Redefining Yoga

YOGA HAS NEVER BEEN MORE POPULAR – BUT THE COST OF CLASSES AND GROWING NUMBERS OF INJURIES MIGHT NOT BE DOING THE PRACTICE ANY FAVOURS. HOW CAN NEWBIES TO YOGA GET PAST THE HYPE AND JOIN IN, SAFELY? 

- Trudie Mcconnochie

If you turn to Instagram to find out more about yoga, you’ll probably wind up with a vision of something that is practised in industrial-chic studios by super fit-looking people wearing the latest in luxury fitness apparel. But this isn’t what yoga was designed to be at all. This spiritual practice was first devised centuries ago in India with an egalitarian spirit, centering on the oneness of body, mind and soul. And although its rising popularity in the West is a good thing, modern yoga’s cult image means many people don’t understand exactly what the practice is about or how it could help them physically and mentally.

“Walking into a studio for the first time can be incredibly intimidating. There might be mirrors everywhere, very little clothing and a whole language that, depending on how the teacher presents it, can be too woo-woo for someone wanting to just stretch out their hamstrings,” says Jane Lowe, owner of the online resource The Yoga Connection.

But dismissing yoga as something for a toned, trendy elite – or being put off by the language used in class – could mean missing out on research-proven health benefits, such as improved heart health, sharper cognitive function, lowered stress and anxiety, and even reduced PMS symptoms. We look at some of the barriers to yoga and how you can make the practice work for you.

Safety first

According to Australian Sports Commission statistics from 2012, yoga has become more popular than AFL and fishing. Some 273,000 women are engaging in some form of the practice, as are growing numbers of men. But as the numbers of yoga devotees stretch upwards, so, unfortunately, does the injury count.