How to Practise Left and Right Sides in Yoga: Order, Timing and Uneven Sides

Which side first?

Many teachers start with the right side by convention, but there is no single correct choice. What matters more is consistency within a session, so both sides get the same treatment, and variety across sessions, so one side does not always get the fresher attention.

In home practice, a simple approach is to alternate the starting side from one session to the next.

Keeping timing even

It is common to hold the first side longer, while you settle, and rush the second.

• Count breaths on each side rather than estimating.
• Set up the second side as carefully as the first; do not shortcut the entry.
• Use a quiet timer for longer holds.
• In recorded classes, check the teacher actually does both sides; it is easy to miss one in editing.

When one side feels different

The two sides may feel different. The sensation alone does not tell you why, and a written guide cannot decide whether a difference needs assessment.

Do not force one side to match the other. Follow any individual guidance you have been given.

• Set each side up to its own comfortable depth.
• Use a prop on one side only if needed, for example a block under one hand.
• Use a manageable duration on each side; equal timing is not more important than comfort or individual restrictions.
• Note which side felt different and in which pose.

When a difference is worth checking

Do not work around a new painful difference or new numbness or weakness in practice; seek prompt medical advice. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advises people with health conditions or preexisting injuries to discuss their needs with their providers and yoga instructors.

Keeping track in home practice

Losing track of sides is easy in a long sequence; a written plan prevents it.

1. Write your sequence down before practice, marking one-sided poses with R and L.
2. Tick each side as you finish it, or use a simple rule such as always doing both sides before moving on.
3. If you lose track, pause and check your notes rather than adding extra repetitions to compensate.
4. After the session, note which side started and what felt different.

Sides in flowing sequences

Flowing sequences sometimes do a whole series on one side, such as several standing poses with the right foot forward, before repeating on the left. This is a valid structure, but it means a long wait before the second side. If you lose track, check that you finish with a matching series on the other side before moving to the floor.

Balancing the session

Two-sided structure is only part of overall balance.

• Mix one-sided poses with symmetrical ones such as Mountain Pose or a forward fold.
• After the second side of an intense pose, take a short neutral rest.
• End the session in a symmetrical position.