Although there are a lot of great reasons to try Yoga, most people won't even take a shot at it. I think I know why. Stay with me for a couple of minutes and I'll get there.
Years ago, I read one of the most truth filled statements I have ever encountered. Although I usually try to avoid generalities, I believe that most of them DO have a portion of truth to them. Unfortunately, many people either don't realize that these statements are not ultimate truths or they assume that since there are times that these old adages and generalities are NOT true, not only are they false, but completely without merit.
Most generalities, as I have stated, DO contain some truth, enough truth that we can often at least glean guiding principles from them even if we cannot live our lives exactly by them.
Now, the statement I made mention of was, "The only job where you start at the top is digging a hole!"
I normally would not actually say that to someone who expected to get to the top of the heap by tomorrow, but the idea behind the statement would be understood by most of us. Those people who have made it to the top of their profession, art, or even their hobby, usually put in a lot of practice time and made a lot of mistakes on their way to achieving the level of skill or competence that they have reached.
Which brings me (finally, you say) to Yoga.
Yoga has the potential to be one of the best physical fitness programs that anybody can practice, but many people won't even give it a chance.
Yoga requires no special clothing, no special skill, no special equipment. It doesn't need a gym, because it can be practiced on the floor beside your bed, in the living room, or even in a large enough bathroom. Once you learn a few basic poses (asanas), you can do your yoga routine at home or on the road. You can even do some of your Yoga while riding in a car or bus. It doesn't even require a personal trainer. You actually CAN learn Yoga from a book!
So what stops a lot of people from trying Yoga?
To tell the truth, I think they are intimidated.
Obviously, Yoga is not something we read about or hear about every day, so there is already a lot of misunderstanding and uncertainty about the practice anyway. On top of that, take a look at the pictures in any Yoga book and what do you see? Pencil-thin people twisting their bodies into impossible (to you and me...and I DO Yoga) positions. No way!
Let's go back to the statement I mentioned. To get to the level where they are selected to pose for pictures for a book, they usually have had to practice for several years. When they started, some of them were as out-of-shape as you think you are now. You can bet they made a lot of mistakes along the way and some of them often thought of giving up because they weren't able to perform the asanas the way their teachers did...or the way it was done in a picture in some book. Nobody is going to begin Yoga today and be able to do the positions that way right away.
Also, not everyone is going to be able to achieve the level of skill that they have achieved. Some of us just aren't going to realize that potential for a long time and maybe never.
So why bother to learn Yoga?
After all, if you can't do what the books and instructors say to do, then you have failed, right?
Wrong.
First of all, simply moving into your best imitation of the perfect position can begin to produce the health benefits associated with Yoga. Second, learning yoga breathing techniques and practicing this as you perform the movements and asanas (not to mention you daily activities) can also produce benefits in both your mental and physical health. Finally, continued practice of the asanas, breathing, and movements will, over time, move you closer to being able to do what the person in the picture was doing.
Remember, nobody said you had to be able to touch your toes, you just have to reach for them, breathe properly, and do it again tomorrow.
Yoga is actually simple and easy to learn, and can produce some startling affects in both mental and physical health.
Why not give it a try?
With the prices of golf equipment where they are today, it only makes good sense to be custom club fit for your new golf clubs. Yes, it may cost you another fee to be club fit for a set of golf clubs but, trust me; this will be less than 10% of the price of your new investment. If this still seems like to much money, find a local PGA professional who will include the cost with a purchase of a Driver or a set of golf irons. To use the phrase from Nike, Just Do It. Let me tell you why owning a set of golf clubs that is built to your spefications is so important.
All golfers are not created equal. Every single golfer is a little bit different in size, body frame as well as the shape of their golf swing. A proper custom club fit will result in a set of clubs that are specifically suited to your height, strength, club head speed and individual swing characteristics.
What most people do not realize is that off-the-shelf golf clubs are one-size-fits-few. Approximately 10% of all club fittings end up with standard specs. Actually golf manufacturers have changed their standards multiple times over the last ten years. Since custom fitting has gained popularity with the average golfer, manufacturing companies have made lie angles more upright and lofts stronger. This obviously is in an attempt to help the average to higher handicap golfer.
A club fit can be performed by a PGA Professional. How do you go about finding the right PGA Professional to fit you? Ask a lot of questions. Just like you are trying to find a doctor or a dentist, ask your friends, co-workers and call golf shops. The proper questions to ask are as follows:
- Is the professional certified by a major manufacturer to fit their clubs? - Does the PGA Professional have a fitting cart or multiple fitting carts with what you are looking for (Mens, Ladies, steel, graphite, right-handed, left-handed clubs) available? - How experienced is the PGA Professional? - Will I be fit outdoors to see the entire ball flight?
Contrary to the belief of many, this does not have to be a time-consuming or expensive endeavor. A very basic clubfitting might take as little as 15 minutes, with the average being 30-45 minutes.
As for price, some clubs will give you a golf club fitting free of charge as long as you agree to purchase your new set from them. Most charge a modest fee, perhaps $35 to $50 being typical.
Expect to hit many variations of the same type club. For instance, a well-equipped fitting center might have dozens (in some cases, hundreds) of a particular club, usually a 6-iron for men and a 7-iron for women. Each of the 6-irons will be different from the next in some way.
The idea is to find the best combination of shaft (length, flex and kickpoint), loft (standard, strong or flat), lie (strong or flat), grip and swingweight, among other factors.
By watching the ball flight produced by each variation of a club, and checking chalk marks left on adhesive strips attached to the clubface and sole, a clubfitter can quickly narrow the search and lead the student to the best fit.
The club fit procedure can be done for every club in the bag, including putters, but iron fittings are most common, with driver fittings following closely behind.
Of course, a proper club fit only works if you follow up by purchasing a set of clubs custom made to those specifications. Two things to keep in mind: If you want a set of, for example, Titleist clubs, the ones you order after a proper clubfitting will cost approximately the same as the same set bought off the shelf; and a golfer is under no obligation to purchase a set from the pro doing the measurements.
So there's little reason for anyone in the market for new clubs to avoid a proper club fit.
Both Donovan Baldwin & Max Johnson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Donovan Baldwin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Women, Health and Bodybuilding Supplements. The author is retired from the military after 21 years on duty. A graduate of the University of West Florida, 1973, he now makes his living online with his own internet business. Read more articles on Yoga at http://yoga.4mg.com .. Donovan Baldwin's top article generates over 1220000 views. to your Favourites.
Max Johnson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Finances, Shopping and Modelling. Max Johnson writes golf articles for Wireless Golf Coach. Click to find a or. Max Johnson's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.