Could yoga be for me?

In the midst of a pandemic, it can be hard to stay focused and engaged with your studies. If you are looking for a bit of an escape yoga might be for you!

Yoga increases body awareness, relieves stress, reduces muscle tension, sharpens concentration, and calms and centres the nervous system. All these things put together can provide great relief from a hard day’s study or from a previous workout!

Research has shown that yoga can be beneficial both physically and mentally; so with all that is currently going on at the moment I decided I would explore the world of yoga to see if I felt these benefits. At the University of Lincoln, we have our own Yoga Society, so I went ahead and bought a year membership for £12. Each week a new video is uploaded focussed on a specific area. Topics covered so far this semester include: 

• Gratitude 
• Stimulating the heart and its chakra 
• Grounding yourself 
• Flexibility 
• Strength and willpower 

Who Can Do Yoga? 

Absolutely anyone can do yoga! Every position shown in the online videos are very adaptable to your ability with most having a a simplified version or an advanced version, also demonstrated by the instructor Milan. If you are unsure if yoga could be for you I recommend you do the yoga society taster session. 

What Do You Do? 

Each session starts with a short meditation to calm and relax both the body and mind. I find these very grounding as it puts you in a relaxed mindset and allows you to forget about the challenges that you may have faced that day and instead turn your attention to your yoga practice. The sessions tend to increase in difficulty as the class progresses so if it gets too challenging you can always skip a few positions and move on to the breathing exercises at the end of the session. 

How Can I Join? 

Joining the yoga society couldn’t be easier. All the details you need can be found here. In normal times, when there are no restrictions in place, the society usually meets 18:30-19:30 on Mondays and Thursdays and from 13:00-14:30 on Sundays.  

My Experience: 

As someone with little yoga experience I was apprehensive before starting the online sessions, but I quickly got stuck into it and found that as you are at home doing the session in your own time there’s no worry of what anyone else is doing or what they might think of your practice. Instead, you can focus solely on getting the most you possibly can out of the session. I found the practise was great for relieving stress after a long day but also perfect for stretching and cooling down after a run. I would recommend yoga to anyone that’s looking for a way to destress and relaxing whilst still staying active.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope it helps you maintain a healthy study-life balance. Information about the different support the university has in place throughout your studies here can be found on the SU website.