Yoga is for every BODY.
I’ve been doing yoga sporadically for about 12 years. While occasional drop-in classes and Yoga with Adriene YouTube videos provided momentary benefits, it wasn’t until I committed to the practice that I started reaping longer-term benefits.
While I was in middle and high school, my mom was a registered yoga teacher and taught “yochilates” classes, which were a combination of yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates. If I was in my off-season from volleyball, cross country, track and field, or dance, I would occasionally attend her class. Truth be told, I hated it. My mom was a great instructor, but I was used to fast, competitive movement, not movement that was slow and intentional. It felt boring to me. My mom would joke, “Just wait until you’re an adult and have more stress in your life, you’ll appreciate classes like this.”
It was little surprise to her when she would call me during my freshman year of college and I’d answer with, “I’m in my dorm basement doing a yoga video, call you later after my exam!” She had been right- I found yoga to be an effective way to relieve stress, even if I was just following along with a YouTube video. For the next many years, my yoga practice was random and mostly at home. There were times I would do yoga 2x a week and times I wouldn’t practice for 6 months or more.
It wasn’t until recently that I committed to the practice. After being diagnosed with a chronic illness and no longer being able to run at the capacity I used to, I wanted to find an exercise routine that challenged me and built strength without causing a major flare-up. After doing a free trial month of Class Pass, which allows you to try out local fitness studios in your area, I found myself coming back to yoga as movement that felt good for me both physically and mentally.
I was ready to commit to improving my health and bought a membership at a local yoga studio. Paying for the membership monthly incentivizes the experience and gives me more motivation to go to classes. I’ve been going to 2-3 classes a week for about 5 months now, and here’s what I’ve learned:
Yoga is for every BODY-
My classes are filled with people of all ages, shapes, and sizes. Anyone- and yes, I really mean anyone- can do yoga. My instructors often remind us at the beginning of class that if all you can do that day is savasana (laying flat on back) that is still yoga- and you are allowed to do that! While some classes are more beginner-friendly than others, most yoga poses are modifiable, meaning you can adapt them to your body’s needs. I find it to be one of the more inclusive kinds of fitness classes.
Disconnect to connect–
Yoga is about the mind-body connection. Many sequences are designed to help you disconnect from your thoughts to connect to your body. This means becoming aware of what’s going on in your body and how you are feeling and moving. I always leave class with a greater awareness of my body and in turn, what I need to do to take care of it. This awareness often lends to me making better food choices for my body as well. Many people, including myself, also find a spiritual connection through yoga. Overall, it helps ground and connect me to myself and the world I exist in.
Move to the music-
These days, most yoga classes don’t contain just instrumental “zen” music. I’ve taken a Taylor Swift, a White Lotus, and a throwbacks themed class. Classes consist of all kinds of music, often upbeat, inspiring, and fun to move to. It always motivates me and helps me focus if class gets challenging, and I love hearing new songs to add to my playlists.
Seek progress, not perfection-
There are no benchmarks in yoga to reach to prove that you’ve “got it.” However, when you practice consistently, you can see the progress you make; whether it’s finding more flexibility, trying a new pose for the first time, or holding a balancing pose for longer than before. As time goes on, I feel myself becoming stronger and am proud of the progress I’ve made.
Committing to my yoga practice and making it a part of my weekly routine has taught me a lot about my body and mind and given me a renewed sense of confidence in both. If there’s something you enjoy doing that you’ve always said you should do “more” of… see what you can do to actually make it a part of your routine. You may be surprised by the difference commitment and consistency can make!
If you’re looking to get into yoga, Yoga with Adriene on YouTube is a great place to start!
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