Myths About Prenatal Yoga

Dispelling Yoga Myths

Yoga Myth #1. You need to start practicing in youth or even childhood

It is natural that any complex activity requires a significant amount of time and effort to master. But this does not mean that it’s too late for mature people to learn something new. Starting yoga practice in childhood and laying a good foundation for further self-improvement can indeed lead to serious achievements. However, history knows many cases where yoga practice began in old age, where people started practicing yoga after injuries, or where learning asanas was prompted by severe diagnoses. The most striking illustration is the example of the Belgian queen, who, having begun practice at the age of 84, mastered the most difficult poses, including the headstand, or Sirsasana.

Yoga Myth #2. The modern pace of life hinders yoga practice

If you turn practice into a cult and treat it as the main focus of your life, you’ll have to spend almost all your time on hours-long training sessions. But does yoga really demand this? Yoga is not an end, but a means. Modern practice systems allow for regular training to fit into a busy schedule so that neither work, spouses, nor children suffer. And if hatha yoga can become a shared interest among family members, it will also help bring the family closer together.

Yoga Myth #3. Yoga practice is mostly about stretching, and there’s not enough serious physical exertion in it

The main principle in designing yoga exercise complexes is the principle of compensation. Alternating muscle tension and stretching is essential, which is why stretching is only part of yoga practice. There are asanas performed in dynamic variations that help strengthen muscles, and there are many strength complexes that train endurance. There are types of yoga and individual programs suitable for achieving different goals; the main thing is to work with specialists to choose a complex that adequately matches your current condition and goals.

Yoga Myth #4: Yoga develops incredible skills and fantastic abilities

It would seem that in the modern information space, the notion that yoga is about sleeping on nails, stopping heart rhythms, and boiling blood should have long disappeared. However, this misconception still arises in the minds of our contemporaries. Deep, long-term practice of yoga can, of course, develop skills for perfect mastery over one’s own body, but fantastic abilities are not the ultimate goal. The main thing in yoga is harmony with oneself and the surrounding world, not the ability to amaze the curious with unusual tricks.

Myth about Yoga No. 5: Yoga is a great way to lose weight

Not every yoga routine promotes intense calorie burning. On the contrary, there are even routines that may result in slowing down the metabolism, contributing to weight gain. Therefore, if you want to shed excess kilograms, you should create a workout plan and develop a balanced menu under the guidance of an experienced specialist.

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Yoga Myth No. 6: Yoga is completely safe

Experts assert that yoga is not a panacea, but a tool that must be used wisely. Therefore, it’s better to start training under the guidance of an experienced trainer. Advanced practitioners know: any discomfort is a signal to stop. If you mindlessly perform exercises without listening to your own body under the principle of “the more, the better,” you can cause irreparable harm to your body. Among beginners who overestimate their abilities and strive for immediate results, the percentage of those injured during training is quite high.

Yoga Myth #7: Religion or Sect?

Yoga in itself is not a religion, and certainly not a sect. Millions of people around the world practice yoga, with their religious beliefs being quite diverse. Most religions are tolerant towards yoga, just as the teaching of yoga recognizes the freedom of worldview choice.

Some Orthodox priests are wary of yoga due to certain instances where people have joined sects that use yoga teachings for ulterior motives. However, the church does not oppose physical self-improvement and regular exercise.

Yoga Myth #8: Every yogi is a vegetarian.

Yoga does not practice total prohibitions, but there are certain recommendations. Primarily, this involves limiting, or better yet, fully abstaining from intoxicating substances (alcohol, nicotine, drugs). Regarding vegetarianism, indeed, many yoga practitioners eventually give up meat, but this occurs as a result of understanding their body’s true needs.