Yoga: A Mind-Body Connection
I first started practicing yoga in college, I joined a local gym that specialized in low-impact workouts. I walked into class thinking I had found an easy way to work out, let’s just say I was severely humbled during that class. Before yoga, I had always thought I was in shape. After one yoga class, I realized that I was neglecting a whole other part of my body’s fitness journey that was equally as important as lifting heavy weights. The younger me kept going back week after week with one goal: to get stronger and keep up with the women who came in and made me look so easy. After college, I moved down to Arkansas and got swept up in working my big girl job so I stopped practicing yoga and working out in general. Fast forward to 2019, I just had my first son and I was struggling. For whatever reason, I decided to pick my yoga practice back up. This time my motivations were different. I started yoga to find my grounding, to give myself an outlet to release all the many emotions that come with postpartum. Here is where I would say the biggest difference was for me. I was in way better shape in college than I was after having a baby, but my motivation to add movement into my life was for ME and not trying to keep up with anyone. My biggest words of advice when dipping into yoga for the first time would be to go in with the intention of focusing on yourself.
“If your mind is always going a million miles an hour, you need more yoga than you realize.”
Excuses
I struggle slowing down – I need the faster workouts
I can’t tell you how often the excuses of why people haven’t tried yoga, this is one of the top answers. My dear, we all need self-regulation. Everyone needs a release and yoga (fast or slow) is known to help alleviate stress and anxiety. If your mind is always going a million miles an hour, you need yoga more than you realize. Practicing yoga is all about creating space for yourself, classes can often leave you with less overall body tension and a lighter mental load. Not only is yoga a healthy coping mechanism for a face paced lifestyle, it helps bring some balance to your body and can EVEN HELP WITH SLEEP. Practicing yoga especially before bed is a fast way to regulate your nervous system to enhance sleep.
I’m not flexible
Another popular reason people tend to stay away from yoga, is the belief they aren’t flexible enough for yoga. Showing up to class is the only way to improve this! Yoga will enhance your balance and flexibility. There are also tools like yoga blocks or straps that are designed to help you get the best stretch possible while meeting your body exactly where it is. I always say the hardest part of your workout is showing up, putting in the effort to show up for yourself is the only way to improve.
Let’s Talk Real Life
How can yoga help your everyday life? Let’s start with how it can help your overall fitness journey.
IN THE GYM – Yoga is a great outlet for toning and strength. Muscles you’re targeting in yoga are some of the same muscles you use during heavy lifting, but the focus is creating healthy muscles designed for endurance. Adding in yoga to your gym routine will help you in any other class or workout you’d plan to do. A great example is hip flexors, yoga targets hip flexors with slow muscle building movements. As you increase this muscle you will see results in squats, deadlifts, basically any leg move. You will also notice less lower back tension or pain during workouts. Another example is abdominal muscles, yoga targets deep core by combining breath work and movement.
EVERYDAY APPLICATION- Yoga is known to promote mindfulness. You will be more aware of posture, diet, mental balance, and physical health. Practicing yoga is a great motivator to look inward and make sure you’re filling your own cup just as much as you are filling others. Not only is yoga beneficial to mental health, it’s linked to better cardiovascular health. It helps protect your joints, can lower blood pressure, and enhance your circulation. By practicing yoga, you are building a body to last. A moving body, is a healthy body.
Invest in yourself
I’ll end with this, there are a MILLION ways to practice yoga. If we were to get technical, breathing is considered a form of yoga all on its own. You’re already doing yoga by breathing, so why not take the extra step and add some movement to that? You will leave any yoga class feeling lighter mentally and your body will feel stronger. Show up for yourself, be mindful that you set an example, taking care of yourself is essential to taking care of others.
Author
Shanley Barnett
Hailing from Appalachia and now a Greenbrier resident, Shanley is a yoga enthusiast and devoted mother to Maddox. She found her calling at Glover Fitness and is a certified 200H YYT yoga instructor, eager to share the supportive community that inspired her journey.