August 27, 2021 What prevents you from practicing yoga?
I can honestly say, bootcamp was quite challenging this week. However, I planned it that way because I knew we were going to end the week this Friday with yoga. Yoga is a big part of my life. I get asked all the time how at the age of 50, do I teach 3 fitness sessions a day, have my own personal training sessions, kick, and jump so high and exhibit such flexibility? I say I owe it all to my yoga practice. We offer yoga at Tadda’s Fitness Center every Monday and Wednesday at 7:15PM and Saturday at 9AM. Yet, yoga is a class I have to talk clients into taking. Once they do it however, they praise how it was much needed.
So, I decided to ask people what holds them back from taking part in this ancient practice. Over and over, I hear friends and family comment that they “aren’t flexible enough” or “have trouble concentrating”. Everyone has their own preconceptions of what yoga is, but I always tell anyone who asks, that yoga increases flexibility and will help with concentration, among other things. However, being flexible is not by any means a requirement to practice yoga.
Like most things I write about, I have my own opinion and I advocate for practicing yoga regularly. This is super close to home for me because I also teach yoga. I feel that yoga can be accessible to anyone, and like most things, the longer you practice, the more it makes sense for you. So, you may not be flexible to begin with, but practicing will change that. Everyone’s practice is, and should be, personal. Yoga isn’t just people doing handstands on the beach or touching your knee to your nose (though Instagram may have you believe that). Yoga can be the simple practice of sitting for 5 minutes, trying to slow down your racing mind. Yoga is about responding, not reacting. Yoga is about incorporating mind, body, and soul in your workout.
This week in bootcamp I heard a lot of people complain about being so sore especially in the joint areas. The lunges I witnessed were barely bent legs due to limited mobility or complaints about bad knees, the hip flexor exercise was a huge challenge for most and lastly a couple of people pulled muscles because they were so tight and had failed to stretch properly.
With all the benefits yoga provides, it’s a shame people have to be prodded to practice it. Here are just a few of the benefits:
- Yoga improves strength, balance, and flexibility
- Yoga can help to prevent injuries
- Yoga helps with back pain relief
- Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms
- Yoga benefits heart health
- Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better
- Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods
- Yoga helps you manage stress
So, let me ask you What prevents you from practicing yoga?
- The most common answer I’m not flexible enough: If you look at images depicting yoga poses, they can be intimidating. Yoga driven social media accounts, in efforts to be inspirational, post difficult advanced poses that are not accessible to the everyday person, can sometimes isolate those who are new to yoga.
- I don’t have good enough balance: As we age, we lose muscle mass and bone density which leads to less control of our balance and poor posture. But again, it’s one of the things that improves with time when you start to practice yoga.
- I’m bad at meditating /shutting off my thoughts: To be honest this one resonates with me. I’m not “good” at it either. In fact, I’d venture to say that most humans aren’t particularly stellar at this. That’s why I do yoga. In fact, it’s probably the biggest reason. The main thing I try to remember daily is that yoga is a practice. It’s not perfection. I’m constantly thinking about the next thing on my to-do list and I’m truly bad at not being busy. Taking a moment to breathe during a busy workday or a stressful situation is calming. Everyone could use a method to counter that flight or fight state our bodies go into as a response to stress. Yoga isn’t about being good at meditating, it’s about what you personally can do with it in your own life.
- I’m not thin enough: Some may think body size has something to do with yoga, given those who are top “yoga celebrities” on social media are often thin, flexible, and go upside down like it’s nobody’s business. But they are probably the 1%, and the truth is flexibility has nothing to do with size and all to do with your joints. And if you look there are several yoga influencers in all sizes. FYI there are no obese or thin joints.
- I’m not a spiritual person: Spirituality is a big part of yoga, sure, but it doesn’t have to be part of an individual’s practice. Maybe it’s cultivating more patience in your life, more downtime, or just a new way to move your body. If you don’t want the spiritual side, you don’t have to have it.
- I just not interested in yoga: Every bootcamp I offer Yoga during one of our sessions like today. I often ask any first-time yogis to raise their hands and the majority of our new clients raise their hands. Most of my clients say they were first introduced to yoga at TFC. Many of these clients are well into their 40-50’s and had never tried a yoga class. So, how do you know you are not interested in yoga if you have never done it? Sometimes the unknown is the scariest in life.
So maybe you’re someone who thinks you aren’t flexible in your body, but what about in your mind? If you ever wanted to try yoga, or ever even wondered about it, go try! Practice, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at TFC. Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself. No Mess
