Why smaller, smarter, stronger is my new yoga mantra

Why smaller, smarter, stronger is my new yoga mantra

At the moment, my yoga mantra is: Smaller, Smarter, Stronger.

"Fascia loves micro-movements," my close friend Joanne Sarah Avison recently said.

It's an important message at the right moment. "I can't do yoga because I'm not that flexible," people regularly tell me as a yoga therapist. When did this activity come to be linked with such great ranges of movement that the typical individual feels unable to enter a studio?

My slogan is intended to eliminate that notion.

Go smaller

When you search for 'yoga poses' on Google, you'll find that 90 percent of the images are of positions captured towards the end of the range of motion. It's no surprise that yoga has become associated with extraordinary flexibility. Is this, however, truly beneficial to us?

Take your hand to the floor and hinge sideways from the pelvis, lengthening the torso as far as you can to get there, is a common cue for Triangle posture. For most people, this will include pushing their pelvis and hip joints as far as they can go. This action is not only ineffective for hip mobility and functional movement, but it can also be dangerous for some persons.

Moving your pelvis sideways a few inches will help you free up your hips significantly. The action will also balance strength and flexibility in a more equitable ratio if done slowly, mindfully, and with control.

Move smarter

Rather than striving for the whole range of motion, go to the point where you feel a sliver of stretch and then play within that range.

Make an effort to do this in a conscientious manner. Do you have command over that limited area? Do you get jittery or have tiny jerks? Examine whether you can make even smaller motions; pay attention to your body's signals, focusing on smoothness and control rather than a certain shape.

Backing up your poses and incorporating slow, steady motions in this way can give your practise additional dimension. By becoming and remaining conscious while you move, you will improve your proprioception and interoception. This will improve your functional strength as well as your mental muscle!

Get stronger

When you search for 'yoga poses' on Google, you'll find that 90 percent of the images are of positions captured towards the end of the range of motion. It's no surprise that yoga has become associated with extraordinary flexibility. Is this, however, truly beneficial to us?

Bring your hand to a chair instead of the floor if you typically do Triangle position with it on the floor. Alternatively, go even smaller and see if you can hover your hand in the air while feeling your core engage in that range. Draw your legs together and go for powerful legs instead of wide legs. Instead of aiming for a torso extending action, focus on core activation.

Be aware of each and every muscular contraction. Strengthening does not have to be painful, nor does it have to be excessive. We can gain a lot of functional strength simply by being conscious and moving in modest, deliberate movements.