‘But I’m not flexible enough to do yoga!’
This is one of the things I hear the most, and one of the biggest misconceptions about yoga. That’s why you start, to help you achieve this! One of the key things people talk to me about when looking to start yoga, is how much they want to improve their flexibility.
Starting to practice yoga will no doubt help you to improve your flexibility! You might not be able to touch your toes overnight after one yoga class, and you might need regular practice to improve your levels, but once you get started you should start to notice a difference, no matter how big or small.
Whatever you are trying to achieve, yoga is certainly one really good way to help you become more flexible. And there are so many yoga tips and tricks you can do to kick start your journey to becoming more flexible!
It might be nice to document what you do, so you can look back and see how far you have come. If you want to try and touch your toes, or sit cross legged, why not take some pictures of where you start and how you feel along the way?
There are also some great tools and props that can help you! Some of my favourite are below:
1. Use Support
I am a BIG fan of using support and props as you will see in my classes and blogs. Here are some of my top suggestions that are worth looking into that can help you on your way (you can always use alternatives from around the house like as pillows, belts and cushions that work just as well – these are just a few of my fav’s):
- Yoga Straps – These Tumaz yoga straps are great for a support on a deeper stretch (and look fab too!)
- Yoga Blocks – Try these high density yoga blocks to help you get closer to your goals
- Yoga Bloster – If you’re ready to invest, try these stylish bolsters for comfort
2. Work out what you’re trying to achieve
Do you have a specific aim or target in mind? Like touching your toes, or bending backwards? Maybe you just want an overall feeling of more openness?
Set your goal or intention and document your journey so you can see how far you are getting. Whatever you are aiming for, with practice you can get there.
3. Yoga is not a race
And so, you might not get there overnight (and if you do, then you go!) Be prepared for the journey, it might be a long one and there might be some bumps in the road. There might be days where you can do a forward fold straight away, and might be days where even getting out of bed will be a challenge. Whatever it is, know that you are making progress and keep at it. You WILL get there, I promise!
4. How long will it take to get flexible?
There is no hard and fast answer to this as everyone and every body is different. I would say, especially if you’re a beginner, build up your practice slowly. You don’t have to practice every day, or and you don’t have to practice for an hour each time (as let’s face it we don’t always have the time for that).
Start by trying to incorporate some stretches for 5-10 minutes a day and slowly build up. As time passes you will notice a difference and might want to increase your practice time and frequency.
When you are in a pose, I would suggest trying to hold each pose for 3-5 breaths or 30 seconds (don’t forget to breathe) and increase this over time if you can.
How long is a piece of string? There is no hard and fast answer to this as everyone and every body is different. I would say, especially if you’re a beginner, build up your practice slowly. You don’t have to practice every day, or and you don’t have to practice for an hour each time (as let’s face it we don’t always have the time for that).
Start by trying to incorporate some stretches for 5-10 minutes a day and slowly build up. As time passes you will notice a difference and might want to increase your practice time and frequency.
When you are in a pose, I would suggest trying to hold each pose for 3-5 breaths or 30 seconds (don’t forget to breathe) and increase this over time if you can.
5. When will I notice a difference in my flexibility?
You might notice a change right away (and that could even be soreness of the muscles if you’re not used to using them this way), or you might not see any change for a while. That’s why I encourage you to track your progress because what you might feel might not be the same as what you see!
If you are looking for more in-depth guidance on how to start, get my free yoga e-books where I have pulled together my top tips and poses for anyone who is a beginner and wants more support.
For more beginner poses, or if you want a more in-depth practice and want to find out more, then you can sign up for one of my beginner yoga classes by dropping me a line.
Or get in touch if you have any questions on this practice or anything else.
If you can and as much as you can, find a teacher or online classes you like and that work for you, and try and stick to a programme. That way you can follow lessons that will build you up step by step to help you reach your goals.
If you want more in-depth info on how to increase flexibility, then join me on the mat or get in touch to see if we can tailor some classes to help you achieve your goals.
