In Response to: "Can Yoga Wreck Your Body?"

As many of you may know, I recently, as of April 2010, obtained my 200hr RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) certification. Earlier this week I came across an article that hit rather close to home. The article was entitled “Can yoga wreck your body?” This article published recently in the New York Times, argued that it can. Essentially the article declared that the increase in yoga-related injuries, “in recent years”, has direct correlation with the heightened increase in yoga practitioners. According to Yoga Journal, about 14.3 million people in theUnited States practiced yoga in 2010, which is significantly up from 4.3 million in 2001. As yoginis’ and yoginas’ around the world begin to find daily yoga practice more and more essential, the need for yoga practioners indeed increases. However, the blame should not be wrongly placed on just the instructors. One cannot point fingers at just us. The fingers rationally should be pointed at the individuals whom are practicing yoga—those who should become more mindful. The focus must shift away from the trend and more toward individual self-care, compassion and safety.

 

How to protect yourself from injury:

Yoga students should highly consider the instructor’s training and expertise, but they must deem more important, their individual ability to listen to their own bodies. When simply stated, any type of physical activity that challenges the body should be practiced with individual awareness and caution. Therefore, I feel I am not exaggerating when I utter that body awareness is a major component in fitness, yoga, functionality and overall wellbeing.

 

I sincerely feel this article’s tag line “Can Yoga Wreck Your Body” is disheartening, misleading and will more than likely hinder the general population from trying yoga, which is such a dishonor. Realistically, it is not the yoga that wrecks the body; it’s the individual and his or her lack of understanding of one’s own limitations, capabilities, body alignment/awareness and most importantly one’s own perception of self- care and physical compassion.

 

Thus, in light of helping YOU develop YOUR safest possible yoga practice, please read the tips below:

1. Adopt a beginner's mind. You would not attend an advanced ballet class without having prior knowledge and or experience. Yoga may look comparatively simple, but it's not. Start with a series of yoga classes targeting the beginner. Beginner classes will help to introduce you to the basics. You must, MUST…MUST build a solid foundation of knowledge, of alignment, body awareness and of comfort before you leap in to a more challenging class like a Vinyasa or hot yoga class.

2. Learn to listen to your body. In any yoga class, your body, not the teacher, is the real guide for what is best for you. Listening to your body and honoring its signals are key to a safe practice. If something doesn't feel right, ease out of the posture. If something feels like a strain, you're pushing too hard. If your body feels like it needs a break, listen to it. Remember, yoga is about self-care. If you need to rest, you can always relax in child's pose.

3. Do your own pose, not your neighbor's. Yoga is not a competition. For most of us, the mind is apt to overrule the body. So if the person next to you gets her feet behind her head, “holy stretch”, you best believe you are going to do the same! NO. NO. NO. Yoga at its essence is about getting in tune with the body. The only right way to practice a pose is to practice it in the way that honors where your body is at that particular moment. Tune in, and most importantly stay present.

4. Look for gratitude. Look for gratitude and value in every pose. This is where you are challenging your body, but still staying completely within your comfort zone—all balance between letting go and bringing in. Your grateful place is that place in the posture where you are feeling a soothing stretch and your muscles are working (a certain feeling of heat, gratitude and compassion) but there is no pain, strain or extreme fatigue.

5. Pick the right teacher and approach. When it comes to practicing and teaching yoga, it is not a one size fits all. As you read above, there is a continued need for yoga teachers. Every teacher will vary in approach, style, experience and training. Know your style and/or goals and then pick the one that best suits you. In regards to injuries and/or physical limitations, the number one rule of thumb is to not be shy. Inform your teacher prior to class. Then, simply ask if the class is suitable for you. Growth does not take place without inquiry. If the teacher isn't able to offer specific feedback related to your injury and or question, that's an indication that the teacher might not be a good fit for you.

Friday Fitness - Happiness Expression Challenge

One of the joys of yoga is the feeling of being free and light.  I encourage you to cultivate that happiness by becoming aware of and grateful for the present moment.  This Friday marks the last Friday Fitness of 2011 – so let’s celebrate our lives, our freedom and our light right now in this moment! 

Below are three yoga poses – in each of the poses, I challenge you to bring attention to your limbs (in the Happiness Expression Challenge), as these are extensions of your heart.  Allow your arms and hands to create and express your happiness in the current posture.

Crescent Pose /// Warrior III /// Chair Pose

Step by Step: Crescent Pose

1. Start in Downward-Facing Dog. Exhale and step your right foot forward between your hands, aligning your knee over the heel. Keep your left leg strong and firm.

2. Inhale and raise your torso upright. At the same time, sweep your arms wide to the sides and raise them overhead, palms facing each other.

3. Be careful not to overarch the lower back. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor (tuck your tailbone under and pull your low core in).  Reach back through your left heel to activate your left quad to help create an equal balance between both legs. Come into your right leg, (bend-lunge position) weight staying in the heel.

4. As you inhale grow taller through the torso. Be sure not to press the front ribs forward. Draw them down and into the torso. Lift the arms from the lower back ribs, reaching through your little fingers. Hold this pose for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat the posture on the opposite side.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2492

***Happiness Expression Challenge: As you hold Crescent Lunge, instead of reaching your arms up, open your arms out by your side. Turn your palms upwards as if you were catching raindrops. You are nourishing your very own happiness.  Be open and ready to receive the blessings of each moment. Smile…Let happiness in!

Step by Step: Warrior III

1. From the lunge (crescent lunge) position, stretch your arms forward, parallel to the floor and parallel to each other, palms facing each other. Exhale and press the head of the right thighbone back and press the heel actively into the floor. Synchronize the straightening of the front leg and the lifting of the back leg. As you lift the back leg, resist by pressing the tailbone into the pelvis.

2. Normally students come up into Warrior III by lunging the torso forward. This tends to shift the body weight onto the ball of the front foot and unbalance the position. Don't allow the torso to swing forward as you move into position; instead, as you straighten the front knee, think of pressing the head of the thighbone back. This centers the femur in the hip joint, grounds the heel into the floor, and stabilizes the position.

3. The arms, torso and raised leg should be positioned relatively parallel to the floor.  For many students the pelvis tends to tilt. Release the hip [of the raised leg] toward the floor until the two hip points are even and parallel to the floor.  Energize the back leg and extend it strongly toward the wall behind you; reach just as actively in the opposite direction with the arms. Bring the head up slightly and look forward, but be sure not to compress the back of your neck.

4. Stay in this position for 30 seconds to a minute.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/941

***Happiness Expression Challenge: When you transition into Warrior III, place your hands in prayer position at your chest. As you glance at your hands, be happy for your friends and loved ones – share your hearts energy and joy.

 Step by Step: Chair Pose

1. From Warrior III, bring your extended leg down to meet the root leg as you pendulum back into an upright position (feet together). Inhale and raise your arms perpendicular to the floor.

2. Exhale and bend your knees, trying to take the thighs as nearly parallel to the floor as possible (squat position). Keep your weight back in your heels, hugging your legs in towards each other.

3. Firm your shoulder blades down, relaxing your shoulders and releasing the tension in your neck. Lengthen your spine with every inhalation and root deeper (sink into the squat) with every exhalation.

4. Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come out of this pose straighten your knees with an inhalation, lifting strongly through the arms. Exhale and release your arms to your sides, back into mountain pose.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/493

***Happiness Expression Challenge: As you place your feet together in chair position, open your arms out wide to your sides and give the world and yourself a great big hug.

 Go through this series of three movements on your right and then your left side. Feel free to improvise according to how you feel. Remember to be true to your physical needs and your hearts expressions!