A young man in his 30’s has been living with chronic back pain from an auto accident years before. He contacted me for recommendations for stretches, when he started experiencing random numbness in his extremities. I recommended medical guidance, chiropractic and massage therapies due to his past injuries.
He participates in MMA and finds it helps his pain, but he quit using free weights when they exacerbated his pain. When I suggested he keep his knees bent during any forward bending, he said he had always been told to keep his legs straight. This is a common understanding when we have been in fitness classes where the intent of the forward bend is to stretch the hamstrings. With yoga, we honor our bodies and the limitations we are living with.
With personalized guidance, we explored a hand full of yoga poses, asanas, to see how his body responded. We found a few options he is now using to begin his healing journey.
Additionally, I taught him a couple of breath exercises to help him reconnect to his whole being and a mudra with affirmations to help his body feel safe again.
General public yoga classes, whether live or recorded, may be fine for the individual who already has experience with yoga, and an awareness of their body. However, a beginner, especially when they have not developed awareness skills and/or they present with injuries/limitations, will be better served by an experienced yoga teacher who will offer safer options for their needs. This is what I do with my private clients, and it is why they seek my guidance. Yoga is of great benefit for a number of physical, mental and emotional conditions. Some people use it in conjunction with western medicine, others are able to use it alone.
Ready to explore yoga for your own needs? Book a complementary discovery session here. Under Category: Speaking Event → Service: Complementary Call → Employees: Regina Rowley.
