Before I was dragged, kicking and screaming, to my first yoga class, I thought of every reason why I shouldn’t do yoga: I’m not flexible enough. Yoga is for women. I don’t have the money. I have no time. The list went on and on. But after a month of regular yoga classes, I realized that all of my excuses for not doing yoga were not warranted. In fact, yoga had a positive effect on nearly every facet of my life that I thought it would derail. Here are some common excuses for avoiding the practice — and why they don’t hold up:
[See: 9 Misconceptions About Yoga.]
1. “I don’t have time.”
Logistically, yoga seems like a big time commitment. You not only have to consider the duration of the class, but also the preparation, the commute, tidying up and changing back into regular clothes before you travel back to work or home.
But, like any exercise, people who do it regularly don’t have time, they make it. Here are some tips: Get your yoga gear ready the night before and map out a schedule. Look for studios with quick, effective classes that are only an hour long and can be squeezed in before or after work, or even on your lunch break. On days when you can’t make it to the studio, you can still get a complete yoga routine done within 10 to 15 minutes. Look on YouTube for online classes, or ask your favorite teacher to write down a simple sequence that you can do on your own. Develop a home practice. Once you have a strategy to fit yoga into your schedule, you will realize that you have more time for yourself than you imagined. In fact, you may find that yoga actually gives you more time since it can bring the mental clarity to organize your life more efficiently. You may become more productive at work and cut out the activities and people that are no longer serving you. Commit yourself to your practice, and it will affect all of your decisions. This healthy shift can help you live a longer, more vibrant life, too.
2. “It’s too expensive.”
As I’ve written before, the way yoga can affect your health, relationships and decision-making abilities can actually save you money. More practically, though, yoga classes can be more affordable than many other workout classes available. Plenty of studios offer new student specials, in which you get a highly discounted rate for your first set of classes. Most yoga studios will even let you take your first class free. If you have a tight budget, Google free yoga events in your community and you will often find something going on nearly every week. YouTube or yoga apps like Yoga Studio are also great resources to find free yoga. If the expense of yoga classes is really making you anxious, have a conversation with the studio owner. Most studios have a work-exchange program, which allows students to pitch in around the studio in exchange for free classes.
[See: 10 Excuses for Not Exercising — and Why They Won’t Fly.]
3. “I’m not flexible enough.”
Perhaps the most common excuse for not doing yoga is inflexibility. But that’s one of the primary reasons why you should do yoga. When you take a yoga class, teachers will use concise landmarks and expert alignment to make sure you open your body intelligently. There are logical steps into every pose that even the most limited student can work on safely. Props like yoga blocks, a strap and blankets help modify poses in ways that ease you into them. Yoga is taught systematically so that you pay attention to your breath and how you are feeling. If you are ever in pain or feel as if you are straining your body, you are asked to pause and perform the exercise more cautiously. This protects tighter students from getting injured and optimizes their progress.
4. “I’m not in shape enough.”
Yoga is different than working out. In yoga, you use a certain breathing technique where you inhale and exhale deeply through your nose. You connect to your breath at the very beginning of class and it is a gauge for your entire practice. When you are short of breath or find yourself gasping to take a breath, you’re experiencing a response to overexerting yourself. When that happens, you are asked to stop and catch your breath. This allows you to make progress while taking care of yourself — regardless of your fitness level. As a teacher, I encourage students to find their physical edge carefully, and err on the side of caution. Most students need to take care of themselves, and work on their fitness mindfully, rather than push beyond their capabilities.
5. “I prefer more ‘hardcore’ workouts.”
Even though yoga isn’t a workout in the same way as traditional exercises, it can be as challenging as you want it to be. I teach NFL players, personal trainers and professional baseball and soccer athletes. They have all commented on yoga being one of the best workouts they have had. If competitors at the highest level of athletic performance are finding the challenge in yoga, it should be physically demanding enough for anyone. Yoga conditions your entire body with lunges, squats, pushups, core work and hinges. It also strengthens small stabilizer muscles you would otherwise ignore in workouts. Like anything else, if you are truly putting forth your best effort in yoga, you will absolutely get a strong workout and physical results.
[See: 12 Psychological Tricks to Get You Through a Workout or Race.]
6. “I’m Injured.”
Pain is one of the most common reasons why people are reluctant to practice yoga. From my experience, when you practice yoga with injuries, it is humbling, but it always helps alleviate pain. For most people, being sedentary is the cause of their pain and if they continue to do nothing, it only makes it worse. Especially if you have back or joint pain, go to class and focus on the basics of yoga. If you know a teacher who teaches a slower, alignment-based class, talk to him or her. It’s the teacher’s job to hear about your injuries and give an informed, honest opinion about how yoga can help. Make sure you ease yourself back into your practice. As a general rule in yoga, if it hurts, do not do it.
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Why Don’t You Do Yoga? A Comeback for Every Excuse originally appeared on usnews.com
