Tag Archives: exercise

You don’t need to be flexible to do yoga – but doing yoga will make you more flexible

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One of the popular myths about yoga is that you have to be very flexible to do it. It’s one of the questions I get asked most. And I can see why. In popular media yoga practitioners are often photographed in very advanced poses that make them look like they are bent double with their limbs wrapped around their necks. I’ve seen videos of famous Ashtanga teachers who genuinely look like they can tie their legs in a knot behind their backs. These images scare people.

flexible to do yoga

The truth is that there are many levels for each yoga pose. The aim is not to dangerously contort the body, over stretch it or overload it, but to go as far as feels challenging. For many people, especially beginners, that might not be very far at all.

So no, you do not have to be very flexible to do yoga, but you will become more flexible by doing it.

I remember before I started going to yoga classes, long before I became a teacher, I couldn’t perform a forward fold and touch my toes. Nowhere near touching them actually. Within weeks of practising yoga I could get closer, and now I can get all the way down. As a result I am much more flexible now than I was when I was much younger.

Improved flexibility is just one of the physical benefits of yoga. Others include:

  • Better cardiovascular efficiency
  • Better respiratory efficiency
  • Better musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion
  • Increase in breath-holding time
  • Better dexterity skills
  • Better posture
  • Better strength and resiliency
  • Higher energy levels

Very few of us will ever achieve the rubber elastic bodies of Ashtanga yoga video stars, but neither should that be a necessary goal. All of us can benefit from the physical improvements yoga can bring. And if that means getting just one inch closer to touching your toes then that is an achievement to be proud of.

Over to you: I would love to hear your stories about how yoga has improved you physically. How much difference have you noticed? Please post a comment let me know.

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“Should I try Yoga?” – I always say, “Absolutely, yes you should.”

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People who come to my Body Combat and Body Balance classes know that I am also a yoga teacher and often ask,“Should I try yoga?”. My answer is always a resounding yes. Of course you should. But many then qualify their question with, “But I really don’t fancy all that chanting and mystical mumbo jumbo.”

I am often saddened by this because people obviously have the wrong impression of yoga. Some think that it is some sort of religion. Others fear that they will be instructed in an obscure ancient language. Or that they will have to contort their body into impossible bendy shapes. Or that it is too easy and that a good session pumping weights will do them more good. It’s true that these perceptions have been created to an extent by the reality. But let’s consider the truth.

should i try yoga

Yoga is definitely not a religion. Admittedly, for some practitioners, it is a way of life, and it can be quite a spiritual one at that. But modern styles of yoga have evolved to focus on just three elements of the so called “8 limbs of yoga”; The asanas or poses (exercises between you and me), breathing (well more like controlling the breath and integrating it into the exercise), and meditation (and if that still sounds too “mystical” you can change this to simple relaxation if you want to).

People who do like more traditional spiritual styles might be critical of these modern approaches and they are entitled to their opinion and to practice what they like. The truth is if you want a yoga class that is just about the exercise you can find one.

Certainly the language used probably hasn’t helped either. If you are asked to move into Prasarita Padottanasana it genuinely sounds almost frightening. In English all you are being asked to do is to perform a wide leg forward bend. Or in even simpler terms a very intense hamstring stretch.

It’s true that very advanced Yoga poses need high degrees of skill and flexibility but no one is going to shoe-horn you into something your body can’t cope with. But the same is true in any sport. A novice skier would never tackle the most challenging run without years on the nursery slopes or easier descents.

should i try yoga

There are many levels to suit all ages, skills and body shapes. For those who think it will be too easy, I have seen men who can pump weights for hours on end reduced to gasping in pools of sweat in a power yoga session. Whilst in gentler classes not a bead of sweat will break onto the skin. The bottom line is that everyone can be catered for, you just need to find a class that suites your needs, desires and goals.

So what’s available?

Hatha Yoga – a calmer class, less energetic style, more emphasis on breath and less complex exercises.

Ashtanga Yoga – very traditional, quite physically challenging, the same exercises every class always in the same order

Power Yoga – a more modern version of Ashtanga, less traditional, still challenging, but the exercises will change from class to class. (Often called Dynamic Yoga, Freestyle Fitness Yoga, Baptiste Yoga or Vinyasa Yoga)

Bikram Yoga – the same 26 exercises every class, performed in a hot room to encourage sweating and cleansing.

Hot Yoga – same as Bikram but without the adherence to the 26 pose class structure.

Body Balance – yes I’m going to include this as it is Yoga based. Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates moves choreographed to music.

Should you try yoga? Absolutely of course you should. There is a style out there for you just waiting to be discovered.

Over to you: Do you want to try yoga but haven’t tried it yet? What more could I do to convince you? Have you recently taken it up? What do you think? I would love it if you would post your thoughts and experiences in the comments box.

Review of Body Combat Release 50 – a celebration of a milestone

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This is a fantastic release which is going down extremely well with clients. It creates moans and groans in the leg conditioning track 6 and the abs track 9, shouts and screams in the fun tracks and gritted determination in the endless last power track.

I love it too but when I first heard the music I was disappointed. Due to traveling with work I just couldn’t get to a quarterly workshop and I think this release more than any proves that you have to have the “masterclass” experience rather than seeing it for the first time in your living room.

I thought, “Oh no – two songs were in the previous release of Balance, that remix of an awesome Scooter song that has been used in the warm up to BC16 is bland, and T6 is dull hip hop”. Then you do it and you realise in this release that the moves carry the music.

Review of Body Combat Release 50

1) Warm Up (More/Rolling In The Deep): Good fun upbeat Upper body – nothing out of the ordinary but like the build up from combat stance only, double jab to jab cross jab – that works nicely. The lower body is fine as well – if not pretty similar to the last two. That’s three lower body warm ups in a row that have been very similar in construction – something different would next time would be nice.

2) Combat 1 (Frozen): This is the highlight of the release for me and in my opinion the best T2 since BC35. The double block gets you deep into the legs and the addition of the elbow and the roundhouse is powerful. Sound effects make the kicks even stronger – nice to see this nod to the past in the 50th. Sound effects are cheesy for some and joy for others. These are quite far back in the mix so they keep the latter happy without annoying the former. Then we have sword strikes – again with steel clashing with steel sound effects. Takes me back to BC10 and the cheesiest cool down ever – Funniculi Funnicula. The sword section raises the heart rate – this doesn’t feel like a T2 – it’s a cardio burner. The middle combo is good as well with its knees and double front kicks. Simply a cracker.

3) Power 1 (What’s Up): Simple stuff. Two separate combos that eventually merge into one heart pumping face puncher. Great uplifting song with many vocal hooks (big big hill, brotherhood, what’s going on!). Sometimes T3s blur into one – this one will be brought back.

4) Combat 2 (Let it Die): The new advancing side kick is a great addition especially in the faster section towards the end, though I understand why we need the slower demo at the start. The rest of the track feels a little “bitty”. It doesn’t seem to do much but at the end you have a sore butt so I guess it does its work subtly.

5) Power 2 (Nessaja): Continuing a trend for excellent shoulder wasting T5s – this is as relentless as it is fun. Love the block feeling to the choreography and the full on 30 second blasts. I often use the previous version of this track – a bonus warm up from BC16 – so I was delighted when my class sang along with “It must be Dave who’s on the train”. And we get the Alvin and the Chipmunks sing-a-long in the middle as well – that was missing from the BC16 version. The fact the final combo (Jab, hook upper) was the exact reverse of the choreography from the last release does mess with the head a little.

6) Combat 3 (Gimme Dat): Ouch. In my last mix I did “Not Gonna Get us” from BC18 – a T9 with squats and lunges just like here – but this goes on for three times as long. Esquiva, lunges, gingas, front kicks. This is very hard. Very good. And as Dan says will lead to lean lean legs. Hardest one to learn as well there is a great deal going on (with a bit of lopsided choreography).

7) Muay Tai (Eye of The Tiger): The cardio burn returns with a roar as the tempo goes into overdrive. The transitions are quick, cueing is difficult, but the work out is intense – especially if you manage all those running man knees. Once more we have an orgy of downward punches – which aren’t really Muay Tai moves. I know they get the heart rate sky high but I would like to see a break from these. The Tiger growls are a gift for cheese merchants like me.

8) Power 3 (You’re the feeling): Long and tough this is a major endurance test. I love the power of the body hook to the kidneys. However, when was the last time we had a T8 that didn’t finish with millions of jabs in front stance? Okay so it finishes the main workout on a blistering high – but it’s getting predictable.

9) Conditioning (Pause): This is short, sharp and savage with a great piece of music, great core strengthening moves and guaranteed deep sighs from everyone. It’s really a taster for some CXWORX isn’t it – like all conditioning tracks in Combat and Balance over the last 12 months we have been getting hints at this great new programme. People feel they have achieved something after this track. “Look at that girl she’s like, OUCH!”

10) Cool down (ISHFWILF): Good to have a heavier, rockier cool down. This creates a good musical contrast. A pretty epic way to finish.

When I look over what I have written in my review of Body Combat release 50 I notice a few niggles – but the release has gone down better than many that at first glance I might have given a better score to. What I think works here is a perfect balance. This release has a bit of everything that has made combat what it is over 50 releases. An old school T2 with fun sound effects and swords which don’t detract from the intensity; sing along but intense power tracks; a lifetime achievement award hard core leg track, the sharpest conditioning track for ages and an overall workout that can break even the fittest.

So it is a perfect celebration of 50 releases of Body Combat.

Over to You: Are you a Body Combat Instructor? What did you think of release 50? Was it the milestone class you wanted it to be? Are you a participant? Have you enjoyed number 50?

Is there a Modern vs Traditional Yoga argument?

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There was a fascinating article in The Guardian this week looking at the development of “modern” yoga classes which are abandoning the spiritual and the mental elements and focusing on entirely on the physical. The headline posed what seems like a simple question.

Is this still yoga? A new generation of teachers is replacing traditional spirituality with plain-spoken simplicity.

Of course the answer is far from simple.

Having qualified as a Level 3 Yoga Teacher last year – I experienced quite a bit of snobbery on my journey. There are those who insist that Yoga has to be the full Physical, Spiritual and Mental experience – and in extreme cases will not tolerate dissension. In answer to that view we know that from the success of Freestyle Fitness Yoga and Body Balance that there are many people who simply want access to the physical side of yoga. Indeed for those people the Spiritual and the Mental aspects can be barriers to them trying traditional yoga out.

modern vs traditional yoga

I’ve seen some church halls ban yoga classes because they perceive the spiritual side of it to be some affront to Christianity. This is wrong too because Yoga isn’t a religion despite its spiritual overtones. I’ve seen some people put off yoga classes because they think they are going to have to chant and ring singing bowls. So for those that predominantly want the physical experience why not give them that aspect alone?

In the end it is all about meeting the needs and expectations of your clients. When I teach yoga I do use the ancient names for the poses where appropriate, and provide more focus especially around meditation. If your clients are more into the full traditional experience then they will expect it of course.

But if someone is only interested in the physical aspect – does it matter whether it is a Virabhadrasana 2 – or a position in which one leg is bent at 90 degrees and the other is straight, the hips are forward and the arms are at shoulder height? Even if we use the English version of the pose names, does it really need to be a Warrior 2 or what I have just described.

I would like to make yoga accessible to all and if the entry point to that is the physical experience then fine. Personally I would like them to then consider the other aspects if and when they feel comfortable. But starting from the point of view that it has to be all or nothing is likely to keep the barriers up.

Ultimately modern vs traditional yoga can exist harmoniously and that has to be a good thing if it benefits the lives of more people.

Over to you: Do you practice yoga? Is it a traditional or modern variant? What do you prefer. Please click on “Leave a Reply” below and let me know your comments and thoughts.