It’s Okay To Not Be Good At Yoga

I was absolutely crap at yoga once.

I found yoga because I wanted to surf better (and yes, I wanted to look better in a wetsuit too, you got me).

I was an overweight teenager and I’d seen one too many surf films and got a stupid idea in my head that maybe I could do that too.

But I couldn’t. Not really.

I was overweight. I was unfit. I couldn’t lug my 8ft board up and down the cliff at my local break without suffering what, in my head, was a complete heart failure. Not to mention getting my stiff hips and shoulders into a damn wetsuit, or nailing a pop-up, or even paddling out.

And there was some whisper in my head that told me I would only get worse if I didn’t do something about it.

So I tried running and it hurt. I tried fitness classes and they hurt. Everything just hurt and mostly bored me senseless, and I didn’t know what to do.

But I was reading these surf mags, or blogs, or something (this was about 2008 so Insta had yet to ruin our universe) and a pro surfer was talking about yoga being basically the best thing you can do for your surfing.

Ok, yoga for surfers? Maybe THAT’S what I need?

I found a class online—one that claimed to be appropriate for surfers—and I clicked play.

My back hurt, my wrists couldn’t support me, I felt out of breath, my legs wobbled, and my balance was, well, unbalanced.

But there was something about it that was different to the other fitness stuff I’d tried before. I was encouraged to focus on my breath and state of mind. I could slow down, and practice something in layers rather than all at once. There was an energy to it. And I felt just incredible afterwards. Zero boredom.

So I continued. And I got better, more capable, more open, fitter, stronger, and I understood the whole thing better.

That was circa 2007 and I’ve never looked back.

And okay, while I can get out of a wetsuit in the driving seat of a Toyota Aygo whilst driving it (not my proudest moment, but still, I’m sort of proud), carry an even bigger board for longer, pop-up easier, paddle better, and surf with more ease, I’m never turning pro. And that’s okay.

My life is easier, calmer, and significantly more joyful because of this yoga thing. Not to mention all the amazing folks I’ve met along the way.

This isn’t about the yoga. Not really. Yoga’s just the tool to help us live better and easier every single damn day.

Want to get involved in our easy-going yoga style? Check out our memberships and join the gang. Who knows what magical things we can help make happen for you.

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