http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25400799/
Leave it to Americans to zero-in on asana practice (postures) and encourage people to jump into intermediate and advanced level practice. Suddenly, yoga is supposed to be some kind of "workout".
The reason why I haven't adopted that mind-set is because of my grandparents. They were "barefoot doctors" of Oriental Medicine in Taiwan, in a small village where their brand of medicine was the medicine you would receive if you did not need more invasive or aggressive Western medicine. On analysis of many of the herbs used in their clinic, one could see the effective and active ingredients used to treat heart disease, stomach ailments, headache, nausea, fatigue, and infertility. But the main element of almost every treatment was a combination of time and gentle progression: you didn't introduce anything quickly, and you waited for the treatment to take effect.
When advanced practitioners of yoga become injured, I have to ask:
1. How many hours do you practice?
2. Do you use proper alignment?
3. Do you respect and honor your limits?
An injury usually comes from a violation of at least one, if not all, of these questions. The way typical gym-based yoga classes run, rooms are full of people so the teacher can't watch every person all the time. The teachers and practitioners may be doing an aggressive yoga routine too often. You can sometimes see people doing things that will hurt later. And worst of all, sometimes a teacher does not respect the limits of students, and barks out orders to try to get them to push harder. Result: pulled hamstrings, sore shoulders, tightened hips, tender or painful wrists... and like the article says, in rare cases stroke and emergency room visits.
Ways you ensure a safe class, whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioners:
1. Listen to your body's wisdom. If something doesn't feel good, use your breath, release the posture, and come into a rest pose before trying again, if at all, during a session of posture practice.
2. Pick a class with a low teacher-student ratio, and select a teacher who either has a minimum 200 hour certification, or has been practicing for many years with a good track record. Don't assume your gym has certified yoga instructors. There are programs that take people who have had only a weekend training.
3. Remember that there are many styles of yoga, and yoga asana (postures) are only one aspect of yoga as a health practice. Pick the one that works with your body, and know that your body changes, so the practice should change with it.
4. If you have a specific injury or challenge, notify the teacher and ask for modifications.
Just like most other spiritual, physical, and mental disciplines for health, yoga was never meant to be over done. The goal of yoga is the release of prana in service to a spiritual connection, not getting a yoga butt (I tease about this sarcastically in my classes) or holding the longest headstand. With time and practice, you might achieve those things anyways. But with wise and common-sense practice, yoga practice doesn't have to translate into an unexpected visit to the doctor.
