It’s common for those new to yoga to experience some pain during a practice, as their bodies are working hard to achieve certain positions and stretch certain muscles.
When this occurs, it’s essential to recognize that it’s not always a negative sign. On the contrary, it could actually be an indication of your body becoming stronger and more flexible!
1. It’s a Sign of Progress
Yoga has long been used as an effective exercise for those suffering from chronic pain, and research has demonstrated its beneficial effects. One study revealed that patients enrolled in the HealthPartners Institute’s yoga program experienced significant pain relief after just six weeks.
Even those without chronic pain may experience muscle soreness after practicing yoga. This is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and it’s common to experience this in the days following an intense practice.
As muscles have been stimulated and are now in an inflammatory state, this can cause pain. A good yoga practice also includes stretching and strengthening the muscles to protect them from further inflammation.
Reif emphasizes that muscle soreness usually subsides after a few days, making it easier for students to return to their regular practices and continue honing their yoga skills.
It’s essential to note that this pain may not indicate an injury; rather, it could simply be indicative of overexerting yourself at present. If this is the case, try a gentler form of yoga until you feel comfortable returning to it.
If you feel your yoga practice causing you pain, reach out to your teacher and request their assistance. They can suggest poses that are safe for your body and give the best chance at healing from the discomfort.
If you have an injury or other medical issue that requires special modifications, make sure to inform your teacher. They can guide you through the process and help maximize the benefits of yoga practice.
Another reason that pain in yoga isn’t always bad, is that it can be seen as an indication of progress. It provides students with an opportunity to pay attention to their bodies and value inner sensations over external achievements.
2. It’s a Sign of Strength
Many new yoga students, even those who have practiced for years, experience muscle soreness after their initial few sessions. This is known as delayed onset muscle soreness and usually subsides on its own within a few days.
But for new yoga practitioners, getting past that initial discomfort can be a real challenge. Here are some reasons why pain in yoga doesn’t necessarily have to be seen as a bad thing:
1. Mental Strength
Being resilient, strong and optimistic even after experiencing discomfort after a yoga session is an indication of strength. It takes time to develop this trait but once acquired, you no longer need to fear giving in to negative thoughts or letting your body tell you that you’re not working hard enough. This trait allows for peace of mind when dealing with challenging circumstances in life.
2. Physical Flexibility
Physical flexibility allows you to hold poses longer without experiencing pain, particularly in balancing poses like Warrior II and Tree Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana). This flexibility also contributes to overall flexibility of your joints and muscles.
3. Muscle Strength
As you push yourself in your yoga practice, your muscles, tendons and fascia may start to tear down more severely than usual. This tearing triggers an inflammatory response within the body which causes blood vessels to expand and more healing blood to reach damaged tissues.
After each class, it’s beneficial to repair tissue and stretch it back out to its optimal length. Additionally, foam rolling or massaging your muscles after each workout helps release tight areas and promote recovery.
4. Mental Determination
Being able to tackle challenges and obstacles head-on shows mental strength. It also shows you are willing to put in the effort necessary for success.
5. Importance of Healthy Sleep Habits
It is well known that your body heals more effectively when you get enough rest. That is why it’s so essential to make sure you get enough shut-eye after a strenuous yoga session; it will help expedite healing and minimize soreness in the future.
3. It’s a Sign of Flexibility
Yoga may cause you to experience some level of discomfort, which could be indicative of progress or strength gains; however, it could also indicate injury and damage that needs to be addressed.
Yoga-related injuries such as sprained ankles and torn muscles, tendons or ligaments are the most frequent. These typically occur while stretching or bending your body in unusual ways and can be extremely painful or sore.
These injuries typically arise when an individual overstretches or pulls too hard, or does the same movement in an unnatural way for their body. These types of incidents can lead to inflammation, swelling, stiffness and dislocation of joints.
Thankfully, you can learn to recognize and avoid such injuries in the future. Here are a few ways you can do so:
1. Measure Your Flexibility at Least Every Two Weeks
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2. Recognize When It’s Time for Rest and Compression.
If you experience sudden, sharp pain in any part of your body after practicing yoga for some time, stop immediately and rest until the pain subsides. Doing this allows your body to recover and prevent further injury.
3. Determine What’s Causing the Pain.
In order to determine how best to proceed in your practice, it’s beneficial to be able to pinpoint what exactly is causing the discomfort. One way of doing this is by recognizing your sensations – how they differ from each other and where they originate on your body – accurately.
It is essential not to overstretch your muscles or ligaments, as this could lead to injury and chronic stiffness in the long run.
4. It’s okay to push yourself further, but that doesn’t have to be your goal every single time.
Generally, yoga allows you to go as far as your flexibility allows; however, it’s important to be cautious not to overexert yourself. This is especially important if you are new to the practice or have health conditions which restrict flexibility or stability.
4. It’s a Sign of a Healthy Body
If you’re experiencing discomfort during your yoga practice, there are a few things to consider.
First and foremost, remember that pain in yoga isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It could actually be an indication of progress; your body is building strength, flexibility and endurance through this practice.
But if the discomfort persists or becomes unbearable, it may be time to take a break. Avoid doing more harm than good by continuing with yoga and seeking medical help if your pain is severe or negatively impacting your daily life.
Amy Sweat, a yoga instructor in New York City, recommends that you avoid overexerting yourself and doing poses incorrectly. Many of the more challenging asanas (poses) require proper alignment to avoid injury; if not careful, you could end up injuring yourself.
Another positive aspect of yoga is that it helps you identify and alter patterns of pain that could be preventing you from reaching your full potential. With these insights, you may experience breakthroughs in your practice.
One way to do this is by paying attention to how you feel when doing different movements. For instance, you might notice that certain moves hurt when painting canvasses but don’t when performing other chores.
According to Cathy Segarra, director of yoga therapy at HealthPartners Neuroscience Center in Minneapolis, this can give you ideas about how to refine your poses. Doing this can lead to more lasting and effective improvements, she states.
According to Amy, the more you practice yoga, the greater your chances are of finding that perfect pose. That’s because you’ll be teaching your body how to utilize its maximum potential instead of simply pushing it harder.
However, Bell warns against pushing yourself too hard in yoga classes. He explains that this can happen when you attempt to complete asanas faster than your body can handle them or compete with other students for attention.
Yoga can be dangerous if you overexert yourself. So it’s best to avoid classes with strangers and trust your own judgment when determining when it’s time for a break. If it has been several days since you last took a class and your muscles aren’t feeling sore, don’t fret: That could just be your body telling you it needs some rest.
Recommended readings:
- Practicing Your Morning Yoga Routine
- What is Yoga?
- Parkinson’s Disease – A Compelling Guide For Patients and Caregivers
- How to Get Rid of Stomach Ache Naturally
- What is Hinduism?
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