If you are even remotely paying attention to the yoga classes offered out there, you must have seen this advertised. The flow yoga class that welcomes anyone and everyone, all levels and abilities.
And I don’t think these classes really work for most people and here is why:
Fast paced and dynamic
Flow classes usually string yoga postures together. The idea is to move fluidly from one pose to the other which makes the sequences quite fast paced and dynamic. Most people can’t actually follow that rhythm.
Synchronising breath and movement
Moving with your breath, which means synchronising every movement with the inhale or the exhale, sometimes requires months and even years of practice to do with ease.
Strength and endurance
Flow classes are demanding in terms of strength and endurance. They can have a lot of planks, downward dogs, lunges, arm balances and inversions. In my experience simply stepping smoothly forward to a lunge from downward dog is challenging if not impossible for a lot of people. All these fast transitions require good muscular tone, balance and coordination which many won’t have.
Competition
I have written about this before. Being in a class with other people makes us all vulnerable to comparing ourselves to others.
No modifications
In a fast paced flow class there is no time for the teacher to offer any options and modifications. If some people are finding the poses and sequences hard, they just have to follow along as best they can. Often in a way that can even be harmful.
Having all these things in mind, it is not a surprise that flow classes are full of young, active, slim and already flexible people. Predominantly women. And if the occasional “all level, all abilities” person finds their way into these classes, they can end up feeling stressed and breathless.
Most flow sequences are not suitable for complete beginners and folks who have lived with gravity for a longer time. All abilities classes can actually have a negative effect. People feeling somewhat deficient, frustrated and inadequate after such an experience can decide that yoga is not for them and never come back.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Yoga truelly has all the tools to be of service to anyone, no matter how young or able. As one of my teachers often says: if you can breathe, you can do yoga. There are many options and many types of yoga that can be empowering, strength and confidence building, calming and nourishing.
So don’t fall for the all levels flow class trap. Choose wisely.
Related articles:
7 tips to establish your regular yoga practice
Yes, you are flexible enough to do yoga
Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash
