A Response to “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012
The New York Times illustrated its article on yoga injuries with these clowning poses
This post is by John Schumacher, founder and director of Unity Woods Yoga Center.
Well, the recent New York Times article, “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body”, has certainly created quite a stir. My inbox had over forty emails on the subject and I understand the Times had over 700 responses within the first week. (Use the link above to connect to the article in case you haven’t seen it so you know what all the hoo-ha and this comment are about.)
First, I think we should remind ourselves that the Times is in the business of selling newspapers. Since there are an estimated 20 million yoga practitioners in this country alone, what better way to grab a lot of attention than to tell those millions of people that what they are doing could very well seriously injure or even kill them. And why not splatter some pictures of clowns in funny positions around the page just to be sure to catch their eye.
Second, let’s keep in mind that the author of the article, William J. Broad, a Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer for the New York Times, has a new book out. I bet he’s interested in selling copies, too. (I think it worth noting that the book itself has the much less sensational title The Science of Yoga: The Risks and Rewards.)
Mr. Broad extensively quotes Glenn Black, a yoga teacher, who Mr. Broad says, “has come to believe that ‘the vast majority of people’ should give up yoga altogether.” Why we should put a lot of store in Mr. Black’s opinion, aside from the fact that he has been teaching yoga for nearly forty years (as have I and more than a few others), is not clear, other than that he holds controversial views sure to get everybody all fired up. Furthermore, Mr. Black has recently undergone surgery to have his spine fused and screws inserted into his lumbar. He attributes the need for this to his practicing extreme backbends and twists for those forty years. I have to say that listening to Mr. Black’s opinions on the dangers of asana practice strikes me as being akin to receiving advice on the advisability of riding motorcycles from Evel Knievel.
Not only that, several responses to the article cite factual errors regarding the anatomical and physiological statements Mr. Broad makes. I include a link to some of those responses for folks interested in delving into these more technical aspects raised in the article.
Nevertheless, some of the issues the article raises do warrant further examination and discussion: For whom is yoga appropriate? Just what IS yoga? What role does the current approach to training teachers play in the possibility of injuries occurring? (A topic with which readers of this website and our newsletter are very familiar.) What is dangerous and what isn’t? I plan to address some of these in more depth than is possible here in the upcoming spring newsletter as well as responding to the specifics of the article point by point.
But one thing I do want to say is that, OF COURSE, you can hurt yourself doing yoga. You can injure yourself tying your shoes, for God’s sake. If you’re in a body (and all but a few of us are), then ANYTHING you do – or don’t do, for that matter – can have insidious effects. Which strikes me as a good reason for current and prospective yoga students to think seriously about where and from whom you are receiving your yoga instruction.
Oh, and by the way– B.K.S. Iyengar (who is referred to repeatedly in the article) is thriving at age 93, still standing on his head for up to half an hour at a crack, and a bunch of us fogies who have been practicing yoga for forty years or more are doing quite alright, thank you.
Tags: injury, New York Times, yoga
thank you for this, i’ve been trying to craft my response for a week! WELL SAID.
I’ve been practicing yoga for over 50 years and I’m a graduate of the Integral Yoga Institute, which, according to a survey run by “Yoga Journal” holds the record for the safest yoga school in the U.S.
I have accrued untold mind/body benefits, but a few sore spots too- like my Achilles tendons- so I baby them and take care of my 67 year old body by paying attention and giving myself what I need.
I know how to protect myself; but often the people who need yoga the most are also the least knowledgeable and most liable to injury. They are likely to take “open classes” which are billed as OK for everybody. They are not. If you’re new to yoga take a class for beginners, or study privately with a competent teacher.
What everyone needs to remember is that yoga is not only exercise. Yoga is a philosophy and a psychology that stresses mindfulness and compassion to oneself and to others.
This means:
1. Pay attention.
2. Be open to learn.
3. Don’t force yourself or let yourself be forced into anything.There is no place for coercion in yoga.
4. There isn’t any room for competition, either.
5. Follow your breath. If you’re breathing is ragged, take a rest.
6. Bring a refillable bottle of water with you. A small sip of water might be helpful at times.
7. If something hurts, don’t do it.
8. Leave your ego outside the yoga room.
Thank you, John, for responding to that article. My own irritation with the article started with the title. Scare tactics? Really? Seat belts can kill you, but I don’t see the NYT publishing articles warning people off seat belts. And, indeed, it is still common sense to wear a seat belt because they do more good than anything else. Speaking of common sense, why wasn’t the author and his references encouraging use of common sense? The intelligent selection of teachers? The development of ones ability to listen to ones body and figure out which poses should be done when and with what modifications?
Perhaps the UWYC Community and Intro classes can be advertised as a chance to prove the New York Times wrong.
Right on, John! “I have to say that listening to Mr. Black’s opinions on the dangers of asana practice strikes me as being akin to receiving advice on the advisability of riding motorcycles from Evel Knievel.”
Great post, John! I especially liked the link to ayny. Thank you and looking forward to your longer comment in newsletter.
[...] Yes, I have injured myself doing yoga. One of my yoga teachers, John Schumacher, said the following in his own response to the NYT: [...]
Well said . From reading your newsletters, I knew you would have an eloquent response.
Hi John! Thanks for your post, a continuation of a discussion that I think has been a long time coming. I was surprised that a science writer would rely so heavily on anecdotal evidence—from 40 years ago!—to make his point, and that he really only interviewed one source extensively. As you say, many of us have been practicing and teaching for decades. You allude to the inadequate teacher training as one of the major issues. I couldn’t agree more. 200 hours? 500 hours? 5,000 hours might begin to qualify someone to teach. I’ve written several posts on what I see as the root cause of the rise in injuries. Here are the links, in case you are interested: http://www.huggermugger.com/blog/2012/yoga-injuries and http://www.huggermugger.com/blog/2012/yoga-injuries-2
I plan to post a continuation of the second post today.
Thanks again for all you do!
Thank you Mr. Schumacher for this post!!
When I first read Broad’s article, I laughed. The most dangerous area in this era is the Media itself. So often, moneymaking is the main reason, contorting the truth is a problem to the news reporters.
I believe everyone should take his or her health seriously. In addition, if they practice Yoga to improve their physical health – They should take Yoga SERIOUSLY. They should do their research to find the best teachers and make Yoga part of their life.
I consider myself blessed to know Unitywoods. Why so? Because IT IS 1 OF A VERY FEW THE PLACES around here TO LEARN YOGA PROPERLY. I learned so much within a year being here. I do believe the progress a person could make in his/her practice not only depends on how diligent he/she works on perfecting it, but also greatly depends on whom the teacher is. Not all Yoga teachers are made equal. If we were to spend time, money, and most importantly to put our health in a Yoga teacher’s hands – Wouldn’t it be wise to learn from the very best?
I mean to write “contorting the truth is NOT a problem to the news reporters.”
Mr. Black should have contacted his doctor long before the need for bone fusion and surgery to insert hardware. As a practitioner from the age of 60 years ( now 70) I know that my quality of life is much better. I still consult my md as needed. Practicing yoga requires us to recognize our body response to activities. I would like to emphasize as a public health nurse to take care of yourself. Mr. Iyengar has been at it at least 7 decades.
My hope is the publicity will be a time to get people active and give yoga a chance. Certified yoga teachers are well trained and listed in local directories. Also know there are more advanced teachers for people like me with some health issues. For me it is arthritis in my r knee which limits my ability to do squat poses, my teacher is patient and aware of my issues
Good luck and good health to all!
Flacco , you be one cogent doot ! Dang ! I just got “carpal tunnel syndrome” typing this comment !!!
A teacher I studied with years ago used to remind us in class: “If it hurts, it’s not yoga.” To pull back from painful places and not overdo it, since it’s a moving meditation, not Marine calisthenics or some kind of showoff competition, some “can you top this?”
Thank you John for writing this response! Like many yoga students, I have had to learn (and am still learning) my limits and becoming aware of my own ego. I’ve always appreciated how Unity Woods and the Iyengar method in general encourages students to practice within their own safe zone. I hope to attend the talk on Saturday night in response to the NYT piece!
Thank you for your thoughtful, beautifully written response. The NYT has been publishing far too many of this type of articles(trendy, sensationalist, poorly anecdotal) recently. I’m very proud of my yoga studio but very disappointed with my newspaper!
[...] who had back surgery after “decades of extreme backbends and twists.” As one blogger [John Schumacher] said, learning from Black’s yoga experience is “akin to receiving advice on the advisability [...]
[...] who had back surgery after “decades of extreme backbends and twists.” As one blogger [John Schumacher] said, learning from Black’s yoga experience is “akin to receiving advice on the advisability [...]
I am a yoga practioner AND a newspaper editor. I have no problem with the New York Times trying to sell newspapers, or with William Broad trying to sell books. The Times is probably the best newspaper in the world. Long may it thrive. I think a terrific result of this blatantly attention-seeking excerpt has been to generate discussion about important issues in the world of yoga, on and off the mat. Interested readers will learn about diverse perspectives, the importance of choosing a well-trained teacher, how to avoid injury, and on and on. I’m sure Broad’s book is more balanced than this one excerpt suggests. In any case, it’s really great that people are so passionate about yoga. I think the discussion is what’s important, and if the Times excerpt gets people thinking….Well, that’s what a good newspaper is supposed to do!