The New York Times just ran a bold headline: How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body.
The accusatory, innately negative tone no doubt spurred outrage, defensive denials, and offers to meditate on their un-yogic vibe through the yoga community.
But this IY is here to say that I agree with this article 100%. Yoga can absolutely injure, damage, and wreck your body. I've been practicing for twelve years and teaching for four. I am an anatomy geek. I'm knowledgeable and informed. And I STILL have gotten injured when taking other teachers' classes.
I could not agree more with what this article represents. In fact, I've reached some of the same conclusions on my own. When I was in India this summer, I was amazed to see the general public squatting and sitting cross-legged on the ground. Contrast that to our chair-loving western culture and it comes as no huge shock that a system designed in India for Indian bodies could...gasp...not work so well for chair-loving westerners.
I could not agree more that inversions are far too dangerous for most practitioners and that the alleged benefits aren't worth it in comparison. Which is why I don't teach them.
I know not everyone agrees with me--and that's fine (sort of). So let's talk about it! What do YOU think?
The accusatory, innately negative tone no doubt spurred outrage, defensive denials, and offers to meditate on their un-yogic vibe through the yoga community.
But this IY is here to say that I agree with this article 100%. Yoga can absolutely injure, damage, and wreck your body. I've been practicing for twelve years and teaching for four. I am an anatomy geek. I'm knowledgeable and informed. And I STILL have gotten injured when taking other teachers' classes.
I could not agree more with what this article represents. In fact, I've reached some of the same conclusions on my own. When I was in India this summer, I was amazed to see the general public squatting and sitting cross-legged on the ground. Contrast that to our chair-loving western culture and it comes as no huge shock that a system designed in India for Indian bodies could...gasp...not work so well for chair-loving westerners.
I could not agree more that inversions are far too dangerous for most practitioners and that the alleged benefits aren't worth it in comparison. Which is why I don't teach them.
I know not everyone agrees with me--and that's fine (sort of). So let's talk about it! What do YOU think?
Great article! I feel so much better about myself and my unwillingness (or is it inability) to do any of those crazy poses. I tried a headstand once and fell over.
ReplyDeleteinteresting follow-up interview: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eden-g-fromberg-do/yoga_b_1202465.html
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Thanks, Andi!
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