This is something that us Yoga teachers hear often: The misconception that the Yoga environment is full of young men and women with athletic physiques, healthy, fit and flexible, Whilst many yogis do fall into this category, they are not the majority but the minority. Yoga is so much more than a physical stretch, so lets break it down.

When I first started yoga, I wasn’t particularly fit, and I certainly wasn’t flexible. I began yoga because someone advised me it would be a good way to switch off and practice mindfulness. I thought that if gentle movement was involved, it would be beneficial. I soon realised, after attending my first yoga class all those years ago, that every movement and every physical cue was carefully thought out.

There was nothing too intricate or complicated, and many of the same routines and moves were repeated over and over again, even in completely different classes with different teachers. I began to thrive off this repetitiveness. I started to learn some moves so well that I didn’t need to pay as much attention to the visual and verbal cues for certain poses. My body began to naturally assume the shapes without requiring much thought.

I appreciated this aspect of yoga; I was so focused on where I was placing my left foot or my right hand, and how I was holding my head and neck, that I couldn’t ponder the worries of the outside world or my health issues at the time. Even as I learned more poses and progressed, relying less on the cues, I found that I still wasn’t worrying about the outside world. I was 100% immersed in my yoga practice. I connected my breath to my body and my body to my mind. I felt well; I felt like I had taken charge of my health when so much was out of my control. This was my way of regaining control.

I still wasn’t particularly flexible, but I was enjoying learning about my body. Fast forward many years, it’s clear that I love yoga so much that I delved a little deeper and undertook my yoga teacher training a couple of years ago. I now deliver my classes in the style that helped me the most. I stick to gentle yoga flows, adapting poses for more experienced yogis while also accommodating complete beginners. I emphasise that none of my students need to be super fit or super flexible. They don’t need to bring anything to class other than a sense of self-worth and achievement.

The stillness is probably my favourite aspect of class, the peace and calm found in stillness over anything super fancy, like an inversion workshop. That being said, I do love to incorporate an attempted inversion in my home practice from time to time.

I’ve found that yoga goes hand in hand with other fitness classes. As I did more and more, my body became stronger. Personally, I enjoy aerial classes such as pole fitness, aerial silks, and aerial hoop, and I found that yoga really enhanced not only my flexibility but also my strength in holding certain shapes.

I believe that yoga complements all aspects of life. Whether you’re thinking of taking up yoga to increase your flexibility, improve your emotional well-being, or simply looking for a supportive community, yoga encompasses all of these elements. Yoga gives back as much as you invest, as long as you show up. Whether your mat is in your living room, on your bedroom floor, or in a posh studio, when you arrive at the mat, you arrive into yourself. You return to yourself for that 20 minutes of home practice or perhaps a longer session in a studio, maybe a 60-minute class or even a 90-minute workshop. Whatever it is, the fact that you are showing up for yourself is important, and every session you dedicate time to will only improve your mental health and well-being.

So, what do I say to those who tell me, “I would love to try yoga, but I’m not flexible enough?” I change their mindset. I open their eyes to the bigger picture and all that yoga is and has to offer. I come from a place of true experience, having been at rock bottom with both my health and mental well-being, and I can confidently say that yoga was one of the largest components in helping me regain my strength and health, both physically and emotionally.

So, if you’ve read to the end of this blog post, why not take the plunge? Check out local yoga teachers in your area and dip your toe into the world of yogis. I promise you, you won’t regret it.

If you would like access to a daily or weekly yoga fitness planner, check out these ready made plans via the link below