Yoga is for EVERYbody by Alison Tigges
At One Tree Yoga, we truly believe yoga is, and should be, for everyone. I am sure you hear this a lot. We know yoga is good for us, but why are all the images we see showing some bendy, tiny young woman that does not look like me? We agree, it’s confusing!
With a new year and possibly new resolutions on the horizon, we know that a consistent yoga and meditation practice is the game changer that more people need in their lives. I think most people understand it would benefit them, but fear or intimidation of “not being good enough” gets in the way. We make excuses about being too busy or it being too challenging or too…..you get the point.
I have been teaching yoga for 17 years and practicing for 23. It would appear to most that I was a seamless fit into the yoga world, and in some ways, I was! I danced through college and have always been pretty active and fit. However, flexibility has NEVER come easy to me. Ask my dance teachers! I always had to earn every bit of flexibility I could get. I still am not the typical bendy yogi. I have had more injuries in my life than I can count, and yoga has helped me with every single one. And you know what? I LOVE IT. Bring it! Yoga is for every person who wants to feel better and find more calm in their lives. The physical benefits are many, but there are so many more benefits if you stick to it.
In my 17 years of teaching, I have come across about every age, body type, and flexibility level you can imagine. I have seen it all. And I still think yoga is beneficial to everyone! This is why at OTY we strive to make yoga accessible through use of props, smart sequencing and verbal cues, demonstrations, and class styles to fit everyone’s needs. Our teachers are highly trained and come from all walks of life and backgrounds— and this is why no matter what class you attend, we will take good care of you.
Here are some examples of the yoga students I have seen/taught over the years:
-a teenage boy looking to stay active
-a grandmother and breast cancer survivor, hoping to stay mobile as she ages
-a middle-aged woman with countless injuries and surgeries including multiple repairs to her pelvic floor
-a middle-aged male and semi-truck driver who wanted to feel better and get more active
-a dad with a disc injury wanting to golf and be active again
-a young, single mom who just wanted to do something good for herself
-countless athletes looking to up their game and recover more quickly
-former dancers/gymnasts who miss movement
-runners and cyclists looking to balance out their training
-a middle-aged man who is recovering from multiple back surgeries
-a doctor who lifts weights but wants to be more mobile despite his hectic schedule
-a woman in a larger body who was sick of feeling judged in fitness spaces but wanted to do something healthy for herself
-a high school girl who was looking for variety in her routine
-a middle-aged mom who struggles with anxiety and needed help finding tools to work with it
-a woman struggling with anxiety and looking for tools to manage it in her daily life
I could go on and on and on. I can relate to so many of these people and I am sure you can too. That is the point! YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE. We are really good at delivering the best yoga possible at One Tree Yoga. So, keep coming in 2025! And if you are new or it’s been awhile, we got you. 2025 is the year get over our fears holding us back and take care of ourselves.