Not to be a spoilsport, but most American yoga enthusiasts really need
to read this article. At the very least, students should have a sound
understanding of the risks of some of the more extreme postures and read
up on proper biomechanics through sources like Charlie Weingroff.
Lots of germane comments by forum members on this one, but I especially liked Dave Chesser's contribution:
What's implied but not explicitly stated by the article is that 99% of the general public thinks that yoga provides everything you need in fitness and it very clearly does not. Weak people with lots of deficiencies (the average NYT reader) take up a yoga class thinking it will fix everything because yoga gets a free pass in the press most of the time. Then lo and behold, they get hurt.
Yoga just does not have the corrective tools nor the philosophy needed to correct most people's problems or to take them to a high level of fitness. I train lots of folks, even yoga teachers, that have bad backs, no hamstrings whatsoever, poor movement skills, and no appreciable level of endurance. In almost every case, yoga has made their problems worse -- not better.
Any light form of weight training like kettlebell, DB, or BB work will usually fix these problems but that requires the knowledge that yoga itself doesn't do everything for you.
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