night before you shower, try implementing this exercise into your daily routine to de-stress. 

Below we’ve compiled a list of things to have on hand for an easy-breezy routine, including some beginner poses that you should try during your workout. 

What you need

A yoga mat

An essential is, of course, a yoga mat. Doing yoga on carpet or hardwood can be accomplished, but it’s often uncomfortable and can even cause injuries if you slip or put a hand or foot wrong somewhere.

Yoga mats will keep you centered and provide a firm but plush surface to practice your routine on. And with the wonders of the internet at your fingertips, you can get a yoga mat in whatever color, design, or material you want these days. The choice is yours!

OCM offers a great selection of yoga mats that can be used in your dorm. You can get some more plain patterned ones like the Cold Snow Clouds mat or go for a more bold design like the Reach For The Sun design.

Better yet, with a purchase of one of these mats the part of the proceeds goes towards the artist who designed the art. There’s nothing better than supporting independent artists. 

A water bottle

You have no doubt been hearing the “stay hydrated” speech from your parents, your friends, and especially any gym rats that you know. And while you definitely don’t have to be chugging water every second of the day it is important to make sure you have some, especially when exercising.

Having a water bottle on hand when doing your yoga routine will save you some stress later, for when you go looking for it. 

The key to a good water bottle is having a quality-made one that keeps your drink cool no matter how long it’s been in there. Lukewarm water is fine, but why would you want that when you can have your water kept fresh?

OCM offers a water bottle/canteen that does just this, that can keep your water cold for up to 25 hours or if you want to multipurpose it for a hot drink, it keeps that warm for up to 12. And it comes with a cleaning brush that you’ll use to make sure your bottle is as fresh as it can be.

The routine breakdown

Yoga is a long-game exercise. There are hundreds of routines to learn, and you couldn’t possibly learn all of them in your lifetime. But if it's something that you find enjoyment in you can keep building on your knowledge and make a routine that best fits your needs.

The first routine you do should be about five to six steps. Easy to do and easy to remember. 

Things to know

The biggest thing that people come into yoga thinking is that it’s going to be a smooth ride. It’s not. Don’t expect perfection on your first try. These positions might be for beginners but it's going to take a while before your body gets used to them. So don’t be hard on yourself.

Another thing people forget is that a major part of yoga is the breathing exercises that come with it. It’s just as important as the physical part, breathing in and out with each position change, and doing so when remaining still.

If you keep all these things in mind, and go into this routine with good intentions then you should do well. 

Now, when you start off your routine be sure to include these poses, and if you want to increase the intensity later on you can build your stamina up to eventually include harder positions and poses that work on other areas of your body beyond the basics. 

Child’s pose

This is the post that most yoga routines start out with and the one you should begin your journey with. It’s simple and easy to replicate. 

To get into child’s pose kneel on the floor and then lean over so that your stomach is resting over your legs. You can place your stretched over your head, that you keep pressed to the mat, or you can lay them back near your legs, palms up. The choice is up to you.

Do your breathing and then transition into the next pose. 

Downward facing dog

Moving out of the child’s pose, bring your backside up so that your firm is placed a good distance apart on the mat, and your arms are in a similar position near your head.

Try to keep your legs and your arms as straight as they can possibly be. This is a crucial part of the routine as it’s going to stretch your muscles and wake them up. 

You can stretch and move each arm or leg individually if you’d like during your breathing before moving to transition into the next pose: the mountain pose. 

Mountain pose

With this pose, we’re bringing you back to an upward position. Push yourself out of downward dog with your hands and stand up flat on your feet.

Now, stretch your arms up and over your head in a “T” position when you feel ready. This is the mountain pose. 

Remember not to overextend your arms when you have them up like this. You don’t want to go too far over your head but you want to stretch them enough that you’ll feel it. Try for a balance, and you’ll eventually get it. 

Then when ready take your arms down and prepare to move into the next position. 

Transition

The transition position is less of a position and more a preparation for the next steps in your workout. It helps the energy you had in your body when standing upwards make a safe journey down when you move to the floor again.

Once you have your hands planted firmly on the ground in front of you, you can move or jump your feet back so that they become stretched out like in the image above. 

This position is not that far off from doing “plank” exercises if you are at all familiar with that core strengthening routine. While you’re in a transition position you’ll receive some of the same benefits, but you won’t be staying here as long. 

Keep your core tight and try to be as straight as you can, do your breathing and when ready move your lower half to the ground for the next pose.

Cobra pose

This is the first pose that you should be in coming out of your transition. Keep your legs and your stomach flat to the floor, lowering them down slowly, and then bring your palms inward towards your core with your palms flat on the floor.

Raise your body up, while keeping your legs flat, so that you’re looking upwards and your torso is stretched upwards. After you inhale and exhale, sit back on your butt and return to the child’s pose. 

Now, these are all the steps for this first round of yoga. You could add in another routine if you like, it’s recommended that you do one where you stand more upright but if you’d like you can just repeat these poses the first few times. 

Once in the cobra pose sit back on your butt and then return to the child’s pose. Then repeat all the steps!

Yoga is meant to be both calming and centering. There are other aspects to it besides the physical, that you can learn and get into if you find this is something that really de-stresses your day at college. 

It’s a lifelong skill that will help you out long after you graduate so it’s good to get into the habit now, while you’re full of energy and you don’t have as much strain on your body.

Again, try not to stress about getting it perfect the first time around. Becoming a yoga expert isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s supposed to be fun, so try to go into the process as relaxed as you can be. 

If you want to learn more, try going to a yoga class! There are no doubt plenty of options offered at your local gym, if not your university gym. It’s a popular form of exercise for a reason, and you can meet all kinds of people there if you go.