Are You Pushing Yourself Too Hard (or Too Little) in Yoga?

For many of us, contemporary life has become less physically challenging than ever before. We exist in temperature-controlled spaces, rarely walk anywhere out of necessity, experience easy access to food and clean water, and challenge our bodies at the yoga studio or gym rather than exert ourselves out of need.

So it’s easy to understand why some feel that life has become too comfortable—an existence so lacking in hardship that we don’tt realize our full potential. From that perspective, the remedy is seeking physical challenges—HIIT workouts, cold plunges, yoga challenges, breath holds, triathlons, and more.

Yet our contemporary existence is psychologically less hospitable than ever before. Our hyper-scheduled lives leave us overstressed not to mention overstimulated by a bombardment of information designed to incite dramatic emotions. What we need, as many argue, is not challenge and discomfort but rest and soothing spaces as a counterpoint to the psychological overwhelm.

These seemingly conflicting ideologies—more challenge versus more comfort—can create confusion as to which approach you take in yoga class.

If yoga is a practice of transformation, shouldn’t it push us out of our comfort zone? Yet for those for whom yoga is a refuge from life, isn’t the needed challenge allowing ourselves to slow down?

Unsurprisingly, the answer isn’t simple. And it’s not the same for everyone.

How Do You Know When to Challenge Yourself in Yoga?

One approach rarely serves everyone. Whether or not it’s appropriate to push yourself on the mat in any given moment comes down to three variables.

1. Your Intention

Almost everything in life comes down to intention. As an example, your response when asked for your favorite movie, book, or travel destination is largely determined by what you want in an outcome—reflection, laughs, romance, or action and adventure.

Similarly, what you gain from time on the mat is shaped by what drew you to it. If what you seek is a change in your capacity or perspective, you probably won’t find that in your comfort zone. Challenge is often required to realize your intention throught unfamiliar or more physically demanding poses and practices. But if you turn to your practice for consolation and a compassionate community, pushing yourself physically is probably the last thing you need.

2. Your Current State

As humans, we are highly adaptable. But in order to manage challenge, we need reserves and resources. Imagine an athlete expecting to benefit from a hard training session when already physically depleted. Or a student trying to cram more facts into their brain after pulling an all-nighter. Neither will yield satisfying results.

Your physical and mental state, and therefore your needs, change every day. So should your practice. If life is already asking too much of you thanks to family, work, health, finances, or some other crises, you’re unlikely to benefit from pushing yourself even further on the mat. But when you feel steadier and have the bandwidth, your practice can be a low-stakes place to push your boundaries and test your strength, endurance, and courage. You may surprise yourself.

3. Your Strengths and Vulnerabilities

We are are drawn to the things we like to do and the things at which we excel. If you consider yourself athletic, it’s probably easy to push yourself physically. Your true discomfort may arise in a willingness to allow your body and mind the rest they need in more restorative poses or the uncompromising quiet of meditation.

If you are innately flexible, your default might be to capitalize on your range of motion in challenging poses rather than find strength and self-awareness in simple or foundational postures.

If you veer toward being cautious and contemplative, then attempting arm balances or other previously unattempted poses might be something you ignore, yet they might offer an opportunity to practice relinquishing control and facing your fears.

It takes self-awareness and wisdom to discern the challenges you truly need. This is where yoga serves you best. Honesty, discernment, and self-study are core principles of yoga philosophy. These themes unfold repeatedly for you in each yoga class you take.

Your practice can be a place where you surprise yourself. Holding yourself in Plank Pose when your shoulders and core are whimpering for Child’s Pose might be about building more than upper body strength. It can also remind you of your capacity to persevere when you are tempted to give up.

Similarly, deliberately cultivating calm and stillness in Broken Toe Pose or pranayama (breathwork) can teach you to bring that same equanimity into uncomfortable situations in life. There’s just as much wisdom in curling into Child’s Pose when you need comfort. Here your practice becomes a refuge from the pressures of life–a place where you nurture your innermost self.

When you feel secure enough to venture outside your personal comfort zone, and do so wisely and with intention, you honor not only yourself but the true practice of yoga.