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Farming better through yoga

Set your skepticism aside. Just check out the science and these benefits of yoga on the farm

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Published: November 14, 2014

yoga class

Across the country, yoga is catching on as a way to strengthen muscles, reduce pain and increase energy. “Yoga is good for injuries, work-related soreness and tiredness,” says Kate Stevely, a certified instructor who teaches yoga in Stratford, Ont. and surrounding communities.

It’s enough to make you think yoga should be universally prescribed on the farm. Besides, the image of yoga is changing too, in ways that are also healthy for farmers.

While traditionally nine out of 10 of her yoga students have been women, Stevely says that’s changing. People of all ages and from all walks of life are discovering the benefits of regular yoga practice, she says.

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That includes a private class that Stevely teaches to a group of farmers. “I see farmers with bad knees, bad backs and some with both,” says Stevely.

Stevely has seen how yoga can benefit those with injuries. One of the men in her Yoga for Farmers class had back surgery, and after getting approval from his doctor, he started doing yoga during his recuperation, says Stevely. Some 18 months post-surgery, he received a clean bill of health, she says.

yoga stretchThen there’s also a farmer participant who spent a summer completely incapacitated due to a back injury. Since starting yoga he hasn’t experienced any relapses, she says.

Another of Stevely’s classes is a group of golfers, mostly older men. “Yoga helps by loosening the hips and shoulders and minimizing damage caused by always twisting the same way,” she says.

A long-haul truck driver has discovered the benefits of yoga for the low-back pain he was experiencing from so many hours spent driving, says Stevely. When he is home he attends Stevely’s yoga class and when he is on the road he uses a special platform he built so he can do the Legs-up-the-wall yoga pose in the cab of his truck.

Stevely’s understanding of yoga is based on almost 50 years of personal and professional experience. She first discovered yoga after injuring herself in a track and field event at the age of 15. She was told by her osteopath that the only way she could avoid wearing a back brace while she healed was if she did yoga.

Back in the 1960s there weren’t any local yoga classes but Stevely did find one book in the Stratford library. She did the exercises morning and night, and made a full recovery, without the brace.

That was the start of Stevely’s lifelong dedication to yoga. She began studying under instructors in Ontario and the U.S., becoming a registered yoga teacher (RYT) with the Yoga Alliance.

Many people have the misconception that yoga is a religion but it’s not, explains Stevely. Yoga, which originated in ancient India, combines breathing with movement. “It’s that awareness and focus that makes it different from other exercise programs,” she says.

One of the advantages of yoga over other forms of exercise is the focus on how you’re feeling. Traditional yoga moves slowly so you can listen to your body, explains Stevely. “Yoga shouldn’t be competitive. If you push too hard you will end up hurting yourself.

“It’s that focus on what you’re doing that also provides stress relief,” she adds.

Fortunately, today’s yoga classes are much easier to find with many fitness and community recreation centres offering classes.

What to look for in a yoga class

Unfortunately not all yoga classes are equal. To get the most from a class, Stevely offers these suggestions.

  • Check out the teacher. Some classes are taught by people with very little experience. When looking for a class, find out what the teacher’s qualifications are, insists Stevely. “Make sure they didn’t just take a weekend workshop to become certified.” Stevely recommends looking for a teacher certified by either a provincial yoga association or the Yoga Alliance. These organizations typically require instructors to have a minimum of 200 hours of training.
  • Get approval. If you have an existing medical condition or injury, get your doctor’s approval before signing up.
  • Ask questions about the style of yoga being taught. Avoid classes where participants move quickly through the poses, since this can lead to injuries. “While some classes are based on yoga, they have lost the focus on the mind and the breath,” says Stevely.
  • Look for small classes. Large classes with 20 or more participants make it difficult for the instructor to help each individual.
  • Try it out. Before signing up for a series of classes, try to observe a class or drop in to a class to try it out.
  • Commit to doing it. To experience the benefits of yoga, it’s necessary to practise regularly. Ideally you should devote 20 to 30 minutes a day to yoga, but at the very least attending one class with a followup of one session at home is the minimum commitment, says Stevely.
  • Start now. You are never too old to begin doing yoga, says Stevely. “One of the benefits of yoga is that it starts where you’re at.” As you get better at it you can challenge yourself more, she adds.As an example, Stevely tells the story of one student who started yoga at age 69. When she first came to class she was hunched over and was having knee trouble. After a year of attending class twice a week and practising at home, Stevely says her posture improved noticeably and she is walking much better.

Yoga at home

While yoga instructor Kate Stevely recommends attending a class, if you cannot find a way to slot a class into your schedule then she suggests getting a video to do it yourself at home. While there are many videos available, she likes the Rodney Yee series (www.yeeyoga.com) because they range from beginner to advanced. (These can be purchased online and are also available in some department stores.)

Suggested Poses:

Yoga doesn’t have to be complicated. Doing these three simple poses will provide noticeable benefits, says Stevely. As with any exercise program, check with your doctor before trying these poses.

Legs-up-the-wall

This is a restorative pose that relieves lower back pain and boosts circulation.

Sit sideways to the wall with your hip and shoulders touching the wall. Swing legs up and roll over onto back. Rest here or add moving your arms in time with breath to focus mind on the connection between breath and movement and to get your mind tuned into what you are doing. Then bring the knees into the chest and wiggle away from the wall and Roll Side to Side (see below).

Roll Side to Side

This can be done after Legs-up-the-wall or on its own. This is very free-form, spontaneous yoga. Hold on to the hamstrings or shins or toes or let go of the legs. Roll side to side. Or drop the feet to the floor and with knees bent, roll legs side to side, like windshield wipers. Try to use your awareness to find tight spots in shoulders, hips or back and roll them out.

Back Bridge Pose

Start in Constructive Relaxation position (feet flat on floor, knees bent, chin tucked a little, shoulders down away from ears). Then draw navel back toward spine and feel tailbone lift a little. Press down into the feet and let the back follow the tail bone up into a Back Bridge. Then roll down slowly, trying to feel each vertebrae touching down separately. End back in Constructive Relaxation.

Gentle Hamstring and Back Stretch with Easy Twist

Holding a belt or yoga strap in both hands and starting in the Constructive Relaxation position (feet flat on floor, knees bent, chin tucked a little, shoulders down away from ears), bring right foot into strap and push sole of foot up to ceiling. If it’s comfortable, slide left leg out long on the floor. Take the strap in the right hand and let right leg roll out to the side while keeping left hip/pelvis down. Next bring right leg back up, take strap in left hand and take right leg across the body ensuring right shoulder stays grounded into the floor. Draw legs in and hug. End in Constructive Relaxation, rolling knees side to side like windshield wipers. Repeat with the left leg.

About The Author

Helen Lammers-Helps

Helen Lammers-Helps

Helen’s passion for agriculture was sparked growing up and helping out on her family’s dairy and hog farm in southwestern Ontario. She discovered a love of learning and writing while pursuing a BSc. in Agriculture (soil science) from the University of Guelph. She has spent three decades digging into a wide range of ag and food stories from HR to succession planning, agritourism, soil health and mental health. With the diversity of farming and farmers, she says it never gets dull.

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