Sivananda

It’s no secret that Yoga has swiftly become a leading form of exercise among men and women across the world. Every day, millions of people roll out yoga mats, set their yoga blocks within reaching distance and Om away. From more active forms such as Vinyasa and Bikram to purely meditative or passive yoga, such as Restorative or Sivananda, Yoga’s promise to reinvigorate, heal, strengthen and calm appeals to health-conscious consumers.

Lately, though, yoga’s safety has been questioned by health practitioners. These yoga skeptics worry that some of the more advanced moves could lead to injuries, long term damage and chronic pain. For example, one wrong move while doing crane could easily result in a neck or spine injury. Even less difficult moves, such as plow and wheel, have some people extra cautious.

On the opposite side of this controversy, though, remain faithful yogis. Many insist that injury is possible any form of exercise. They say that, ultimately, it’s the exerciser’s duty to use correct posture and to only do moves they’ve worked up to. After all, a woman who’s never trained for a marathon wouldn’t run the 24 miles right out of the gate. Yoga is about taking care of yourself, so pushing too far beyond your abilities is counter-intuitive to its mission. In short: those who practice yoga should only do what their comfortable with and what your body can handle at any given time.

Outside of the potential for injury, another recent form of controversy regarding yoga is its potential to make people gain weight. William J. Broad, author of ‘The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards’ says yoga-induced relaxation may result in reduced metabolism and joint instability, leading to weight gain. In addition, some substitute yoga for cardiovascular exercise. Cardiovascular exercise is necessary for heart and muscle health, so foregoing it isn’t wise.

Again, faithful yogis insist that the more active forms are just as good — if not better — for the body as cardiovascular exercise. Of course, if you’re doing a purely meditative form of yoga that simply requires sitting, laying or standing still, they acknowledge that this does not satisfy the weekly recommendations for cardio exercise. In these cases, yoga should simply act as a complementary form of exercise.

So what are your thoughts on the recent yoga hoopla? Do you, or have you ever, practiced yoga? If so, what benefits — or cons — have you experienced as a result? Spark dialogue with friends and fellow yogis and feel free to add your opinion here, as well.

Read more about the controversy in this Washington Post article.

By Wendy Rose Gould