Yoga is a Blood Sport

There is a female Indian comedian who talks about yoga. She recalls telling her father that she was going to a yoga class at the gym.

“A yoga class at the gym?” he says,. “Are you mad? Yoga is for relaxing. If you are going to the gym, you should be getting fit.”

“No, father,” she tries to explain. “Yoga’s different now. It’s not something your dad does in his pyjamas in the morning.”

“No?” he asks.

“No, yoga’s been co-opted by the West and now it is a blood sport. Even the car park outside my yoga studio is the most aggressive place in Los Angeles.”

Completely hilarious and completely true!

The comedian’s father is completely right, by the way. The aim of yoga is to quieten your mind. It’s actually not to get fit.

While hot yoga is probably the most favoured form of yoga right now- due to the sweat factor, weight loss and that the heat helps you move more deeply and releases endorphins- you shouldn’t do hot yoga to get fit. This approach puts you at far more risk of injury. Instead, get fit elsewhere and then do your hot yoga practice to align your body and elevate your mind. You will have far less risk of injury- and your yoga practice will be better!

So sorry to break it to you, you need a fitness practice AND a yoga practice!