As a yoga teacher, I always encourage people to practice yoga. No matter what aches or pains they come with, yoga is always my first recommendation. And guess what I often get as a reply? “I can’t do yoga because I am not flexible”.
And you know what my answer is?
“Saying you’re not flexible enough to do yoga is like saying you’re too dirty to take a bath”
“What do I mean? If you’re not flexible, yoga is exactly what you should do!”
Here are some of the many reasons:
- With yoga, you’ll learn certain body postures that will stretch your muscles, fascia and joints. It’s one of the most effective practices to improve flexibility.
- You’ll see quick results. Flexibility comes with practice, for everyone: no exceptions. Strength, however, is more difficult to build. I can’t promise you’ll be able to do handstands, but I can guarantee you’ll reach your toes without bending your legs within a few weeks of regular practice.
- It’s called “yoga practice”, not “yoga perfect”. We are all beginners when we start and our postures look very different than the Instagram “Cirque du Soleil celebrities”. With practice, your postures will have a fuller expression.
- Yoga is about how it feels, not how it looks. As long as you’re well aligned and not hurting yourself, you’ll be improving your flexibility and adding health to your life.
As my friend Yogiraj Alan Finger says “Yoga adds years to your life and life to your years”. Yoga will meet you where you are and improve your life at all levels: physical, emotional and spiritual… starting with your Flexibility (check post “How Yoga Changes Your Body”).
If you have questions or comments, find me at @soniaribascoach and we’ll chat.
