I often ask my students this question: Why have you chosen yoga and what do you want to achieve by practising it?
The answer would often be in the following vein: I want to go into a headstand, or a handstand, or even a full split.
No matter what the reply may be, there is no wrong answer; Simply put, it’s whatever gets you on to the mat — whether it’s for you or for Instagram — it’s really up to you.
We should not judge others by saying, ‘hey, that’s not yoga...THIS is yoga’, or be nasty about their practices and intentions.
I have read many articles positing how most practitioners have got it wrong and how yoga is now turning into a circus act as a result of this.
At first, I agreed, but I soon came to the realisation that I shouldn’t be the one to judge what drives someone to get on to the mat; the fact that they do is better than doing nothing at all.
Anyway, I have picked up little tricks and cheats to make your folding and flying easier.
It took me 5 years to get into a headstand, namely because I was a wuss who was afraid of falling, but also because I hadn’t yet learned how to breathe correctly — as in when to inhale and when to exhale.
What made my split journey so frustrating was performing actions such as hinging from the hips (instead of rounding my back like a humpback whale), forcing my head into my shins and of course, always forgetting to breathe.
Trust me, the body will resist if you push it too much. I believe strength comes from within, but flexibility can be worked on. This doesn’t mean that the more you practice, the better you’ll get — you have to start practising the right way.
Engage the right muscles, breathe in and out at the right juncture and be one with your breath; you will turn yourself into a pretzel sooner than your think.
In this week’s video, I will be sharing tricks and tips on folding forward, going into a full split (we try la) as well as a lying-down split.
All these poses will help you stretch the hips, hamstrings and calves as well as strengthen the thighs and knees, and keep your spine strong and flexible, which is pivotal for good posture.
The next benefit— especially during this pandemic — is the ability of these poses to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue by calming the mind and soothing the nerves. Big stretches will also help to relieve tension in the spine, neck and back.
Give it a go! You’ll feel so much better after that!
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