Fowler - The no OM zone : a no-chanting, no-granola, no-Sanskrit guide to the healing practice of yoga

W hen I first started doing yoga back in 1983, it was to rehabilitate my body from a biking accident. I was hit by a car in a race outside of Dallas, Texas. I broke my collarbone, and actually bent the handlebars of my bike with my facenot pretty. After my injuries healed, I could not lift my arm higher than my shoulder. My goal was to get my body back to the point where I could return to the sports that I love. I was competing in triathlons at the time, so my sports were running, biking, and swimming.

Yoga was a means to an end for me. My physical therapist at the time was also a yoga instructor and would have me do yoga poses to help rehabilitate my shoulder. I didnt seek out yogait sort of found me. At the time, I never thought that I would become a yoga instructor, let alone develop my own style of practice. I just wanted to get back on the road as quickly as possible. It was a bonus that I stayed injury-free and could compete at a higher level than I ever thought possible. I remember, years later, walking into a yoga studio in Los Angeles, California, looking around the room, and thinking, This just isnt for me. I knew the benefits of yoga and loved the feeling it gave me. But as an athlete with a type A personality, I watched everyone in the class twist themselves into pretzels and thought, Why cant I do these poses? To add insult to injury, the class started with the instructor saying, Okay, everybody in handstands.

Well, I dont know about you, but doing a handstand in the middle of the room with a bunch of people all around me wasnt my thing. For one thing, I had broken my collarbone a few times. However, even if I hadnt suffered those injuries, Im not sure I could do it. So I sat there thinking, Im never coming here again. At that point I saw a guy walk in who was obviously new to yoga. The telltale sign was that he walked in with his shoes on and didnt take them off. He didnt know what was going on, and I wanted to help him. I knew he would never come back and never do yoga again once he understood what would be expected of him in the class. I could so feel his pain. At that point I felt that I had to do somethingit was a Houston, we have a problem moment. How do I fix this? How can I help? I thought. I never want someone to feel like that guy did in that yoga class. This book is for people like him.

My philosophy when it comes to yoga and, honestly, when it comes to most of the things I do in life, is to keep it simple. My motto in my classes is safe, fun, and effective. Yoga is such a great exercise/workout for anyone; whether you are a couch potato, a weekend warrior, or a professional athlete, you will benefit from doing some yoga. Im not trying to turn you into a member of Cirque du Soleil. You will see resultseven if you just do yoga at home for 10 minutes a few times a week, you will see added muscle tone, flexibility, and possibly even an attitude adjustment. You dont have to give up your job, your sport, or anything that you love to do to go sit on a mountain and chant; thats not what this book is about. What it is about is showing you some simple poses that will take away muscle aches, alleviate pain, and help you calm your mind. I just want you to be able to live your life or play your chosen sport without injuries, aches, and pains. You might fall in love with yoga or you might not. What you will love is how it makes you feel when youre finished. I know taking a yoga class can be intimidating; I have been practicing for a long time, and its still intimidating to me. That was the catalyst to starting my business, YAS Fitness Centers, creating my own style of yoga called Yoga for Athletes, and writing The No OM Zone!

This book takes a very practical, no-nonsense look at a 5,000-year-old practice and explains how it applies in the 21st century. I decided to call this book The No OM Zone because chanting Om during a class was one of the first things that turned me off yoga. If this happened to you, I am hoping you will give me a chance to reintroduce you to the amazing physical benefits of this practice. Among some of the benefits youll discover: increased longevity; the ability to stay in the game no matter what your sport; and stress reduction, which in this fast-paced society is an extremely useful tool. With a simple head-to-toe approach, I break down the benefits of yoga for each major muscle group. Ill give you modifications and suggestions for common injuries and different sports. The goal is to keep you injury-free so you can do what you love for as long as you want. Some of the sports-related benefits of doing yoga are improved range of motion, increased muscle strength, and reduced post-workout soreness and muscle fatigue, which all add up to a big dose of injury prevention. Even if youre not an athlete, you can also experience improved posture, body awareness, circulation, energy level, relaxation, and stress relief. One of the main goals of this book is to get past the yoga stigma, that is, its a religion, a cult, or just for the chosen few who can twist themselves into pretzels. The goal of The No OM Zone is not just to expose the masses to yoga (because at this point, who hasnt heard of yoga?) but to teach you how to use yoga to your benefit even if youre not into all the chanting, Sanskrit, and granola.

This book will also prepare you to feel comfortable and confident, like a pro, before you even walk into your first yoga class. Youll find the answers to burning questions I get asked all the time, such as:

• What should I wear, or not wear, to my first yoga class?
• Should I buy a yoga mat?
• How do you find the right class?

Ill also break down the different styles of yoga to help you identify what type of yoga best suits your personality and needs. Yoga is a multifaceted practice, and different styles produce different results. Ill help you find the one thats right for you.

T he general attitude from people who dont do yoga, and even from some people who have tried a yoga class, is that its a religion or a cult or only for people who can turn themselves into pretzels. Yoga can be very elitist, and off-putting, for the regular person on the street. This book is for those who have heard of yoga but havent given it a try, or for those who have tried a class and thought, This just isnt for me. Believe me, I can feel your pain, but I want you to give me a chance to change your mind. Dont worry, Im not going to try to turn you into a pretzelin fact, this is a no pretzel zone. I dont want you to change your whole lifestyle, or to go sit on a mountaintop and chant! I just want you to be able to play your sport or live your life without injuries, aches, and pains.

Chanting is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, such as Om, which is used as part of many religious rituals. Its very common in some of the more traditional yoga studios to chant in class. There is nothing wrong with chanting, if you subscribe to the spiritual side of yoga. However, for the purposes of this book, we are delving into the physical practice of yoga called Hatha Yoga.

One of the misconceptions about yoga is that its for hippies. Hippies are known for eating granola and wearing Birkenstock sandals. Yoga isnt just for hippiesits for everyone.