Introduction: Gym to Yoga
For most people in Western Countries, Yoga is still considered as a practice of meditation. Roughly say when you mention yoga, people see someone in a crossed-legs position chanting OM or meditating. But Yoga is much more than that.
And while meditation is a part of Yoga, Yoga is much more. It is a physical exercise but also a stretch as well as breathing techniques and meditations.
Before anything, it is a way to understand your body. So, if you want to grow stronger, Yoga can really be the solution.
I was myself, years ago, someone practicing gym, lifting weight, running, biking, exercising almost every day. Yet now I am practicing Yoga and would not go back.
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How did you start yoga?
My gym to yoga practice started when I was 24 years old and had just moved to China for work. Before that I was living in Turkey and France where I was going to the gym 6 to 7 times a week. I had my chest day, back day, running day and so on…
But when I arrived in China, Wow! I did not especially want to get to a gym. First there are amazing gyms in China, but I did not see myself going there everyday after work. Especially that my working hours were not fixed. Plus, as I was living in a city located in Central China, let’s say that foreigner wasn’t too common, and people would look after me.
So, for those reason, I decided to practice at home. I started with the Lafay Method that I had practice in the past. And it was fine.
One day, sitting on my bus going back home, I saw an advertisement called “True Strength & Inversions Bundle!” Well, it sounded nice and it was videos to follow. I bought the bundle some 100 USD at this time from a California based company.
In this Bundle I had a couples of series within which many classes were available. Each of them being a video.
So, I started with the “True strength series” every day. And actually, what I had bought were yoga classes. But it was power yoga, a type of yoga oriented on building strength and muscle.
So here, I found my new sport. And from there, I didn’t step in gym and only did Power Yoga which is based on yoga moves and bodyweight training.
I am sure that most people would not be able to go till the end of a 30min section! Even today, in some classes after 5 or 10min, I feel like I am going to die, that my arm will fell from my body.
How did it evolve?
Going from Gym to Yoga was the first step. The site on which I had bought those first videos, kept adding and adding more videos. So, I found myself buying new bundles and classes to be able to change and not repeat the same 7-day class for months and months.
I went through all the True Strength Serie, beginning, I, II and advanced. And I actually found myself limited. Not by my strength but by my flexibility.
I was compensating my lack of movement by strength but still some poses were almost impossible to achieve as I was as flexible as I steel bar.
I got myself new videos on Flexibility. And started mixing Strength, flexibility, and inversion.
What about the breath?
The 3rd step of going Gym to Yoga was that after years of practice, I also realise that strength resided in the mind and in order to control the mind you need to control your breathing. So, I started doing different type of classes where breathing was also part of it.
Even today, I am still not there. And I am still not breathing properly but I do realise it.
I also got, tons of stress from work, and by breathing properly, you can make your life much easier. It is all about understanding your body. Whether you want strength, flexibility, or something else.
What about Yoga then?
The 4th step of going Gym to Yoga was that: Yes, I am practicing Yoga and while I may not agree with all the philosophy about it, I am following most of its practice.
I started Yoga as a body weight training to replace the gym and slowly realised that there was more to it. Today, after 6 years of practice, I tried many style of Yoga, Asthanga, Hatha, Power, Yin, Yin/Yang, Inversion, Acro…
Honestly, there are a yoga for every taste.
I even did a 200h Yoga teacher training in India and got certified as a Yoga teacher. I am not teaching, but I am mixing from following my videos, to going to class, to follow Tina’s class and doing my own.
Another reason why I Switched from Gym to Yoga
The final step of going Gym to Yoga was that with my job, I was travelling a lot, plus we are travel junkies. At the beginning, I would always be looking for a hotel or a place with a gym which limited a lot your experience and also required much more money to travel.
With Yoga, I only need to bring a mat or travel mat. And you know what, sometimes you do not even need anything. You can very well practice on the floor. So, practicing yoga is super convenient. You do not need anything.
“It’s not about being good at something. It’s about being good to yourself.”
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