Yogis and fellow readers, homedogs near and far… I’m super excited to share this brand new guided “yoga while reading” video with you!

Because you all loved the image-based reading while doing yoga blog post I made a while back… so, I thought giving you a video “class”, if you will, would be a great way to share some more reading multitasking with y’all! Because we all love stretching… and we all sure do love reading, too.

So, without wasting too much more time… here’s the video!

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And, if you’re still reading and not watching… let’s just go over a few basics on how you can also read while doing yoga on your own, too.

Tips for Juggling Reading with Yoga

Because, hey, we can all admit… it can be tricky.

1. Plan… But also Don’t Plan

One of the best ways I like to stretch is with a generally “pre-choreographed” routine that I can shake-up as I go along with it. Meaning, I kind of plan the yoga poses I want to do during a stretching session… but, if I want to change one or two once I get to them, it’s no problem.

I think, especially for beginners, it can be super helpful to plan (or “choreograph”) a yoga routine before you do it. To do this, you can just think of what areas of your body you want to stretch today… does your back feel tight? Do your hips need some stretchin’? Then, either with or without writing things down, plan out what poses you want to do based on what your body needs today.

For example, I typically focus on stretching my legs (with some seated forward folds, pigeon poses, etc.), but maybe there are some days that my back needs to loosen up, too (so I’ll throw in some spinal twists).

I also think it’s worth mentioning that you don’t necessarily need to spend the same amount of time in each pose. So, it’s not like you need to set a timer or check the clock constantly to make every pose last precisely 60 seconds or anything.

2. Keep Things Even

One of my biggest pet peeves is taking a yoga class online… and the instructor only shows us poses on one “side”. Hate, hate, hate that!

For example, if I do that pigeon pose with my right leg forward and my left leg back, I’m totally going to reverse it next and do it with my left leg forward and my right leg back. The same goes for, say, laying spinal twists… we gotta do both “to the right” and “to the left” to keep things even. Otherwise, our bodies won’t feel fully stretched, and there’s a pretty good chance we’ll end up hobbling away because one leg is loose and the other is tight!

3. Choose Hands-Free Poses While You’re Reading

One of my biggest tips for reading while you do yoga is to pick yoga poses that you know you can do without the use of your hands. This is what I’ve done in the video above, so check that out for some good examples of “hands-free” poses!

Remember, what might be considered a hands-free stretch for one person may not be considered the same for you. For example, some experienced yogis can stretch in the splits without holding themselves up. However, for some (or most, honestly) of us, we might need to use our hands to hold ourselves upright in the splits to ensure we don’t overstretch or even tear our muscles.

When in doubt, choose the most “basic” poses for reading! That way, you will ensure you won’t have to struggle to keep yourself in the pose without the use of your hands.

How to Read While Doing Yoga FAQ

And, of course, you might have some questions about how the heck to actually read while doing yoga. Don’t worry, boo, I got you too!

What Poses Can I Do While Reading?

Honestly, you technically “can” do just about any pose while reading if you’re creative enough to figure out how to make it work. For example, you could always set your book on a stand and rig-up some device that turns the pages whenever you tell it to through voice commands. But, to be realistic… most of us probably aren’t going to go through the hassle of figuring that out.

Instead, you can stick to “hands-free” yoga poses while you read and save any other poses for times when you aren’t holding a book. Some the best poses for reading include:

• Butterfly/Cobbler’s Pose
• Pigeon Pose
• Seated Forward Fold
• Seated Wide-Legged Forward Fold
• Warrior I and II
• Standing Forward Fold
• Standing Wide-Legged Forward Fold
• Child’s Pose
• Knee-Pile/Shoelace Pose
• Fire Log/Double Pigeon Pose
• Laying Spinal Twist
• Reclined Butterfly/Cobbler’s Pose
• Reclined Pigeon Pose

How Can I Do Certain Poses if I Need to Use My Hands?

Listen, even if a pose is considered “hands-free”, you may still need to use one hand to hold onto the floor or steady yourself, and that’s okay.

One way to accommodate yourself if you want to read while doing some difficult poses is to master the one-handed reading technique, as I’m calling it. You know, where you just hold the book with one hand. Then, you can still have one hand free to help yourself out while you stretch.

Alternatively, there are some easy ways to do yoga while not even holding a book. I know I made a joke up above about rigging up a whole page-turning machine for yourself… but, in reality, you can always place your book on the floor and use a paperweight to hold it open. Then, when it’s time to turn the page, you can come out of your current pose, turn it, and then come back into the pose for a little longer.

Be patient with yourself and don’t be afraid to try different “reading techniques” if you’re having trouble with the multitasking part!

Can I Just Listen to an Audiobook While Doing Yoga?

Yes, certainly!

With the guided view I’ve provided above, you can always substitute holding a physical book for just listening to an audiobook–just make sure you can also hear the video for my cues on when to switch poses. And, of course, just ignore my cues for letting you know when to find a good place to stop on your page!

Do I Need Any Props to Do Yoga While Reading?

One of the most common questions we as yogis ask before starting any yoga class is, “so… do we need any props?”

And, if you’re not a well-versed yogi (which is totally fine!), know that props usually just refer to anything yogis use while doing a yoga practice, aside from a mat. This may include yoga blocks, yoga bolsters, foam rollers, and maybe even pillows or couch cushions.

For the video I’ve shared above, you do not need any yoga props to follow along. However, if you are a beginner, I do recommend having a pillow or cushion laying around in case you need it.

I’ve also found that placing your book on top of a yoga block, small box, or tall pillow can make reading a tad more comfortable while you stretch in seated positions. While on your back, you may also have a cushion under your head to prop it up a little.

What Do I Do if the Stretching Hurts?

Listen, stretching is meant to feel good… but that doesn’t mean that it always does. Sometimes, our muscles are very, very tight, and even the simplest of stretches can feel like too much to handle.

That being said, always listen to your body and back out of any yoga pose that feels like it hurts. At the same time though, know that just a little bit of “discomfort” may be normal if you are new to stretching. And hurting and feel a little uncomfortable are two different things!

If you’re new to doing yoga and you find that, as you follow along with the video above, the stretches just seem to be too much, try coming out of a pose earlier. I also recommend adjusting the video playback speed to make the class go faster if it seems like every pose is held too long for you. For example, YouTube makes it easy to adjust your video speed to 1.25x faster or 1.50x faster.

Now, homedogs… I look forward to stretching with you in our guided reading yoga video!

I also encourage everyone to leave a comment, either here below or on YouTube, to let me know if you enjoy the class! I’m thinking about doing some more of these classes… so, stay tuned.

–Kari 🧘