The Yoga Your Life Needs: Introducing #norulesyoga
Yoga. I’m a big fan. In fact, people often assume that I am a yoga instructor, which currently is not the case. While lifting weights has literally changed my life, yoga has been a constant for over 13 years. Sometimes I feel the need to apologize for my yoga practice, because with such a lengthy history I feel like I should be able to perform some super-cool inversions or arm balances. (Nope.) Truth be told, I held myself back for most of that time. Why?
- I didn't truly believe I could do inversions or more challenging postures, so I flat-out avoided them
- I was in an "all or nothing" mindset: I either practiced hardcore for 60-90 minutes, 5-6 days a week, or I may as well not practice at all
- I have genetic physical traits that limit my flexibility and mobility (aka, I'm not very bendy), and I never thought my practice "looked" the same as others', and I felt like perhaps I didn't truly belong as a yoga practitioner
Sound familiar? These concerns are common. You could rephrase these as fear, lack of confidence, lack of consistency, and false/unrealistic expectations. It is no surprise that little visible progress is made over years' time with such a self-limiting approach.
Yoga is a practice. This word is critical. In my mind, it is the same as labeling your workouts "training": automatically, it has greater weight. Both words indicate commitment to the process and dedication to showing up, as you are, day in and day out to practice or train for a purpose. Training and practice of any kind require hard work and trying new things, being a constant beginner. For most of that time, I did use the word "practice," but with little importance given to its actual meaning. In some ways, I felt like a phony for not living up to what a practice should be.
After becoming a mom four years ago, there was even less time for yoga...or anything else, for that matter. One evening I was texting with a distant friend and sipping a beer when I felt like practicing. At first I was hesitant...is it sacrilegious to drink beer and text while doing yoga? Is it wrong? Will the yogi police come by to arrest me?
Granted, the mental peace that comes with yoga is hard to grasp when distractions are all around - and let's be real, texting and beer are certainly distractions. Distraction-free time is necessary to a clear, calm, and creative mind. But here's the thing: all three (yoga, beer, and friendship) contributed to my well-being in that moment. I wanted to catch up with my friend. I wanted a beer after a long day. I wanted to move my body and flow. Is it ideal? No. Many of yoga's benefits are reaped when you can truly turn inward, focus on your breath, and use it as moving meditation. But I realized in that moment what #progressnotperfection is really about: the "perfect" yoga practice was literally out of my reach at that phase in my life (new parents, holla! I know you know). That did not mean that all yoga was out of reach, though. What is better: all or nothing, or do your best given the circumstances? I think you know my vote. With that, #norulesyoga was born. Here’s the clincher: the consistency that “breaking the rules” granted me allowed me to progress much more, and more quickly, than when I held myself to a strict schedule and standard.
Interested in making this your own? Here are 5 ways to integrate the #norulesyoga concept to your life:
- Try a variety of styles, and don’t feel like you need to choose only one style to practice. When I opened up the possibilities beyond Ashtanga and power yoga, I found other styles that provided more well-rounded balance both mentally and physically for my individual needs. This also allowed me to practice any style that suited my mood. Tired and worn out? Maybe restorative is the ticket. Want to flow? Try vinyasa. Ready to dive deep? Yin is awesome for that. Just looking for gentle movement? Give hatha a try. Everything has its place, and you can be equally dedicated to the practice of yoga without marrying yourself to one style and one style only.
- Have at least a few yoga practices ready at your fingertips, preferably of differing lengths, themes, intensities, and styles. If you have to spend a lot of time figuring out how to access or attend a yoga class, the odds increase dramatically that it won’t happen. The goal is to lower the barrier to entry. I love www.yogaglo.com for every kind of yoga class under the sun (and now with the ability to download practices for offline use), but there are several similar sites out there. Find a streaming service that you like and can afford, or invest in a few varied practices on DVD.
- Occasionally, practice without a guided class. Just move and flow how your body wants to. Forget rules, forget what you’ve done before, forget about judging yourself. This opens up the pathway to creativity, to trusting yourself, and to tuning in more closely to what your body is asking for. Start with 5 minutes and build up slowly as you gain confidence and skill.
- Aim for consistency over total practice time. A short practice everyday will generate more progress than a long practice once a week. Consistency is the key to all fitness success.
- When needed, merge your #norulesyoga practice with whatever else you’re doing. Having a Friday evening glass of wine? No one is going to arrest you if you decide to have a short practice while you sip (just don’t practice while buzzed, y’all...no accidents please!). Maybe you want to (gasp!) watch your favorite TV show. Go ahead and practice while you do so! Want to catch up with your partner after a long day? Chat while you flow. Again, this isn’t perfect, but it is still progress. The more you integrate yoga into your life, the more second-nature it becomes.
Formal, focused yoga practice has immense benefits; this is a fact. I encourage everyone to slowly develop a focused practice that supports their life...but in the meantime, or for the times that simply does not support your life, you have #norulesyoga in your toolbox. No shame, no guilt, no feeling less-than-perfect. If you ever felt like you needed “permission” to break the yoga rules, consider this your go-ahead. The goal is to find a way to integrate yoga into your life as seamlessly as possible, so that progress is made daily - no matter how small. The goal is to provide and fuel yourself with the yoga your life needs.
Share your #norulesyoga adventures on Facebook and Instagram! Use the #norulesyoga hashtag and tag @caffeinatedfitness. Let’s create a supportive, welcoming community of rule-breaking yogis, shall we? ;)