Why I Hate Being Grounded in my Yoga Practice

Call me odd, but I love the unpredictability and playfulness of staying "out of balance", provided by wall yoga. This practice is definitely not your ordinary yoga. It involves the wall, which, I think is the most effective and convenient yoga equipment available. Wall yoga is one of the oldest and yet obscure type of yoga. Most people are new to the idea that the wall can be an effective tool in yoga practice. The good thing is, wall yoga is now beginning to get the recognition it deserves. Its value, effectiveness and importance continue to fuel the inquisitive mind of all yoga enthusiasts, nowadays.

I've been teaching and practicing Wall Yoga for the past 10 years and my yoga routine is not complete without including wall work. Wall yoga in particular, is a great way in improving flexibility and strength. It also helps us to develop better posture, through body awareness. With wall yoga, we could also recognize and correct poor postures like slouching and slumping. This is because of the triggered muscle memory ingrained every time we practice wall yoga.

What does wall work do for me that non-wall doesn't?

Most of you may be wondering, what is the difference between traditional yoga and wall yoga. Poses may be the same for both, but the difference lies in the improved performance, thorough and deeper workout, and accurate alignment.

• Wall yoga allows the body to achieve optimum alignment, which then cultivates an environment for optimum physical healing. This is great for those who are on the mend due to athletic injuries, arthritis and others.
• Wall work helps to anchor poses like a binding pose that gives you the ability to dig deeper and faster. Positioning the body to be "anchored" helps in achieving the proper alignment. This in turn, improves flexibility and strength.
• Wall work provides another force or foundation to use as a platform for resistance. It acts as an extra foundation for inversion, rotations and balancing poses. These poses are then accelerated to a new level of exciting challenges and opportunities.
• It allows deeper and thorough access to the core muscles, rather than relying to superficial skeletal muscles. These muscles help in supporting and maintaining each pose during the workout.
• Wall yoga also helps in minimizing injuries, especially for yoga beginners. The wall allows you to pursue accurate alignment on the first attempt.