Yoga Hurts So Good

Finding the exercise that makes you feel good even when it’s difficult

Image by Irina L from Pixabay

For many years, I was not a fan of exercise, mostly because it was uncomfortable. I had undiagnosed exercise-induced asthma, but I always assumed my shortness of breath was due to me being weak or lazy, so I never mentioned it to a doctor. Pushing myself physically hurt my lungs, made me sweaty and sticky and red-faced and embarrassed, so I avoided it whenever possible.

You can only get away with that for so long though. As one ages, one begins to become aware of the fact that if one doesn’t start to use it, one will definitely lose it. You begin to feel the beginnings of pain and stiffness at 30, and every decade thereafter seems to bring a significant reductions in flexibility and strength, with significant increases in joint pain.

Thank goodness I discovered yoga. I now think peoples’ proclivity for certain physical activities involves two elements: One, the activity must feel good. Two, when that activity feels bad, somehow it must also simultaneously still feel good.

Most exercise feels like boring torture to me. Yoga is different. To me, yoga is about opening myself — my joints, my mind, my inner space — and it’s a wild feeling that isn’t always comfortable, but always amazing. I assume that’s how running or…