How Often Should You Practice Yoga?

As a yoga teacher, one of the questions I’m asked most often is:
“How often should I practice yoga to see the benefits?”

My answer is almost always the same:
It’s less about frequency and more about consistency.

Yoga is not something you “do” a certain number of times per week to check a box. It’s a practice - one that unfolds over time, both on and off the mat. While physical movement (asana) is the most visible and widely practiced aspect of yoga, it is only one-eighth of the larger yogic path. You can practice asana every single day and still miss the deeper meaning of yoga, just as someone else might practice once a week and carry the essence of the practice with them through every other moment of their life.

The true question isn’t how often you get on your mat - it’s how you show up.

You can complete a physical yoga practice daily, achieve advanced poses, and still be disconnected from the heart of the practice. At the same time, someone who practices consistently once a week - intentionally, mindfully - may embody yoga far more fully in their daily life. Yoga is not about forcing yourself into challenging shapes, bending like a pretzel, or mastering headstands. Sometimes, the hardest pose isn’t physical at all.

Sometimes the hardest part of yoga is sitting in stillness with your own discomfort.

It’s finding moments of gratitude in times of chaos.
It’s noticing when your ego takes over - and choosing compassion instead.
It’s learning to respond rather than react.
It’s showing up for yourself with honesty, patience, and care - and extending that same grace to others.

This is where yoga lives: in your relationships, your choices, your breath when things feel overwhelming. The mat is simply a place to practice these skills in a contained environment so we can carry them into real life.

Yes, the physical benefits of yoga are real and valuable - strength, mobility, balance, and resilience are gifts of the practice. But they are added bonuses, not the end goal. The true aim of yoga is mental clarity, emotional balance, self-awareness, and connection.

So if you’re wondering how often you should practice yoga, I invite you to reframe the question.

Instead of asking “How many times a week?”
Ask: “How intentionally am I practicing?”
Ask: “How am I carrying this practice into my life?”

That is where the real benefits begin.