Can yoga wreck your body? Response to the NYTimes Article

The New York Times came out with an article this past weekend entitled How Can Yoga Wreck Your Body.  As a young teacher I wanted to take a moment to address what was stated and provide you with some great responses from the nation’s most revered and experienced yoga practitioners, a chiropractor, and a physical therapist. 

One of the primary issues I had with the article was the simple use of anecdotes and no supporting scientific evidence that yoga alone caused the injuries.  With the millions of people that do yoga in the United States, there are bound to be injuries because all of our bodies are slightly different.  It is important to address what can cause injuries and how they can be prevented.  Two things come to mind immediately:

1. An overzealous attitude on the part of the yoga student.  William Broad, the author of the article, gives an example of yoga practitioners pressing their heels down so strenuously in downward-facing dog that they tore their Achilles tendons!  We want so badly to be as flexible as the person next to us.  To what end?  It’s natural for us to challenge ourselves in physical activity, but we need to understand that it’s the baby steps and journey that count, especially in yoga.  People practice their entire lives – you never reach a point when you say to yourself, “Okay my practice is perfect, I’m going to stop now.”  There’s no end goal, just little victories along the way that allow you to continue progressing and evolving.
2. Neglecting to pay attention to signals of pain.  We want to be challenged in yoga, but not to the point of injury.  We all have an intuitive sense of the difference between pain and discomfort.  Some discomfort in yoga is okay; it’s the pain that we need to pay attention to.  As yoga can be as strenuous as any other physical exercise, injury does happen, even if we’re paying attention.  But, as long as you continue to dedicate yourself to the practice, overtime, you’ll get to know your body better, which will better equip you to prevent injury.

Rick Barts, a chiropractor, wrote an intelligent piece on the Ashtanga Yoga New York blog rebutting the article.  He wisely exclaims, “[Yoga] has been reduced from a practice that traditionally demanded dedication, discipline, sacrifice, humility, surrender, love, devotion, and self-investigation – and yes, suffering through rigorous practice – to something that one can now learn to teach in a weekend.”  The physical practice of yoga helps break down the blocks in your physical body to allow room for love, acceptance, compassion toward yourself and others, and a plethora of other physical, spiritual, mental, and health benefits.  While it is not a panacea for transformation, it helps foment subtle, yet lasting change.  

So when practicing make sure to:

1.  Be compassionate with yourself.  There are days when my body feels heavy, stiff, or in need of rest and I either take a day off or go easy during practice.  And other days, I know that I can take my asanas a little deeper because my body will let me.  It’s important to keep notice of this.  As I’ve stated in a previous blog post that your body has intelligence, so listen to it. [For years I’ve struggled with extremely tight hamstrings.  I wasn’t able to grab my toes with ease and my heels never touched the floor in downward-facing dog.  But, I put my ego aside, and embraced the practice in a way that was suitable for my own body – challenging myself, but never expecting to always find the perfect pose at first try.  I’m grateful for my teachers who have taught me that the beauty of yoga is in the practice and not in conquering poses (asanas).  Now that I practice Mysore Ashtanga almost everyday with Guy Donahaye at the Ashtanga Yoga Shala in East Village, I can touch my toes with more ease, and my heels do feel the mat in downward dog.  And even though my hamstrings are still stiff, everyday, I’m able relax my muscles and melt the tension away.]
2. Relax.  When we’re in a strenuous pose, it’s easy for us to tense up.  You’ll notice that when you relax your muscles, and engage the ones that need to be engaged, you’ll find peace in your poses and your flow. Allow your body to explore.
3. Breathe.  Bring your attention to your breath throughout the practice.  You may be holding on to it, or it may be shallow.  If so, come back to the steady ujjayi inhales and exhales.  You’ll see that when you begin to use your breath, your whole body will begin to relax and enjoy the benefits of each pose more profoundly.
4. Focus on your own practice and not on how the rest of the class is doing.  There is no benefit to comparing yourself to others. 
5. Be dedicated, and trust you persistent effort will help you attain little victories and lead you toward a beautiful transformation.

While I have only completed my 200 hour Yoga Alliance certification, I fully understand that at this point I have nowhere near the experience, sophistication, knowledge and wisdom on the practice as someone who has dedicated themselves to it for the past 20+ years.  However, I am devoting as much time and effort as I can to my own practice and the understanding of the biomechanics of our bodies.  And as the journey of yoga has given me a better sense of well-being and has made me more present, compassionate, and filled with love and life, I want to share what I am learning and have learned with others.  It’s almost like magic, but the physical practice, especially when challenging and rigorous, leads us through this wonderful journey. Embrace it.  Get out of your head.  Soften your heart.  And paying attention to your body. 

Here's an insightful Yogadork.com response as well as an amalgamation of responses from the yoga community on their blog:

Yoga Injuries and Battered Egos

Yogadork - Is the New York Times Wrecking Yoga?  The Community Responds

More Reactions to NYT on Yoga: President of NYHAUS, Salon.com, The Awl, Baxter Bell via Yoga Journal

And please read Jill Miller's piece of pain and injury from yoga: When a Pose Hurts Instead of Heels