"Help, I'm BAD at Yoga!"

Don't get me started...Oh wait, I have a blog where I can get started! Let's go!

WTF is "Bad at Yoga?"

I was scrolling mindlessly through Instagram while having my morning coffee this morning, when a post jumped out at me.

"Bad at yoga? Try a different style!"

Then I rolled my eyes back so far they got stuck and I'm now suing the poster for worker's comp. (Kidding, but a nice idea. They probably have the same liability insurance I do).

If your perception that you're "bad at yoga" is keeping you away from that next yoga class, let me help you out.

I selected the image at the top of this blog on purpose because it shows a very thin, young, clearly flexible, woman in a yoga pose. Her hair is perfect, her makeup isn't running, and she's not sweating like a wilderbeast. (Which is how I sweat doing yoga, how about you?) What she's doing in perfect photographic lighting is called Mermaid Pose. All that perfection means she's a model. Stop comparing yourself to a model.

BTW, she will grow old, get pregnant & fat, have an injury, and not be able to do that pose through all seasons of life just like the rest of us.

Mermaid pose is NOT for you if you:

🪷 Have a shoulder, hip, knee, or ankle injury.

🪷 Have weak digestion.

🪷 Are pregnant.

Can't Do Mermaid?

Modify it with a strap. Or, better yet, ease your way into it. Start by mastering pigeon pose. Or do another pose your body can do.

Yoga is for EVERY Body

If you can't do a yoga pose, it means nothing. Skip it. Don't force what you can't or shouldn't do. Listen to YOUR body, not online models. Stop comparing yourself to others. It would certainly be better for us all if we stopped comparing ourselves to what we see online, which is pretty, young, fit influencers.

I've been practicing yoga for 30 years, teaching for 3.

My own online yoga teacher training was held up when I caught covid. There was that time I couldn't walk in 2004 because I'd ripped a ligament in half. There were years of alcoholism, untreated asthma, and other things that left my body in a less-than-ideal state for practicing yoga. Car accidents. Scoliosis. A lot happens in 30 years. A lot can happen in the next 30.

But guess what I learned from all of that?

Yoga is for all seasons of life. If you get stuck on it having to look a certain way or offer you a particular result or look, you're missing one of the greatest vehicles for personal development ever created. Yoga can teach you to be patient with yourself while also challenging yourself.

BTW, no one in yoga class is watching you. Be free.

You may be able to do Mermaid pose if you want to. This may require you to practice it for some time, first. But do so as long as it's safe and appropriate for you.

Also, ask yourself why you want to do certain poses you see online. Are you doing it for the look? For how you think it will feel? What feeling is that? What is your motivation for getting onto your mat? What do you want to happen when you practice yoga? Are you doing it for the cameras or for all seasons of life? Are you seeking a path of personal and spiritual growth? Are you seeking fitness? A nice ass?

As Adam Lambert sang, "Whattya want from meeeee?"

Let me know what makes you get on your mat by logging in and leaving a comment!

If you think yoga is about "being flexible," it's not.

Don't let your lack of flexibility or range of motion or lack of strength keep you off your mat. Don't let any of this make you think you're "bad" at yoga.

Yoga is a practice, not a perfect.

What even is "bad at yoga?" Yoga is a 5,000-year-old system that works. It's now a science-backed, evidence-based practice. There's not a doctor around who doesn't recommend it. (Unless you have health issues or contraindications like injuries or illness).

You can do restorative yoga and be "bad" at it because you tried to do it on a day you couldn't sit still. This doesn't mean you're "bad" at it, it just means maybe you had a challenging practice that time.

If I see you having a hard time in my class, I'm coming over to help you out. I'm there to support you in your practice, no matter what "kind" it is. I teach different "styles" of yoga, but yoga is still yoga. It's not possible to be bad at it. Just show up at your mat, do your best, and relax with what comes. (This is actually in the yoga sutras).

Speaking of Yoga Class...

My physical, open-to-the-public HOME for teaching yoga is coming soon! It will be in Phoenix, and I can't wait to share when it's official!

I've been teaching online and private classes for a while now. I'm excited to be able to offer something you can come join LIVE and in-person.

Announcement coming soon.