Yoga Myths: “I can’t do yoga because I’m not flexible”.

“Isn’t yoga only for flexible people?” or “I can’t do yoga because I’m not flexible” is what I often hear when people say when they think of yoga.

It’s actually what I first thought of when I learned about yoga. But let me tell you that yoga is much more than doing poses and that for the physical posture part, it’s actually meant to increase both flexibility and strength.

The coming weeks I’ll dive deeper into some yoga myths that might stop people from starting a yoga practice.

I believe that yoga is for everybody and I’m passionate about personalizing your yoga practice, so that yoga works for you. There are so many styles to choose from. On top of that, yoga is not just doing the physical postures, it’s also doing breath work and meditation, learning about the philosophy and living the yoga life style based on it.

Yoga Myth: Yoga is only for the flexible

But let’s stick to the physical posture practice for now!

Yoga has a lot of health benefits, when done correctly by practicing safe alignment. The most important thing is to stay focused on the breath while moving and working on flexibility. And never force yourself into the pose!

Always listen to your body and breath. If something hurts that’s a clear sign that you need to skip the pose or do an easier variation of the pose. Another sign, which is why breath is so important, is when you hold your breath. That usually means you’re tensing up. So when you notice that, deeply exhale to allow your body to relax.

In my own yoga practice, as well as in my classes, I focus on “melting into the stretch” while deeply breathing, especially focusing on the exhales. The breath allows your body (and mind) to relax and stay present so that you fully benefit from the poses.

Important lessons

What my biggest lesson was, as I was trying to become more flexible, was to be aware of myself during my yoga practice. How did my body feel as I was doing the poses, where was my breath and focus, and so on. I noticed that I wanted to achieve the perfect pose, even if that meant hurting myself.

But what good is it when you force yourself into your flexibility? Did it make me a better person? Not really. I actually ended up hurting my lower back and pulled a groin muscle once. Not very yogic, eh?

So why are we working on flexibility? I think movement is very important for our bodies and minds. Yoga is a great way to stretch the muscles, lengthen the spine and increase your range of motion.

Doing yoga helps release tension (both in body and mind) and stiffness in the muscles. But it’s also lubricating for the joints; it brings fresh oxygen to your blood supply, improving blood circulation. Improving health and longevity. And a good stretch just feels good, right?

I invite you to do this Full Body Sunrise Yoga Class for Flexibility a perfect class for beginners, with me and do it a few times a week.

Find a favourite stretch from this class and do it everyday!

Then notice how you move through the class (I’ll help you stay focused on your breath and body) and how you slowly improve your flexibility. This class is refreshing and energizing, a wonderful way to start your day!