Why Myths Keep People Off the Mat
Yoga is practiced by 300+ million people worldwide. And yet, millions more never try it — because of myths.
“I’m not flexible enough.”
“Yoga is a religion.”
“It’s just stretching.”
“It’s for women.”
“You can’t build muscle.”
“It’s too slow.”
“I need to be vegetarian.”
These myths are not just wrong. They are barriers. They keep people from experiencing one of the most complete, accessible, and transformative practices available to the human body and mind.
At Om’s Martial Arts & Fitness Studio, we hear these myths every week. From prospective students, from skeptical friends, from martial artists who think yoga is “soft.” So we decided to address all 15 in one place — honestly, with facts, and without judgment.
[↑ Back to: The Complete Guide to Power Yoga]
The Myths
Myth 1: “You need to be flexible to do yoga.”
The Myth: If you can’t touch your toes, don’t bother.
The Fact: Flexibility is the result of yoga, not a prerequisite. Saying “I’m too inflexible for yoga” is like saying “I’m too dirty to take a shower.” You practice yoga to become flexible. Every pose has a modification. Blocks, straps, bent knees — these are not “cheating.” They are tools that let you practice at your level.
At Om’s, our most flexible students were once our stiffest. They started where you are. And they showed up. Again and again.
Verdict: Complete myth. You start where you are.
Myth 2: “Yoga is a religion.”
The Myth: Yoga is Hindu. You have to chant, worship, and believe in Indian gods.
The Fact: Yoga originated in India and has philosophical roots in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. However, yoga is a practice and philosophy, not a religion. There is no deity, no scripture, no worship, no conversion required.
The physical practice (asanas), the breathing (pranayama), and the mindfulness (dhyana) are secular tools for health and well-being. People of all faiths and no faith practice yoga — Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, atheists, agnostics.
At Om’s, we use Sanskrit pose names (cultural respect) and brief philosophical context (educational). We do not chant, worship, or proselytize.
Verdict: Complete myth. Yoga is a practice, not a religion.
Myth 3: “Yoga is just stretching.”
The Myth: It’s not a real workout. You just lie down and stretch.
The Fact: Hold a Plank for 90 seconds. Hold Warrior II for 90 seconds. Hold Chaturanga for 30 seconds. Hold Chair Pose for 60 seconds. Do 5 rounds of Surya Namaskar at a fast pace.
Now tell me it’s “just stretching.”
Power Yoga is a full-body workout: strength (bodyweight resistance), flexibility (dynamic and static stretching), balance (single-leg poses), cardio (continuous flow), and core (every pose). A 75-minute class burns 400-600 calories.
Verdict: Complete myth. Power Yoga is a complete workout.
Myth 4: “Yoga is only for women.”
The Myth: It’s a women’s activity. Men don’t do yoga.
The Fact: Yoga was developed and practiced by men for most of its 5,000-year history. The great yogis — Patanjali, Krishnamacharya, K. Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar — were all men.
Today, approximately 30-40% of yoga practitioners globally are men. Professional athletes (LeBron James, Novak Djokovic, Ryan Giggs), military special forces, and martial artists all train yoga.
At Om’s, approximately 40% of our Power Yoga students are men — martial artists, office workers, athletes, and beginners.
Verdict: Complete myth. Yoga is for everyone.
Myth 5: “You can’t build muscle with yoga.”
The Myth: Yoga makes you flexible but not strong. You need weights for muscle.
The Fact: Yoga builds lean, functional muscle through bodyweight resistance. Every pose is a strength exercise:
- Plank → core, shoulders, arms
- Chaturanga → chest, triceps, core (it’s a push-up)
- Warrior poses → quads, glutes, shoulders
- Chair Pose → quads, glutes, core
- Boat Pose → abs, hip flexors
- Arm balances → arms, wrists, core
You will not build bodybuilder mass. But you will build visible tone, real strength, and functional capability.
Verdict: Myth. Yoga builds lean, functional muscle. For maximum hypertrophy, add gym training.
[→ Related: Power Yoga for Strength – Build Muscle Without Weights]
Myth 6: “Yoga is too slow / boring.”
The Myth: It’s just sitting and breathing. Nothing happens.
The Fact: Power Yoga is not slow. The continuous vinyasa flow builds heat, elevates the heart rate, and challenges strength and endurance. You will sweat. You will shake. You will feel it the next day.
If your experience of yoga was a gentle Hatha class where you held poses for 5 minutes, that is one style. Power Yoga is dynamic, athletic, and challenging. Try it before you judge.
Verdict: Myth. Power Yoga is fast, strong, and sweaty.
Myth 7: “You need to be vegetarian to do yoga.”
The Myth: Yoga requires a vegetarian or vegan diet.
The Fact: Traditional yoga philosophy includes ahimsa (non-violence), which some interpret as vegetarianism. However, there is no dietary requirement for practicing yoga. You do not need to be vegetarian, vegan, or follow any specific diet.
At Om’s, we do not prescribe any diet. We encourage balanced nutrition that supports your practice and your health. What you eat is your choice.
Verdict: Myth. No dietary requirement. Eat what works for your body.
Myth 8: “Yoga is expensive.”
The Myth: You need fancy clothes, an expensive mat, and a pricey studio membership.
The Fact: All you need for yoga is a mat and space. A basic mat costs ₹1,000-3,000. You can practice in your living room, a park, or a terrace. YouTube and apps offer free classes.
At Om’s, the first trial class is free. Monthly memberships are comparable to a gym membership. You do not need Lululemon leggings. You need comfortable clothes and a willingness to breathe.
Verdict: Myth. Yoga is one of the most affordable fitness practices.
Myth 9: “Yoga will fix all my problems.”
The Myth: Yoga is a cure-all. Back pain, anxiety, insomnia, relationship issues — yoga fixes everything.
The Fact: Yoga is powerful, but it is not magic. It reduces stress, improves flexibility, builds strength, and enhances mental health. But it does not replace:
- Medical treatment for serious conditions
- Therapy for severe anxiety, depression, or trauma
- Professional advice for financial, legal, or relationship issues
Yoga is a complement to a healthy life, not a replacement for professional care.
Verdict: Partially true. Yoga helps with many things. But it is not a cure-all.
Myth 10: “You need to practice for an hour every day.”
The Myth: If you can’t do 60 minutes daily, don’t bother.
The Fact: 15 minutes daily is more effective than 90 minutes once a week. Consistency matters more than duration. A 15-minute morning flow (Surya Namaskar + Pigeon + Savasana) produces measurable benefits over 4 weeks.
At Om’s, we recommend 3× per week for beginners. Daily practice is ideal but not required.
Verdict: Myth. 15 minutes daily beats 90 minutes weekly.
Myth 11: “Yoga is not for older people.”
The Myth: Yoga is for young, flexible bodies. At 50 / 60 / 70, it’s too late.
The Fact: Yoga is one of the best practices for older adults. It improves balance (reducing fall risk), maintains joint mobility, builds bone density, reduces blood pressure, and improves sleep. Chair yoga and gentle yoga are specifically designed for seniors.
We have students at Om’s from 16 to 70. The practice is adapted to every body, every age, every limitation.
Verdict: Complete myth. Yoga is for every age.
Myth 12: “You need to empty your mind.”
The Myth: Meditation means “thinking nothing.” If you have thoughts, you’re doing it wrong.
The Fact: The goal of meditation and mindfulness is not to empty the mind. The mind thinks. That is its job. The goal is to notice when the mind wanders and gently return to the breath. Every return is a “rep” for your attention muscle.
The wandering IS the practice. Not the absence of thought.
Verdict: Myth. You don’t empty the mind. You observe it.
Myth 13: “Yoga will make you too flexible / loose-jointed.”
The Myth: All that stretching will damage your joints and make you hypermobile.
The Fact: Properly progressive yoga strengthens joints, improves range of motion, and reduces injury risk. Hyper-mobility injuries occur from forced, improper stretching — not from structured yoga practice.
At Om’s, instructors ensure that students stretch within their safe range and build strength at end-range (Warrior poses, balances) to stabilize the new flexibility.
Verdict: Myth. Proper yoga protects joints, not damages them.
Myth 14: “Yoga is only for flexible, thin people.”
The Myth: You need a “yoga body” — thin, flexible, young.
The Fact: There is no “yoga body.” Yoga is for every body — fat, thin, tall, short, young, old, flexible, stiff, able-bodied, differently-abled. The practice adapts to you. You do not adapt to the practice.
The image of a thin, flexible woman in a perfect pose is a marketing stereotype, not a reality. The reality is a 55-year-old man in Chair Pose, shaking, sweating, and smiling.
Verdict: Complete myth. Every body is a yoga body.
Myth 15: “Once you stop, you lose everything.”
The Myth: If you take a break, all your flexibility and strength disappear.
The Fact: Flexibility and strength fade without practice, but they do not vanish. A student who practiced for 2 years and takes a 6-month break will regain their level much faster than a complete beginner. The body remembers.
More importantly, the habits — the awareness, the breathing, the mindfulness — tend to persist even after a break. Once you learn to breathe consciously, you don’t forget.
Verdict: Myth. Skills fade but do not vanish. The foundation is permanent.
The Bottom Line
Yoga is not a religion. It is not a performance. It is not a competition. It is not only for the flexible, the thin, the young, or the female.
It is a practice. A practice of showing up, breathing, moving, and noticing. A practice that meets you where you are — stiff, stressed, skeptical, or scared — and says:
“That’s okay. Just breathe. Just move. Just show up.”
The best way to debunk a myth is to try the thing yourself.
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[→ Read the Complete Guide to Power Yoga]
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Om’s Martial Arts & Fitness Studio – Don’t believe the myths. Believe the experience. Step on the mat. Breathe. Decide for yourself.