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Original poster

Has anyone here ever quit yoga?

91 replies

ALeafInCobra · 18/07/2022 15:49

I have practised for over 6 years, mostly Iyengar yoga, and due to several personal and health related changes am considering winding it down and moving on to something more appropriate for me at this point in my life. I don't need advice at this point, and am happy with where I am at, so my post is really about others rather than myself, if that makes sense!?

I am interested in other people's reasons for quitting yoga, as I can't find much information about it online, apart from connections to injury. So I am just fascinated really, because yoga does seem to generate such a huge amount of positive press (because it's great!) yet rarely any discussion surrounding why an individual might choose to stop practising it.

For instance, I have an old friend who quit a few years ago due to not getting along with class 'politics' (she had a weird teacher, I think!) and didn't feel as inspired or comfortable with self guided practice at home.

A colleague quit recently to to suffering headaches and dizziness, even with supervised practice. As far as I know he has no medial issues generally.

So it doesn't suit everyone, yet there's often a sense of yoga not being able to have a negative impact (anyone who rejects it must be 'flawed', etc), a sort of evangelical attitude that perceives the practice as beyond criticism, so I would prefer to avoid that kind of discourse here.

Like any interest out there, it's a mixed bag of reward and frustration , and of course there are physical limitations for many practitioners. I am also sure that we all perceive yoga very differently, from how we approach it/use it to the philosophy integral to it.
For me, I seemed to just 'fall out of love' with it at some point, as my life and interests changed. I never practised yoga for fitness reasons, I was more on the meditative side of things, and have grown more interested in meditation without movement in recent years. So, a simple enough reason for me, but I would like to hear other people's thoughts and realisations if they ever quit practising.

OP posts:
ChinBristles · 18/07/2022 19:00

NFM = not for me (I assume)

TeaAddict235 · 18/07/2022 19:04

Bless you @ChinBristles, that video looks interesting. You are so right about flirting with eastern philosophy.

bakermummy21 · 18/07/2022 19:15

I did yoga for a year and loved it at the time, never missed a class etc but the teacher moved house and then the pandemic hit and whilst I did a couple of online videos just lost interest. Pilates appeals more for some reason.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Exercise & fitness Fitness Yoga
JellyBellyNelly · 18/07/2022 19:16

TeaAddict235 · 18/07/2022 19:04

Bless you @ChinBristles, that video looks interesting. You are so right about flirting with eastern philosophy.

I’ve just realized that this applies to me and that the Middle East is as far as I want to go spiritually.

AbreathofFrenchair · 18/07/2022 19:20

ALeafInCobra · 18/07/2022 15:49

I have practised for over 6 years, mostly Iyengar yoga, and due to several personal and health related changes am considering winding it down and moving on to something more appropriate for me at this point in my life. I don't need advice at this point, and am happy with where I am at, so my post is really about others rather than myself, if that makes sense!?

I am interested in other people's reasons for quitting yoga, as I can't find much information about it online, apart from connections to injury. So I am just fascinated really, because yoga does seem to generate such a huge amount of positive press (because it's great!) yet rarely any discussion surrounding why an individual might choose to stop practising it.

For instance, I have an old friend who quit a few years ago due to not getting along with class 'politics' (she had a weird teacher, I think!) and didn't feel as inspired or comfortable with self guided practice at home.

A colleague quit recently to to suffering headaches and dizziness, even with supervised practice. As far as I know he has no medial issues generally.

So it doesn't suit everyone, yet there's often a sense of yoga not being able to have a negative impact (anyone who rejects it must be 'flawed', etc), a sort of evangelical attitude that perceives the practice as beyond criticism, so I would prefer to avoid that kind of discourse here.

Like any interest out there, it's a mixed bag of reward and frustration , and of course there are physical limitations for many practitioners. I am also sure that we all perceive yoga very differently, from how we approach it/use it to the philosophy integral to it.
For me, I seemed to just 'fall out of love' with it at some point, as my life and interests changed. I never practised yoga for fitness reasons, I was more on the meditative side of things, and have grown more interested in meditation without movement in recent years. So, a simple enough reason for me, but I would like to hear other people's thoughts and realisations if they ever quit practising.

I have and I feel really sad about it.

In pretty much dont get any benefit from it. I have hyper mobility and don't have any trouble stretching, bending and getting into twisty positions. The Instructor said it's pointless continuing as I don't have anywhere to stretch to as I have the full range.

Don't really get any benefit from strength yoga either as I have good strength as I had to built it up because of being hyper mobile.

I could continue for the relaxation element but because I dont find any classes challenging, my mind wanders so I can't relax, I meditate for that instead.

ChinBristles · 18/07/2022 19:21

@TeaAddict235 @JellyBellyNelly
I think we can put yoga in the same bracket as horoscopes, ouji boards and fortune tellers. We are told to FLEE from the devil. Not tinker round the edges seeing what we can get away with.
I think "Christian" yoga teachers must be very misguided.

Moonface123 · 18/07/2022 19:23

Like most forms of exercise it can become abit monotonous, l can't relax in a class as the moves tend to create gas in my stomach, but then l don" t have the self discipline to do it at home. At the moment l am taking a break from exercise, my job is physical, l am a very healthy weight, and as a lone parent l am always on the go, l love gardening and a nice walk takes alot of beating in my opinion. I am 53 and my energy levels are low due to the menopause so l am listening to my body and resting/ relaxing more, going to sleep abit earlier, which is also beneficial.

SW1amp · 18/07/2022 19:24

MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler · 18/07/2022 18:57

Teaching yoga as a group exercise class causes a lot of problems. Is designed to be taught one on one, with the teacher watching the students individually, NOT doing it at the front with people following when they can’t see how individuals are reacting to each asana. This is how I was taught in India and it’s absolutely brilliant as tailored to the individual.

This is 100% the sort of attitude that puts me off ever doing it again

SW1amp · 18/07/2022 19:26

ChinBristles · 18/07/2022 19:21

@TeaAddict235 @JellyBellyNelly
I think we can put yoga in the same bracket as horoscopes, ouji boards and fortune tellers. We are told to FLEE from the devil. Not tinker round the edges seeing what we can get away with.
I think "Christian" yoga teachers must be very misguided.

And this is 100% the sort of attitude that makes me so so glad to have removed all Christianity from my life

DublinDoris2000 · 18/07/2022 19:38

So Good at Yoga g.co/kgs/Kvyrt2 Crazy Ex Girlfriend- I'm so good at yoga I really wanted to like yoga, but most lessons made me feel like the above. Very slim, naturally bendy, white teachers who don't get what it's like to be in a body built differently. The cultural appropriation and making people say namaste and om. You could try Pilates? Taught well, it's really interesting to learn the mechanics of your body.

DublinDoris2000 · 18/07/2022 19:43

DublinDoris2000 · 18/07/2022 19:38

So Good at Yoga g.co/kgs/Kvyrt2 Crazy Ex Girlfriend- I'm so good at yoga I really wanted to like yoga, but most lessons made me feel like the above. Very slim, naturally bendy, white teachers who don't get what it's like to be in a body built differently. The cultural appropriation and making people say namaste and om. You could try Pilates? Taught well, it's really interesting to learn the mechanics of your body.

Should have said... language warning for the link!

JellyBellyNelly · 18/07/2022 19:45

ChinBristles · 18/07/2022 19:21

@TeaAddict235 @JellyBellyNelly
I think we can put yoga in the same bracket as horoscopes, ouji boards and fortune tellers. We are told to FLEE from the devil. Not tinker round the edges seeing what we can get away with.
I think "Christian" yoga teachers must be very misguided.

Honestly I’m not bothered by other peoples beliefs.

I just know that the Middle East is as Far East as I ever want to go.

IdisagreeMrHochhauser · 18/07/2022 19:59

Did it multiple times a week at one point but then I was dating the teacher...

Not being able to find the right teacher coupled with a slipped disc means I don't do it at all now. Might go back to it one day.

Courgeon · 18/07/2022 20:03

SW1amp · 18/07/2022 19:26

And this is 100% the sort of attitude that makes me so so glad to have removed all Christianity from my life

Show quote history

Yep, no more Christianity for me too based on this type of dogma. My evangelist Christian auntie prays for me for consorting with the devil due to yoga and my interest in spirituality. Most Christians I know don't have this attitude thank goodness. Some local church halls will hire their room out to yoga teachers some won't.

MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler · 18/07/2022 20:09

Why? Because I want to make sure hyper mobile people don’t overstretch and low back pain isn’t made worse when yoga can definitely help both those things? How odd .

as for the fleeing from the devil comment, omfg 🤣 I have no words.

Delatron · 18/07/2022 20:17

Yes I ditched yoga about 10 years ago. It made me angry (!) and bored. It prizes flexibility over strength which is not a good thing. Especially for those who are hyper mobile so can get in to the crazy poses but don’t have the strength necessarily. If you’re not naturally that flexible the hard stuff is out of reach and you don’t get challenged.

Pilates is much better. No forcing people in to stretches which are beyond their range. Pilates has more links to physio and is fantastic for backs. I really hurt my back doing yoga. Plus I hate all the spiritual stuff and lying around breathing. I want to work out..

Bhu · 18/07/2022 20:28

It’s interesting what you say about not wanting the movement as part of your meditation. I practiced yoga for two years at a hard time in my life and the movement was the only thing that shut my brain off and gave me peace. I don’t know if I got lucky with my first teacher, or whether the first type of yoga you do is always what ‘real yoga’ is to you, but there was no incense, only very occasional chanting, and a really in depth focus on the asanas, lots of cues to adjust your poses, which always felt right when you followed them. I moved away and I miss her classes, it’s not the same online. I keep trying to find new classes but have never found an equivalent. So if I end up drifting away from yoga, that will be why.

Bhu · 18/07/2022 20:32

Delatron · 18/07/2022 20:17

Yes I ditched yoga about 10 years ago. It made me angry (!) and bored. It prizes flexibility over strength which is not a good thing. Especially for those who are hyper mobile so can get in to the crazy poses but don’t have the strength necessarily. If you’re not naturally that flexible the hard stuff is out of reach and you don’t get challenged.

Pilates is much better. No forcing people in to stretches which are beyond their range. Pilates has more links to physio and is fantastic for backs. I really hurt my back doing yoga. Plus I hate all the spiritual stuff and lying around breathing. I want to work out..

See, my ‘real yoga’ is definitely equal strength to flexibility. I got so strong doing yoga regularly, my posture was better, various aches and pains disappeared.

Maybe I need to look into pilates, it could be closer to what I’m looking for than a lot of the ‘stretchy/relax-y’ yoga classes I have tried recently.

Vicliz24 · 18/07/2022 20:35

I did . I have a permanently damaged shoulder and neck and I thought I'd got through to the teacher about what I could and couldn't do . Then she insisted I could do a pose that sent my shoulder into spasm and I had to have two weeks off work. I never went back but I loved it to that point .

Whattoread · 18/07/2022 20:40

I've stopped Ashtanga, which I used to love, because I realised the mentality of it wasn't good for me. Too much "pushing".

I did a gentler class but have taken a break from it for now as I have an injury ( not from yoga) - I have the same problem, becoming too intense.

Looking into Feldenkreis now.

JaninaDuszejko · 18/07/2022 20:51

I like yoga but the people I know who have tried it but not continued have found it boring or hate the pseudo spirituality. Personally I just ignore the chanting malarkey and since I live in a northern market town there's none of the snobbery that others are describing.

IdisagreeMrHochhauser · 18/07/2022 20:56

Yoga is older than Christianity isn't it? For the pseudo spiritual judgers. I could say the same about the bible...

ChagSameachDoreen · 18/07/2022 21:02

I upheld a 6-day-a-week mysore-style Ashtanga practice for about 5 years. When I moved cities I didn't have access to the amazing teachers anymore, so gradually dwindled. Since DD was born I just haven't bothered. I would like to start up again when she's older.

user143677433 · 18/07/2022 21:14

Bhu · 18/07/2022 20:28

It’s interesting what you say about not wanting the movement as part of your meditation. I practiced yoga for two years at a hard time in my life and the movement was the only thing that shut my brain off and gave me peace. I don’t know if I got lucky with my first teacher, or whether the first type of yoga you do is always what ‘real yoga’ is to you, but there was no incense, only very occasional chanting, and a really in depth focus on the asanas, lots of cues to adjust your poses, which always felt right when you followed them. I moved away and I miss her classes, it’s not the same online. I keep trying to find new classes but have never found an equivalent. So if I end up drifting away from yoga, that will be why.

I could have written that whole post. I have never found a teacher that I clicked with as much as the first.

Ragwort · 18/07/2022 21:15

Not exactly answering your question but my DM is 89 and loves yoga - she has been going regularly for 50+ years and maybe it's just luck, but she is incredibly fit and healthy.

I tried it a couple of times and couldn't stand it.