Australian Yoga Journal - April 2018

32

april 2018

yogajournal.com.au

EXPERTS

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Ask the EXPERTS

Will a vigorous evening vinyasa class

disrupt my sleep?

Generally – yes. A vigorous vinyasa

class can be like a double espresso! But like

coffee, some people can drink it after an

evening meal and still sleep soon after while

others would be wired for hours. I would

definitely recommend avoiding backbends

in evening classes (unless you are going to a

party!) as these stimulate the nervous system

and boost energy levels. To work in sync

with our body’s biorhythms I’d generally

recommend dynamic practice in the

morning and restorative or yin style later in

the day. But those with a sedentary job or if

this is the only time that works to take a

class, it could actually help expend energy

and stress and result in better sleep. So my

advice is try it and see what works for you.

My muscles feel weak in yoga class.

What can I do to feel stronger?

It is normal when you start yoga or

progress onto more advanced poses to feel

tired or that you are not as strong as you

would like to be, as you are using muscles in

new ways. While it’s beneficial if your yoga

practice is a little challenging, you should not

experience shaking or extreme exertion.

You should check in with your teacher

(and your self) to see that you are not

pushing too hard. You also need to be

careful that your lack of strength in a

certain area does not lead to misalignment.

In both these cases (pushing too hard and

misalignment) it is better to modify the

pose or use props. The best way to build

strength is the 3 P’s: practice, patience and

perseverance.

John Ogilvie is the founder

of Byron Yoga Centre and the

director of Byron Yoga

Retreat Centre – now one of

the largest teacher training

academies and retreat

centres in Australia. He

developed his signature style

of yoga, Purna Yoga,

drawing on 30 years of

practicing and from more

than 28 years of teaching.

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