Yoga: It's innercise, not exercise. At least, that's how I approach it in my teaching. (And a bow of gratitude to my teacher Kristine Weber for coining this term and driving this differentiation home.)
When yoga first became mainstream in the United States, it was on the heels of the aerobics movement. Yoga then became lumped into the "fitness" realm, rather than the health and wellness space.
Am I anti-fitness? Not at all. Fitness is great. Will your physical body benefit from a yoga practice with me? For sure--but it's a secondary benefit. What I'm after (and what we truly need more of in this wild, ever-changing world of ours) is whole-being wellness.
Based on my professional training, 20+ years of practice and 18 years as a teacher, I've come to see yoga as a practice that will first and foremost benefit your nervous system. A practice that will calm the mind, tap into a well of wisdom, and ultimately influence not just our inner worlds, but the outer world as well.
Not all yoga is created equal. In order to get the nervous system benefits I'm speaking about, your run-of-the-mill YouTube video based on sun salutations isn't going to cut it.
What is required is mindful sequencing that is focused on the nervous system. You need yoga that is accessible--meaning that it meets each individual exactly where they are. You need not just "modifications," but a multitude of variations of the postures and practices to accomplish that individualization.
Now, I know this might ruffle some feathers, and I'm technically fine with that. But the more I practice, study, and teach, the more aware I am of the need for a different approach. We need an adult-sized yoga practice that honors its roots rather than the stunts of the latest influencers.