3 Yoga Myths Busted
Read on to bust some yoga myths with me!
In this Insights Article I am busting 3 common yoga myths. At least one you have probably though or heard yourself. These are in fact the top 3 questions I get from people when they hear I am a yoga teacher. Read on to have these questions answered and myths busted!
Myth No. 1 - You need to be flexible to do Yoga!
FALSE!
This is probably the biggest myth surrounding yoga and something I hear it every time I tell someone what I do!
‘Oh you are a yoga teacher, you must be so flexible. There is no way I am flexible enough to do yoga.’
Do you know what? I was not flexible at all when I started yoga either. And compared to some bodies, I am still not that flexible, nor do I want to be anymore flexible and it does not matter one bit, for several reasons:
There is more than yoga to flexibility. Just because I can’t do the full splits it does not mean I can’t access the strength, stability and mindfulness that my yoga practise gives me.
More flexibility isn’t always a good thing! Many lifelong Yogis who have not balanced their yoga practise with other strength based practises actually suffer as they age. In fact, you want to be strong as well as flexible and in my classes we do a bit of both! You should not be relying on yoga as your only form of exercise either.
Saying you are not flexible enough to try yoga is a bit like saying, you aren’t clean enough to have a shower! Ridiculous, hey? We all need to start somewhere and my next yoga Workshop might be that start for you if you feel as stiff as a board.
Myth No. 2 Men don’t do Yoga
FALSE!
In my 7 years of teaching I have taught yoga to many men and all my classes are open to everyone. My Dad has even been a regular at my classes and my partner, Zach, practises with me at home.
Here are 3 reasons for men to try yoga*:
Yoga can help balance out your other activities, potentially receiving back aches from too much sitting or manual work.
Yoga can help you get more out of your other activities including running, the gym, your footy game. Don’t stretch after your runs? You are missing out on precious recovery time which yoga can help with. Got the strength but struggling with improving your squat or deadlift do to lack of range in your hamstrings, quads and glutes? Yoga can help with that too (yep, I’m a yoga teacher and I lift weights). Missing the balance you used to have in your footy games or chasing after your kids? Improve your balance through yoga poses while also increasing your range.
With constant connectivity and increasing work and home demands, yoga can provide you with an hour or so of time away from tech, away from other screens to connect to your body and breath before returning to life. Something you can develop to take with you off the yoga mat into life.
So what are you waiting for? Everyone should give yoga a go!
*not just men, anyone really. These are just some kind of the things I say to break down those gendered reasons I often hear given for men to avoid yoga.
Myth No. 3 - All Yoga is Hot Yoga
FALSE!
While I do teach Vinaysa Yoga, which is commonly taught in a warm or hot room, none of my classes are heated. Unless it is the middle of Winter and freezing! But my classes are by no means hot! We can flow and work up a sweat from the inside out instead.
In case you hadn’t heard about this one, there are a number of modern yoga styles often done in a heated room. This can vary from 26°C (warm yoga) to 40°C (hot yoga).
I do practise warm classes at a local studio which I really enjoy. Personally, though I don’t fancy practicing yoga in a room heated above 26°C. Sure some people might like the sweat but I don’t think it is a great idea for a few reasons:
I don’t think it is necessary for our body to sweat that much (trust me 26°C will help you sweat plenty in Vinyasa).
The constant heating of classes is not environmentally responsible. We all need to reduce our environmental impact.
I will in no way support a particular linage of hot yoga, Bikram Yoga due to the abuse Bikram, the founder, has perpetrated (Google it, there is plenty out there on it).
Focussing on the heat in yoga I think also detracts from the many other benefits of yoga beyond the poses which I think get a little lost when it is made so much about the physical aspects.
Ok there you have it! 3 common yoga myths busted, with pretty candid answers I might add.
Ready to try yoga? Learn more about classes with me.
