 |
| Guess what? You won't be doing this post ANY time soon! Photo credit: Clear Reflection Yoga |
People that know me well know that I am not one to push any particular form of exercise. I always tell people "Whatever gets you moving - that is what you should do." Personally, yoga and running are my favorites but I know they are not for everyone. If you love to swim, get in the pool! If you enjoy the social aspects of group fitness, join a gym with a great lineup of classes.
All that said, if yoga IS on your list of things you want to try but have not yet, this post is for you. Here I will address the excuses I often hear for why people have yet to give yoga a try - and why they don't hold water.
"I can't do yoga because..."
(1) "I am not flexible." I hear this excuse most often and yet it makes the least sense. Not being flexible is exactly why you SHOULD do yoga. It's that simple.
(2) "I don't have the time." I do understand this one. The vast majority of my students are parents, professionals, volunteers, and more. Time is limited - your free time even more so. While you may not be able to carve out time for a group class, you likely DO have time to do some online yoga. YouTube offers endless yoga videos of all lengths (if you need recommendations, just ask me). There are even online yoga studios where you can follow along with a class and have access to new classes each week. Doing ten minutes of yoga at home is better than doing nothing.
(3) "I am too old to start." Are your hobbies and interests the same as they were ten years ago? Think of an interest or hobby you recently started and have come to love. You CAN start yoga now - at any age. In fact, a yoga practice is even more essential with age (that's a whole other post). Most people are very surprised to hear that I did not really begin practicing yoga until my mid-thirties. I tried it once in college and found it way too slow. Fifteen years later and on a bit of a whim, I tried a class being offered at my kids' preschool and absolutely loved it! My yoga career was launched soon after.
(4) "I don't want to be the only man in class." Statistics show this will not be the case. While the ratio of women to men in any given class is approximately 4:1, there are countless male yoga devotees. Industry statistics show that 18% of men practice yoga. So if you are a man, you will most likely be outnumbered but you will NOT be the only man in class. And well, if Sting, Matthew McConaughey, Adam Levine, and Robert Downey Jr. can embrace yoga, you (or your husband/boyfriend/son) can too.
(5) "I don't want to embarrass myself." Trust me, once people are on their mats, they are not looking at you. They are very likely looking at a focal point directly in front of them or at me. Some students even keep their eyes closed. Please rest assured that no one is checking to see if your Tree pose is wobbly or if you can do Half Moon pose. If you're still concerned about being "watched" or what people may think of you, arrive early and grab a spot in the back corner of the room.
(6) "I've never done it before." Once upon a time, you didn't walk or talk either. You mastered those skills, didn't you? You've even learned how to drive a car and use an Iphone. You can learn yoga too!
(7) "It's too New Age-y for me. I don't want to chant or speak in Sanskrit. I don't have third eye, etc." Again, I get this one. Certain aspects of traditional yoga don't resonate with me either. So you won't find chanting or Sanskrit in my classes (if you need a non-class option like mine, check out Kimberly Fowler's No Om Zone DVD -- or book). If you do seek those more traditional aspects of yoga, plentiful options are out there for you. Just be sure to try a wide range of styles and instructors before deciding yoga is not for you. Plan to experiment before you settle into any one studio, instructor, or online option.
(8) "I can't relax/sit still." See #1. Same theory applies. That said, the sitting still part is a small portion of any class. You will be moving!
(9) "It's not enough of a workout for me." I understand. You want to hit the gym to pump iron, get a cardio fix, and well, SWEAT. In yoga, you may not pump iron but your heart will be pumping and you very likely sweat! You do not need weights to get a fantastic workout; using your own body weight can be just as effective (think plank, crow pose, down dog, etc).
I cannot tell you how often I hear people say that yoga is so much harder than they thought it would be.
If you still have doubts about yoga being for you, please contact me! I am always happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
Be well.
