Om Yoga Magazine // 10 Yoga Myths BUSTED!
4/17/2015
Disclosure: I am part of the OM Yoga Blogger Programme. I have been provided me with a free subscription to the magazine in exchange for writing a blog post for each month. All opinions and thoughts are my own. Links/Ads for OM Yoga are affiliated referral links. See my policy page HERE for more detail.
Hey Everyone, it's FriYAY! I hope you've all had a great week!
Om Yoga Magazine's 50th Issue was released this month and I'm SO happy for them. Every month I look forward to reading their next issue and learning more and more about Yoga! April's Issue of Om Yoga Magazine didn't disappoint, there is always an abundance of everything to read about!
This month, there was a whole feature(25 pages worth!) on Yoga Retreats/Holidays and the locations are absolutely stunning. If you're ever in the market for a Yoga Retreat then I HIGHLY recommend you check out this issue to find the different ones available around the world!
Whilst reading the magazine this month, one article particularly caught my eye and it was 10 Yoga Myths BUSTED! I'd heard a couple of people mention some of these to me in conversations about Yoga and I wish I could have pointed them to this article!
Here are 10 of the most common yoga myths that are used today:
1 - You have to be flexible to do Yoga
No, you don't! When I first started Yoga, I couldn't do any sort of back bends.. in fact, I don't think I could even touch my toes.
Yoga is actually HELPFUL to those that are stiff and NOT very flexible. Flexibility comes with time and it can help people to avoid injury.
People that play sports and runners like to incorporate yoga into their routines as it aids with stretching out muscles and can help to avoid certain injuries that come from tight, overworked muscles.
2 - Men don't do Yoga
Absolutely NOT true. Sure, yoga is dominated by women rather than men, but there are still plenty of males out there that also do yoga and they're SO amazing! This is also growing much more.. there's even classes like BROga that are more for me than women now.
Professional athletes in football, hockey, basketball etc are also doing yoga as part of their training schedules to help with avoiding injuries.
3 - I work out at the gym so I don't need Yoga
All physical exercises deliver some sort of benefit. Gym exercises usually focus on aerobics, cardio and muscle development. Yoga benefits not only the body in terms of toning and stretching for muscles(a great accompaniment for the gym to stretch muscles) but also has so many benefits for the mind too including relaxation and relieving stress.
4 - Yoga is slow and boring
There are SO many types of yoga and it's about finding one that you like. It might mean that you have to go to several different classes to find out which one suits your needs most, if you don't go to classes and practice at home, there are still all of those styles available.
There's everything ranging from Hot Yoga, Power Yoga, Vinyasa, Hatha. You've just got to find the one that fits you best.
5 - Yoga is Religious
I'll admit.. when I first saw yoga I had a warped perspective of it. The first glimpse of Yoga that I saw was of people chanting/Omm'ing.. and I had exactly the same thought.
In reality, Yoga is not a form of religion, Yoga is practiced by people from all different types of religions but it is not religious. Of course it has a spiritual component like meditation, but if that's not your cup of tea, that doesn't mean you can't do yoga, just don't meditate.
6 - Yoga is just another form of exercise
Of course yoga is a different form of exercise but it's not JUST about the body. Yoga also impacts the mind and spirit(read above). Yoga has done SO much more for me in terms of my mind. It's a way for me to release stress and focus on myself after a hard day. It's a time just for you and it's the perfect escape.
7 - You can't get a good workout doing yoga
I actually had an argument with Phillip about this very topic the other day. He was saying that Yoga does nothing for me, it's just something I enjoy and it has no benefits.
Sure, in terms of hard work, sweat and burning calories, it's not the best(depending on what type of yoga you do). However, Yoga has SO many more benefits that people don't realise. A study in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology stated that 'mind body practice of yoga is beneficial in managing and improving risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease'.
Yoga also tones the body and is perfect for those that need a low impact way to exercise.
8 - Yoga is for young, thin people
Yoga is for everyone!(I actually wrote a post on this previously, you can check that HERE). Of course, younger, thin, fit people do yoga but so do A LOT of other people that may not necessarily fall into those categories.
There are many different types of Yoga for people to try and yoga is quite low impact which makes it perfect for those that are not able to run and jump all over the place. There are also plenty of modifications for yoga poses which allows EVERYONE to do yoga.
9 - I can't do yoga because of illness, injury or chronic pain
Scientific and Medical studies demonstrate that yoga can help to heal injuries(and prevent them), reduce or eliminate pain and ease symptoms of disease. It also helps to relieve stress which is one of the benefits that I have taken use of over this last year.
It is possible for those with Injury or Illness to have one on one sessions with a yoga teacher if they are not able to attend a class but still want to get the benefits that yoga provides.
10 - Yoga is expensive
Definitely not true. Yoga actually doesn't cost me anything currently. I do all my yoga and practice in the comfort of my own home and there are SO many resources online(Youtube for e.g.) that have a plethora of yoga classes and videos available for people to use.
The only costs that I have incurred from yoga is buying a yoga mat. Most people already have some sort of comfy clothes that can be worn for yoga. You don't actually even need a mat. A carpet with a towel would even suffice for most.
For those that are interested in classes, most studios offer packages which reduce the cost considerably.Some gyms may also have yoga classes that are included in their monthly memberships for people to attend.
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So, there's some of the most common Yoga Myths BUSTED. There's definitely a fair few of them that I've heard before. Some of them I can't believe are actually a thing or at least STILL a thing. Hopefully this these myth busters open up peoples perspectives of yoga and more people try yoga. I don't need to remind people how much of a fan I am! ;)
On top of this article, as always there is breakdowns for yoga poses, yoga sequences and stories about peoples Yoga Journeys including an inspirational story about a woman's journey to overcoming anorexia! There's also articles on meditation, switching on your creativity and some absolutely delicious looking recipes!
If you're interested in the magazine and the articles that I've mentioned and you want to subscribe, you can subscribe HERE or click the ad below. Each magazine is £1.99 or you can get a 6 or 12 month subscription(£8.99/£16.99). The Magazine is also available to people in the US too, WooHoo!
Question: Have you heard anyone mention any of these myths before?
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3 comments
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteThis has been such a great post to read through - I always forget how people look at yoga when they don't practice it, as I've been practicing for so long! I love the myths you highlighted - I in fact started by following yoga at home, so it was cheap and using a DVD featuring Barbara Currie, a lovely flexible old lady, I knew it wasn't religious or for young, thin people either! (You can read more about my journey here: www.curiouslyconscious.com/2015/03/how-to-get-into-yoga-beginners-journey.html )
I'm also a big fan of Om Yoga and how thoughtful the magazine seems compared to most that are featured in the fitness section. I think I'll pick this month's one up as I'd love to know more about yoga retreats!
Besma (Curiously Conscious)
@Besma | Curiously Conscious Thanks Beaut! Yes, I admit to thinking a fair few of these prior to even considering doing yoga now I absolutely love it and when I hear people mention these things, it's nice to convince them otherwise!
ReplyDeleteI love the Om Yoga Magazine, there are SO many fascinating articles to read. I actually don't read any other magazine other than the Om Yoga Magazine, I found them a little too faddy and centered around advertisement.
Already following your blog but I'm SO behind on catching up with everyone's post! Hoping to get through them today! :)
I hope you enjoyed having a read through Laura! It's been mainly about Paris over the last week but I'll be back to recipes and reviews this week x
ReplyDelete