Changed my view on daily yoga after a strain

I thought practicing every day was essential for progress. Now I see that scheduled rest makes my flows smoother and prevents pain.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_nathan1mo agoMost Upvoted

That two day break you took, rowan_garcia, is interesting. Do you now plan for specific rest days each week, or do you just listen to your body and take them when you feel you need it? I’ve tried both ways and still can’t decide what works better lol. Like, is a Wednesday always off better, or is it smarter to push through a light Monday and rest hard on a Tuesday if you’re beat?

lee2411mo ago

Yeah, that's a really good point to bring up. In my experience, I was glued to the idea of not missing a day. Pushed through some minor twinges and ended up setting myself back for a full week. Forcing rest days into my schedule actually let my muscles recover properly. My balance poses got way more stable, and everything felt less forced. It seems counterintuitive, but backing off a bit was what helped me move forward. Your mileage may vary, but that rest is just part of the work now.

rowan_garcia1mo ago

Yeah, "backing off a bit was what helped me move forward" hits hard. I was the same, totally bought into the no days off grind. Used to roll my eyes at people talking about recovery, thought it was for people not trying hard enough. Then I kept failing to hit a new pull-up max for weeks, got pissed, took two days off completely, and nailed it easy on the next try. Felt like a total idiot, but it rewired my whole approach.