Yoga Myths That Shouldn't Stop You From Practicing





Yoga is becoming more and more popular. 36 million people practiced yoga in 2016, up from 20.4 million in 2012, according to the Yoga in America Study from 2016 (released by the Yoga Alliance).


According to the Yoga Alliance, the advantages of regular practice can be extensive and include pain reduction, enhanced strength and flexibility, stress alleviation, better breathing, weight management, cardiovascular conditioning, better circulation, and a calmer mood.


And while almost every variation of this age-old practice combines some strength, flexibility, and breath training to enhance both physical and mental well-being, not all practices are the same. Yoga comes in a wide variety of styles, from calming restorative exercises to strenuous, sweaty workouts.

So, if you want to start practicing yoga, you do have a number of possibilities. And if any of the aforementioned yoga myths have been preventing you from giving it a try, don't let them.


1. I'm Not Versatile


It's understandable why you might believe that yoga is just for flexible people given the abundance of yogis on social media who can move their bodies in unfathomable ways. However, it's time to face reality.


According to Samantha Clayton, a Los Angeles-based personal trainer and yoga instructor coach certified by the International Sports Science Association (ISSA) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), you don't practice yoga because you're flexible; you do it to improve your flexibility and mobility. Each pose can be altered to meet where you are on your own unique road toward flexibility because "we all have to start somewhere."

For all levels of exercisers, yoga (and the stretching you'll perform as part of it) is beneficial. While you might never be able to stretch as far as the Instagram yogis, over time, your flexibility will increase. According to Clayton, who is also the vice president of global sports performance and fitness for Herbalife Nutrition and a former Olympic runner, most people begin feeling a difference after three to four weeks of training.


2. I'm worried that my religious beliefs and the spiritual side of things won't mesh well.


Despite being frequently culturally linked to Buddhism and Hinduism, yoga can be performed in a wholly secular manner and does not require any particular religious views, according to the Yoga Alliance.


However, Parker asserts that yoga does foster the concepts of serenity and purpose, which some people mistake for spirituality. If you don't like that, look for yoga courses and instructors who only emphasize the physical side of the practice.


3. Yoga Is for Women


According to the 2016 Yoga in America report, women do make up the bulk of yoga practitioners (72 percent vs. 28%), however everyone interested in fitness can benefit from yoga.


Everyone benefits from increased joint mobility, range of motion, and general core stability, according to Clayton. He claims that these advantages can assist men and women with performance goals in a variety of activities, including weightlifting, jogging, and more. Yoga also incorporates many of the smaller stabilizing muscles and tendons that may not receive the same attention and stimulation with other workouts, and it also helps to build good posture and muscular control.


4. Yoga Is Just Stretching Glorified


While yoga does require a lot of stretching, the benefits go beyond merely increased flexibility and mobility. Additionally, you are strengthening. Many of the exercises call for bearing your own body weight as resistance, which Clayton claims can increase muscle strength and stamina.


For instance, a 12-week yoga program enhanced not only flexibility but also cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and endurance in a group of healthy people, according to a study that was published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in June 2015.


5. I Don't Have Much Free Time to Practice Yoga


When Parker learns about this myth, she doesn't hold back. She says, "You have time; you're just choosing to use it on other things."


There is also no set minimum or maximum time requirement for yoga, according to her. Even brief yoga sessions can improve mood, reduce stress, and improve physical fitness. Longer yoga sessions can have more advantages (depending on why you practice and what results you're looking for). According to Parker, you may perform easy yoga poses at your desk to reduce stress, improve cognitive performance, and relieve pain. You can also get the same results by performing five minutes of Sun Salutations in the morning or at night.