For many people, yoga is more than just a workout – It’s a way of life. While other fitness trends come and go, yoga is a practice that has been around for centuries. But even if it’s been around for such a long time, there are still so many misconceptions about it. Because of these misconceptions, a lot of people end up missing out on the benefits of yoga.
This article will explore some truths and misconceptions about this practice. Using the popular game format “Two truths and a lie”, we will present three statements, where two statements are true while one is false. Pick your guesses and let’s see whether your yoga knowledge is on point!
#1
Yoga is for everyone.
Yoga is not recommended for pregnant women.
Yoga is only for flexible people.
In this first set of statements, the 3rd statement is a lie. Yoga is not only for flexible people. Even if you are not bendy or stretchy naturally, yoga can actually help you improve your flexibility and mobility. Yoga is for everyone, whatever your size, age, or body shape is. And yes, even pregnant women can safely practice yoga.
Yoga is only for flexible people = LIE
#2
Yoga can be done anywhere and anytime.
Yoga is an expensive exercise.
Yoga is a great workout.
In this set of statements, the second one is a lie. Yoga does NOT need to be expensive. It is a practice that can be done wherever you are and at any time. In fact, there are now many free yoga classes and online videos that can help you jumpstart your practice. This means you don’t have to spend anything to start practicing yoga. And it’s definitely true that yoga is a great workout. While yoga will not turn you into a flexible ballerina instantly or make you lose weight overnight, it can deliver many positive benefits to your physical and mental well-being.
Yoga is an expensive exercise = LIE
#3
Yoga makes you lethargic.
Yoga boosts your mood.
Yoga makes you calmer.
A lot of people think that because yoga is often shown as a slow-moving workout, that it makes people lethargic, lazy, and slow. But this is far from the truth. While yoga can make you feel calmer and more relaxed, it does not make you lazy at all. In fact, some types of yoga can even energize you and boost your mood and productivity.
Yoga makes you lethargic = LIE
#4
Yoga makes you smarter.
Yoga makes you healthier.
Yoga makes you religious.
We all know by now that yoga makes us healthier so that’s definitely true. But can yoga make you smarter? Or turn you into a religious person? Believe it or not, yoga can make you smarter. A study on “The Acute Effects of Yoga on Executive Function” found that the mindful awareness brought about by practicing yoga can positively affect cognitive function like memory and attention.
So the lie here is the 3rd statement because yoga does not force you to adopt any religion. This is a common misconception among people who do not understand yoga. While yoga is rooted from ancient spiritual practices, practicing it does not mean you’re betraying your religion or you have to take up any religion at all. It is true that some people find that yoga makes them more spiritual but it can work for everyone whether you have a religion or not.
Yoga makes you religious = LIE
#5
Yoga promotes better sleep.
Yoga is not recommended if you have joint pain.
Yoga improves your sex life.
In this set of statements, the lie is the 2nd statement. Yoga is not bad for the joints. In fact, research supports that yoga is a great exercise to reduce joint pain. The other two statements are true. If you’re having trouble sleeping, practicing yoga can help you have more restful sleep. This has been shown in many studies. One study found that long-term practice of yoga can lead to less sleep disturbances and better quality of sleep. Yoga can also help improve your sex life. In one study, 75% of women participants reported that their sex life improved after yoga training.
Yoga is not recommended if you have joint pain = LIE
How many did you get right? Did you learn something? We hope you enjoyed learning more about yoga and its benefits!
