Yoga has spread in the West over the last century, becoming nearly as popular as golf in the United States.
Clinics and clothing lines for yoga now compose an industry worth $27 billion yearly. While it’s certainly odd to watch corporate giants such as Columbia Sportswear Company turn obscene profits on what began as a spiritual practice grounded in awareness, we can take comfort in the fact that it actually doesn’t have to cost you anything at all. All one needs is a distraction-free, comfortable environment to move and breathe in.
While many gyms offer free introductory courses on yoga, almost any sequence of poses and transitions can be found online for free. And no specialized training is needed to begin with the basics.
Yoga can be a wonderful complement to other outdoor activities. Common sequences, such as the sun salutation, help stretch the core muscles key in skiing and mountain biking. Limb-stretching poses, such as the warrior asanas, are excellent when performed before or after a running or hiking workout. Climbing is perhaps the outdoor sport most closely related to yoga disciplines with its careful focus on body positioning and the “confronting the problem as the goal” mindset.
One of the best reasons to embrace the practice of yoga is that it is a systematic approach towards physical fitness that doesn’t require specialized equipment. Many practitioners find it helpful to have a soft exercise mat, especially if working outdoors or holding difficult poses, but a level lawn or living room will work just as well.
Because there are different schools of yoga, each of which has a different focus (some are more aerobic than others), doing research and some trial-and-error tests is a good idea to find what works for you individually.
The best way to practice yoga is to find time daily for a routine that speaks to you, whether it’s some power yoga stretches post-workout or the combination of a few classical poses. Flexibility and strength gains are often greatest when training is regular and efficient as opposed to sporadic and intense.
For me, yoga is a great part of a morning or midday routine. Taking time to slow down, be in the moment, and focus on an awareness of self is beneficial beyond the physical stretching. Yoga is all about mindfulness, and the thoughtful practice can be applied to just about anything. One can practice the yoga of eating, the yoga of sex, or the yoga of motorcycle maintenance. With the little emphasis on reflection in today’s busy world, the spiritual practice of yoga can be one of the most appealing reasons to adopt the practice.
With sports it can sometimes be hard to remember that special care of the body is important. The warm-up and cool-down exercises and stretching of yoga are as crucial to skiers and mountain bikers as they are to football players and gymnasts. Overall, this simple exercise can stand alone or complement other activities.
@terminallysilly