What does your morning movement practice look like?
When I was newer to practicing yoga, I was able to get on my mat for 75 minutes to 90 minutes at a time. I’d do these epic practices, working towards a challenging pose or 3 that I really wanted to accomplish. I was also 24, living with my parents after 6 years in NYC, and working part-time for my local studio. I was young and kid-free and I had a lot of free time.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. And there’s not anything wrong with being 34 or 44 or 54 or 64 and having enough time to do 75-90 minutes of yoga everyday. It’s also no longer my reality.
Now, at 40 years old with 3 kids under 10, I still prioritize moving my body every single day.
I almost never practice for 60 minutes, though.
At least not in a row.
My daily practice is usually between 15 and 30 minutes at most. And it’s always interrupted by some kids need or another.
My practice space is cluttered and usually smells like the diaper I most recently changed.
And my kids sometimes cooperate, giving me the space I need to practice.
But more often than not, at least one of them is on my mat or running circles around me or asking me a question about whether they can have chips for breakfast.
While this isn’t ideal, it’s my life right now and if anything, I am proud that no matter what, I still get on my mat every single day.
24 year old Naomi would probably be shocked at what she’d see as letting go of my practice, but she’d be wrong.
I’m simply at a different place, as a 40 year old mom of 3 kids, than I was then and my needs have shifted.
This is exactly why almost all of the classes I teach in my online studio range from 8-30 minutes.
This is exactly why the classes on my YouTube channel are usually less than 15 minutes long.
It’s not because I don’t believe moms deserve 60 minutes of uninterrupted yoga/movement/exercise.
It’s because as a mom and a movement professional, when I get between 15 and 30 minutes, I call it a win.
The latest practice on my YouTube channel is called Morning Movement for Moms.
It’s less than 15 minutes long and is a ton of fun.
This class isn’t a straightforward “yoga” class, either.
A lot of these moves are ones I do myself when I am short on time and need a quick, powerful energy boost.
You’ll start with a non-traditional warm-up, followed by a series of squats. After the squats, you’ll flow into a sequence of familiar yoga poses in a creative order. And the whole thing closes with some front kicks. For real.
This is a practice designed to energize your body so you will feel ready for your day ahead.
Honestly, I’m pretty sure that 24 year old Naomi would dig it, too.
