I Can't Do Yoga Because I'm Not Flexible- Why Should I Give It a Go?
Every time I mention yoga to my family, friends, work colleagues and peers, they all say "I could never do yoga… I'm not flexible and I don't like all of that meditation stuff".
Well... where do I start? You DO NOT have to be flexible to participate in a yoga class. Yoga is so much more than flexibility and meditation! However, I can guarantee that from you attending class, you will improve your mobility and as a result will become more flexible. As for "That meditation stuff"… have you ever taken the time to sit/lie quietly and just focus on your breathing - the sound, the movement, the feeling of being still? Most of you are probably rolling your eyes at this point and thinking she is one of those hippies! But trust me, I'm far from it.
We live such chaotic lives and don’t often dedicate the time that we need as individuals to just be still, take stock and breathe!
So, below are some examples as to how Yoga helped me and could help you too :-)
1) Yoga improves your range of motion and general mobility
Practicing basic yoga poses, otherwise known as asanas- like downward facing dog, warrior two and pigeon (to name a few) will help to improve your overall mobility and flexibility.
2) Yoga helps you focus
In yoga we call this “drishti” (concentration) or the point of focus where you “zone out” and rest your gaze. This technique of setting a steady focus helps tremendously with calming the mind form all of our day to day chatter and allows the body to take control.
3) Yoga teaches you how to breathe more efficiently
Yoga helps you to earn how to breathe deeply into your diaphragm, which directly translates into your ability to produce more power and sustain movements for longer durations.
We all need to improve our breathing! Vinyasa yoga is a practice of linking movement to breath, so you move through postural transitions using your inhale and exhale.
4) Yoga develops your ability to balance
Poses that require balance in yoga are beneficial, as they challenge us to breathe, focus and trust our body's abilities. Control of small postural changes and challenging your body's centre of balance, strengthens muscles. Additionally, it helps you to understand your body's place in the world, not by location, but in relation to itself. Thereby, focussing and trusting our body's ability to move.
5) Yoga keeps you fit
Yoga will lengthen your muscles and help to improve your posture. A Vinyasa based sequence, integrates flowing movements with breath work and adds the playful practice of building strength, mobility and flexibility by using your body's weight as resistance.
6) Yoga gives you time to relax
In Life, we tend to always be on the go... taking the kids to and from school, working, meeting friends and creating as much time as we can for family. But how often do we make time for ourselves? in order to cultivate energy, you must also cultivate rest.
Being able to relax deeply helps you come back with more energy, power, focus, and determination and lets be honest, who doesn't need a little more of that in their life?!
7) Yoga reinforces good positioning
Your yoga teacher should explain the importance of a pose and through subtle cues, you should be able to find that "sweet spot", where the pose is working for you and not the other way about. The goal of the ancient yogis was to move through postures in a way that could help you sit comfortably for long periods of time in a lotus position where the spine was held neutral. This is the same spinal position used when you’re running, doing a pull up, or performing your heavy deadlift and push press.
8) Yoga is a legitimate workout
Yoga is a true workout for the body and mind, but unlike other exercise sessions, you’ll most likely emerge from a yoga class feeling calm and relaxed.
9) Yoga builds community
Anytime you bring people together with a common focus or goal, those people will feel connected to each other. The root of the word yoga in Sanskrit is “Yug,” which means to yoke, join together, or connect. The essence of yoga is the concept that if we connect deeper to ourselves, our bodies, our breath, and the present moment then we ultimately will connect more deeply to one another.
10) Yoga is fun
It will make you laugh, enhance and add to your current training regime, and make your outlook on life a bit more positive.
Hopefully I have given you a little insight and inspiration. I will look forward to meeting you on the mat...
