“I’m Not Flexible Enough to do Yoga” (And Other Myths)

When I tell people what I do, the most common response I hear is “I’d love to try yoga, but I’m not flexible enough.” It is a little like saying, “I’d love to go to the optician, but my eyes aren’t good enough.”

Yoga is not a test you pass; it is a practice that gradually meets you where you are and moves with you. Stiff hamstrings, tight shoulders, sore knees or a back that has seen years of abuse at work are not reasons to stay away – they are some of the best reasons to start yoga.

In my classes, every pose is offered with options. There may be a version of a pose using the wall, a strap or blocks, alongside a more traditional variation for those who enjoy it as it is.

You will never be asked to force yourself into a shape just because someone on the next mat can do it. Instead, I will invite you to see how the pose feels for you, how you are breathing, and whether and how the pose serves your body on that day. We must all remember that our bodies feel different from day to day and a pose that feels just right one day may really feel tight or impossible the next.

Hands on assists, as long as you are happy to be touched, can also help guide you into a pose - you are never just expected to be able to do any pose, irrespective of how easy or tricky it may be. Gentle hands on assists often enable clients to discover new aspects to a pose they might not have experienced or be able to reach on their own.

A Windmill Class last Summer

Flexibility is also not just physical. Yoga gently works with mental and emotional flexibility – the ability to respond to life’s changes without snapping – and that has nothing to do with whether you can touch your toes!

If you can get down on to a mat, or even just sit on a chair and move your arms, there is a version of yoga for you. And if getting on to the floor is tricky right now, that simply becomes the starting point, not a barrier.

If you would like to make a change to your life this year and start yoga, please get in touch and I will help you take your first step.