7 Reasons Everyone Can Practice Yoga

1. Yoga is versatile

Beginners have countless yoga styles to choose from: physically demanding such as Ashtanga Yoga and Power Yoga, spiritually powerful such as Kundalini Yoga, holistic ones such as Sivananda Yoga. And then of course every yoga teacher has his or her style: one explains a lot, the other gives a lot of space to feel, one gives long philosophical lectures, the other focuses on health. The good thing about it is that everyone can find exactly the yoga offer that they need, that is fun and good.

2. Yoga is adaptable

If you already have a bit of yoga experience, you will know that there are many different exercises in yoga. And there are innumerable variations of these exercises. Almost every yoga exercise can be adapted to your body and your current condition. In addition, there are also aids such as straps, pads or pillows that help you practice positions that would otherwise be too difficult.

Seniors can do yoga exercises with the help of a chair, there are special postures for pregnant women - and if the joints are stiff, the arms are too short, the stomach is in the way, you can simply use the belt or another aid to achieve the desired effect of the exercise achieve.

Need more options? Read more about: Yoga Personal Training: Why a Private Lesson, 10 Things A Yogi Would Never Say and much more on TamarSamirYoga.

3. Yoga is the best type of movement for "unsportsmanlike"

There is this cliché that yogis have to be flexible. It is rather the other way around: With yoga you can work wonderfully on your mobility. In other words: Nobody is too stiff or too “unsportsmanlike” to do yoga. Because yoga is not about being the most agile and knotting yourself in seemingly inhuman pretzel positions!

Instead, the goal of yoga is that you do something good for yourself and your body. Because with yoga you learn to accept your body as it is. Every body is different - there is no such thing as the perfect posture in an asana, only the posture that does you best today! And the more you accept your body and learn to empathize with yourself, the easier it will be for you to give yourself what you need. Yoga helps you correct bad posture, relieve tension, treat yourself to rest when you need it, or work out if that is good for you today. Improved flexibility and sturdier, stronger muscles are wonderful side effects.

4. Yoga is perfect for people with ailments

All people who practice yoga regularly notice that they feel healthier and fitter. Science has now also proven that yoga helps with many ailments such as back pain, migraines, stress, cardiovascular problems or sleep disorders. Above all, you can reduce stress very effectively with yoga - and this is known to be one of the main causes of many diseases.

So if you suffer from chronic complaints or an illness, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't practice yoga - just that you first have to find the yoga practice that is right for you in consultation with your doctor. Yoga therapy-oriented teachers are the best choice for everyone with disabilities. But Iyengar yoga teachers also usually have very good knowledge of how to customize yoga practice.

Incidentally, yoga - not only physical practice, but also and especially regular meditation and relaxation exercises - has a positive effect on the extent of the psychological stress caused by health problems: The feeling that you can actively do something for your health and your feelings and thoughts and Are not helplessly at the mercy of the resulting stress, is very valuable, especially in chronic and serious illness - and can be a decisive factor in healing and the course of the disease.

5. Yoga works holistically

Yoga differs from other sports or relaxation methods because it works on all levels: On a physical level, you train your stamina, strength and flexibility with yoga. But also on a spiritual, emotional and energetic level a lot happens to you in a yoga class - you relax, blockages dissolve, you can feel yourself better, see more clearly and suddenly feel much more connected to everything.

Even in yoga courses that focus on fitness and workout, the exercises often seem more holistic than expected! Many people experience that yoga - regardless of the form in which they practice it - gives them exactly what they need. And football can't do that.

6. Yoga is free of prejudice

In yoga we believe that each of us is perfect - exactly as he or she is. That is why one of the goals of yoga is not (or at least less often) to compare oneself with others and not to judge or even judge others. That is why you are not expected to “perform” in yoga - you do not have to be present unless you are present.

Nutrition is also not as relevant as it sometimes seems. You don't have to become a vegetarian or vegan to stand on the yoga mat. A balanced diet is recommended for everyone, but by no means a prerequisite. You don't have to have a specific lifestyle or dress specifically to practice yoga. Whether you are a businessman, competitive athlete or housewife is irrelevant as long as you can open yourself to new experiences in yoga. It can be natural that your diet and lifestyle will change if you practice yoga regularly - simply because you can feel yourself and your needs and values more clearly.

7. Yoga is always and everywhere 

Many types of movement require space, balls, clubs, special shoes. For yoga you need: your body, comfortable clothing and a relatively non-slip surface of around 3 by 2 meters. Not more. And there is a suitable opportunity for everyone to practice yoga. You can practice yoga independently at home, with DVDs or YogaEasy, in the fitness center, yoga studio or at a sports club (the latter is currently less, but that will change again at some point).

 Whether you practice ten minutes a day in the living room or go to your yoga studio once a week - yoga is good, and that's the only thing that matters.