Am I too stiff for yoga?
The most common reason people give for not starting, and why stiffness is where most of our students began.
Practising in the cool months
December and January mornings in Mysuru can be 15°C. How to keep warm, stay safe and use the season well.
Mysuru’s winter is mild by any standard, but at 5.30 am in December and January the air can be around 15°C, and the shala floor feels cold under bare feet. Students who arrived in the heat of October are often surprised. A few habits make the cool months the best time of year to practise.
Dress in layers on the way in. A light sweater or shawl over your practice clothes, and socks until you step onto the mat. Keep the layer on through the first sun salutations if you like, and take it off when you are warm. Bring a small towel; you will still sweat.
Warm up slowly. Muscles and joints stiffen in the cold, and the deep forward bends and hip openers of the primary series need more time. Take five full sun salutations of each kind instead of rushing, and do not chase depth in the first few postures. Most strains we see in winter happen in the first fifteen minutes of practice.
Drink warm water, not cold, and eat something light afterwards, not before. The room gets fuller in these months, as many travelling students come from December to March, so arrive at your usual time and be ready to wait a few minutes for a mat. The upside of the season is the light: by 6.30 the sun comes in low through the east windows, and the room is at its most beautiful. Many students say their practice feels steadiest in January.
