Dear Yogis!
Did you see the tennis and the extraordinary slides of Novak Djokovic? No wonder he won! Sliding on the grass ended the hopes of other players but Djokovic kept sliding and hitting. Yes, of course he’s a yogi (and a vegan)! Here’s another thing! “He has spoken at length about how meditation has helped him to achieve ‘happiness and joy’ away from the sport. When the results weren’t coming, Novak has claimed it was due to a ‘lack of balance on the court emotionally’.”
As part of his daily routine, Djokovic is said to wake up before dawn and practice yoga, Tai Chi, or meditation for 20 minutes, according to a New York Times report. The NYT says: “he believes the private ritual reflects how he has changed. In his view, he is no longer playing tennis to prove himself but to improve himself and the lives of those around him”.
His coach is Andre Agassi. You can get Andre Agassi yoga mats!!! Andre Agassi says in his autobiography that he saw his opponent, Marcos Baghdatis, stretching. “Baghdatis begins stretching, bending at the waist. He stands on one leg and pulls one knee to his chest. Nothing is quite so unsettling as watching your opponent do Pilates, yoga, and tai chi when you can’t so much as curtsy. He now manoeuvres his hips in ways I haven’t dared since I was seven.”
I think it must be true that you can only get so much from physios, masseurs, and coaches. The rest of the twist and stretch, reach and recovery and injury prevention, you have to get for yourself. And the best bit. Djokovic says about recovery from inevitable injury: “I’ve had to rediscover this inner joy of motivation, of playing. And not only to win or lose, but playing for the sake of enjoying the game”.
Zoom Classes
We’ll do lots of leg stretches today… good for people who do sport. Imperative for people who sit. I had a long run yesterday so muscles are burning today. Come to class today at 5.00. For all classes and especially today, you can book here.
Yoga in the news
Workplace Insight has: Yoga is not a wellbeing strategy. ‘Let’s be clear. Unless that company is also addressing their HR policies, their communication approach, their leadership training and their management structure then they don’t have a wellbeing strategy. The problem isn’t the yoga in of itself. The problem is a total lack of foundation underneath it.’ (Fantastic article!)
Planet Radio has: Yoga helps combat lockdown stress for pupils in Cheltenham. ‘Lily Rollason-Powell, 15, said: "Being in and out of lockdown has definitely affected sleep schedules, work schedules and having online lessons too. I think it's a lot better to wake up with something to do that day and refresh your mind rather than just be on repeat.’
The Telegraph has: How the yoga community is becoming more accessible to black people. ‘At £20 a class, yoga is largely inaccessible to people without a considerable amount of disposable income... MoreYoga, which has 33 studios across London, is advertised as a reasonably priced option... at £9.99 for a class, both the teachers and clients have to forgo some of the perks that come with expensive classes. At MoreYoga “students have to sacrifice on showers, fluffy towels, scented candles – and the teachers have to sacrifice hitting the high-end pay”.’
Enjoy the sun this weekend.
