Yoga is for Everybody
Yoga has a never-ending list of benefits – not only physical, but also emotional, cognitive, and spiritual.
These benefits are often what drive people to try yoga.
Let yourself think for a second -
If you practice yoga, why did you start?
What about the people you know who practice yoga, why did they start?
Has your reason for practicing yoga changed over time?
Research has shown that general wellness and fitness are the most common reasons for people in the UK and Germany to start yoga, which is consistent throughout most of the western world. Over time, however, the most common reasons for people to continue practicing yoga are stress management and spirituality.
Even though there are so many benefits of a regular yoga practice, not everyone feels like yoga is accessible to them. Often times, jumping into something new is challenging for our schedules, egos, and boundaries.
Some of the common reasons people don’t practice yoga have been found to be:
· Not having the time or energy to attend class
· Feeling self-conscious
· Thinking they are not flexible/young/’fit’ enough
· Beliefs that yoga is all about stretching and won’t help with strength or endurance
· Anticipating back bends, handstands, and splits like you see on social media
· Having an injury or pain that they think will be worsened by yoga
The funny thing is, it’s usually the people who feel like they can’t or shouldn’t do yoga that would benefit the most from practicing yoga. Part of the problem is all the misinformation out there.
Yoga is about showing up for yourself, tuning in to how you are and what you need, and connecting mind, body and breath.
There’s no right or wrong way to do it.
You don’t need to take a 60-minute class at the studio that’s a 20 minute drive from your house. Instead, maybe take 10 minutes for intentional breathing (pranayama) and 5 minutes for a few gentle movements before getting out of bed in the morning.
You don’t need to look or act (or eat!) a certain way to practice yoga. Bodies come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities. Yoga is one of the ways we can celebrate our bodies while understanding a bit more about them.
You don’t need to be flexible to start yoga. Flexibility is not a prerequisite. There are ways to make sure you are safe, comfortable, and challenged at all levels. And flexibility is not the only physical benefit of yoga – your entire body will thank you as you begin to build awareness, strength, and muscular endurance.
You don’t need to stop or avoid yoga because you have an injury or experience pain. Movement is medicine, and yoga can be a wonderful way to help decrease pain, improve function, and rehabilitate an injury. Always check with your doctor and physiotherapist about what is right for you.
Not everyone has to like yoga, and that’s perfectly okay, but everyone should consider giving it a try (or a few tries) until they find a teacher and a style that they vibe with.
If you want a mellow, slow, stretchy experience, there are classes for that.
If you want a sweaty, intense challenge, there are classes for that.
If you want to find a deep meditative state, or to simply explore your body and how it moves, there are classes for that, too.
Yoga is for everybody.
Now, I’m sure some of you might already be thinking of all the ‘what ifs’.
What if I’m pregnant?
There are pregnancy yoga classes just for you. With safe and accessible modifications, research shows yoga can be a great way to decrease stress, depression, anxiety and pain during pregnancy, so long as you’ve been cleared by your doctor and physio!
What if I have high blood pressure?
Yoga might help! This study found that blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) decreased after 3 months of regular yoga. There are certainly modifications you may need to make to practice safely – ask your doctor and physiotherapist what is best for you!
What if I have an injury?
Talk to your physio, and your yoga teacher. As I said before (and I’ll say again!), movement is medicine. I’ve incorporated some sort of yoga sequence into my treatment plans with clients who were rehabilitating shoulder injuries, hip surgeries, wrist fractures, neck pain, and low back pain. Often you may need to modify your practice to safely protect and rehabilitate your injury.
What if I have a diagnosis, disease, or disability?
There are loads of options for all abilities! Yoga has been shown to have benefits for those with Parkinson’s Disease, depression, knee arthritis and more! Chair yoga is just one of the many great options for participating if you have a difficult time getting up and down from the floor or if you are unable to use your legs. Definitely chat with your physiotherapist, occupational therapist, and local yoga teacher to see what will work best for you.
Do keep in mind that every yoga teacher may have a different foundation of knowledge and comfort when working with a variety of people. If you have high blood pressure, are recovering from an injury, or are pregnant, be sure to tell your yoga teacher. Some may not feel confident in their ability to modify a class safely for you. Not every class is for everyone, but if you keep connecting with teachers and other yoga students, chances are there will be a teacher somewhere that can guide you in the right direction.
Your age, flexibility, disability, and body type should not be factors that affect whether you can or cannot do yoga.
So long as yoga classes are accessible and inclusive, there is a teacher and style for everyone.
