So why bother?
Just a load of stretching right? Some weird hippy shit. But while you might not have any interest in tying yourself up in knots, yoga is also a discipline with benefits that go beyond lengthening the hamstrings.
As well as opening up the body and creating some more comfort and space, the practice tricks us into being very present and introspective - it can be an escape from a mind that won’t switch off. Meanwhile, we’re controlling the breath and stimulating the nervous system in ways we wouldn’t normally do in our day to day lives. Improving or maintaining mobility is one thing, but we’re also creating agility and space in the mind too - far out right?
It’s easy to think that yoga is for the super flexible, but being stiff and not being able to touch your toes is the reason to step on the mat, not shy away from it.
Who is yoga for?
For a lot people, yoga isn’t their main jam. There are diverse reasons people find their way on to a mat. Saying that, there are some common themes too. A lot of runners come to practice to help with tightness in the lower limbs and increase performance. We often see hardcore cyclists come to class to combat tight hip flexors, which sometimes leads to back issues. But the fact is, whether you’re rolling several times a week at jiu-jitsu, big into your climbing and bouldering, or paddling out every time there’s a swell, yoga has a lot to offer when it comes to mobility.
It’s said that people come to yoga only when they’re suffering in some way. That could be a bad back, but it could equally be something on a psychological level too. Yoga has been used to treat people with PTSD as well as a wide range of neurological issues. But if yoga just looks cool to you, and you have no deep rooted reason, that’s cool too. Yoga is undisputedly for everyone, especially stiff people. If you want to move more comfortably, improve mobility, and generally just grow old gracefully, this is it.
