Yoga is making me less flexible and balanced! Help!

[AnnieB]

I started taking yoga seriously a few months ago. I’ve had great instructors and feel like a solid beginner, with a good foundation.

I’m lucky to be naturally flexible, like everyone in my family, and have always had decent balance. The first two months, I was able to really stretch things and push myself. Lately, though, everything is stiff, everything hurts, and I keep toppling over in the simplest poses! It’s been going on for 2 or 3 weeks now.

I asked my one of my instructors, and she advised I take a few days off. I’ve cut down from 4-5 days of practice a week (mixing between challenging classes and easier classes) to 2-3, but it’s still not helping. I sprung for a massage to loosen up, and have been soaking in the tub like it’s my job. Nada.

I’m finding yoga wonderful primarily for it’s mental benefits, so I really miss not being able to go more. I am completely on board with all poses being equal, and I’m not trying to be the most flexible or balanced to be a rockstar, but it’s making the practice really frustrating and uncomfortable. Mentally, it doesn’t focus my mind, because I’m stuck in poses I don’t find very engaging. That’s the worst part. If I was just there to get some abs, I’d be ok with this.

I ride my bike as my primary method of transportation, and run a bit, so I may be tight from those things, but I don’t think that’s the problem. I’m no triathlete.

Please reassure me that this is just a phase! Do I take even more time off? Do I pick up the rate I’m going? I scaled back this week to easy-peasy classes, hoping really gentle yoga would ease me in, but all I did was ache and fall over.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[angelicag]

To be honest, I find your post to be very strange because you don’t usually hear this kind of thing. I think most people who practice yoga come to the consensus that it improves their flexibility and balance.

This may not be what you want to hear, but I suggest you take a break from yoga…completely. By that, I don’t mean reducing the number of classes you take a week or reducing the difficulty level in the classes you take. By that I mean, just take a break from it and don’t take any classes for a while. It sounds to me, that you might have pushed your body beyond your limits, and this is how it is telling you.

Even the most flexible yogis will sometimes experience this, if they’ve gone too far. Your muscles ache all over and they start tensing and tightening and therefore you start to feel like you’re actually becoming less flexible - which isn’t really the case at all. This is just your body’s way of telling you that it’s time to back off a little and to take a break. You might have torn little fibres in certain muscles and parts of your body and that’s why you feel like your muscles are aching and you don’t have the same flexibility your used to. As a result, your balance is also compromised. Nothing to worry about, it’s just the result of natural wear and tear and overuse (unless you experience significant pain in a certain area, then I advise you to do see a doctor).

Like I said, this may not be what you want to hear, but I definitely think giving your body some time to recover will do just the trick. I can’t tell you how long of a break you should take because only you and your body will be able to tell you that. But I’d say just take a break for now and let your body heal. I’m sure you’ll be fine in no time and back to your classes feeling better than ever!

[siva]

Dear Annie,

My guess is a lack of breathing and breath control: through the nose only, preparatory breath followed by complete exhalation, abdominal control, coordinating inhalation with the start and finishing with exhalation, etc?

I have witnessed, unfortunately, some teachers don’t even make a mention about breathing in class. If you’re not getting cued on breathing, that would cause tension. Maybe try another teacher?

siva

[fakeyogis]

Being stiff is normal for me as well after hard practice for a long time, your muscles are probably to stressed.

When i get stiff and it doesnt get better i rest for some days and i get my flexibility back and im overflexible to start with.
Also it is important to do counterposes as if you are stiff in one side the other get affected.

For me the problem with stiffness is mainly the backside of the legs.Other muscles i dont get that stiff in so i keep my flex in those. Dont know about you though.

For me breathing is not the case as suggested above. But maybe that would work for you.