We can describe flexibility as both a curse and a blessing of Manly yoga. On the blessing side, it is an enormous benefit since it promotes a wide range of joint health and motion. This helps in preventing repetitive-use damage, sports injuries and back pain.

However, yoga is not just about flexibility. People that come to yoga studios with a lot of flexibility should be careful not to go straight into the advanced poses just because they feel they can. Often, they should work on their strength to complement their flexibility.

Fear of flexibility also keeps a lot of people out of yoga classes. This is one of the curses that flexibility brings. It is a common myth that you need to be flexible to attempt yoga but a Manly yoga trainer will tell you that whether flexible or not, you can do yoga. Yoga isn’t reserved for flexible people.

If you have tight calves, hips, shoulders, hamstrings or whatever, you need yoga. The person touching their nose with their toes doesn’t win in yoga. The person who wins is the one who improves his/her flexibility safely over time.

Benefits of flexibility in yoga

Flexibility is important in any physical fitness exercise. Strength and cardio training are on most people’s radar. However, flexibility is not until injury and pain arise. When people experience pain or injury, the treatment mostly involves stretching muscles that are limiting the range of motion.

Increasing flexibility in Manly yoga also has mental benefits. Flexibility can be improved through stretching. When you stretch, you feel good as you relieve stress by releasing all the tension in your muscles. The mind will always follow where the body goes. When you let go of tension in your muscles, you also let go of mental tension.