Yoga poses stretch muscles and increase range of motion. With regular practice, your flexibility will improve. The purpose of relaxin is to prepare the body for the next birth by relaxing or flexibilizing muscles, connective tissue and joints. Here are some tips on how to overcome natural stiffness and make your body more flexible with the help of yoga.
There may be a relationship between yoga and flexibility, but being flexible isn't a prerequisite for doing yoga. The more flexible this area becomes, the easier it will be to adopt positions like Lotus and King Pigeon. Based on my experience and the students I've taught, you'll be much more flexible with yoga within the first 3 to 5 months of your regular yoga practice. That said, you'll likely feel more flexible in just three to six weeks of consistent yoga practice.
Saying that you have to be flexible to do yoga is like saying that you have to be fit to go to the gym or that you have to be clean to take a shower. While yoga isn't really about being more flexible, 61 percent of Americans chose yoga as their primary or additional routine to gain mobility and increase range of motion. However, if you want to increase your range of motion and be more flexible, yoga is one of the best practices to help you with that. One day you might feel extremely open and flexible and find that you're barely leaning forward the next day.
Saying that you need to be flexible to start doing yoga is like saying that you need to be muscular and strong to start lifting weights. One of the most popular myths in yoga is the belief that you have to be flexible before you set foot on a mat.
