When I started doing yoga as a kid, I always had tight hamstrings. It made some yoga poses very agonizing (I’m looking at you, forward fold). When I started taking a yoga class twice a week as an adult, I noticed that forward fold became easier over time and I was actually able to feel an improvement. Don’t get me wrong, it was still painful, but the fact that I was able to touch my toes for the first time was a big deal for me! As I continue to practice yoga, I’ve noticed that there are still poses that are painful, even though I’ve done them hundreds of times. Some days I try to touch my toes and won’t be able to, and I have to tell myself that it’s ok to not be in the same place every day. The most important thing is to accept the difficulty of these poses and continue to practice. Yoga always provides a challenge and a new perspective. Here’s some tips on how to embrace the painful yoga poses and notice your improvement as a yogi over time.

Breathe. Whether you are sweating through a hot yoga class or practicing Let It Go Yoga, breathing will always help you through a painful pose. It becomes way easier to just think about your inhale and your exhale. Before you know it, the pose will be over, and you’ll have stayed in the position the whole time!

Practice as often as you can. Before last year, I was never able to do a regular pushup or a yoga pushup. This made other yoga poses difficult, like holding plank pose and doing sun salutations. I knew that if I took the time to practice, I would eventually be able to get there. I decided to practice every day and it took some time but now I can do both types of pushups with less stress and pain. It also helped my other yoga postures flourish!

Don’t overdo it. You always want to take it to your edge in yoga, where you can feel the pose without going overboard. It might be compelling to push yourself a little bit further than you can actually go, but just know your limits and make sure that you gain the benefits of the pose without hurting yourself.

Treat every practice as an accomplishment. You made it to the mat! You took the time to practice, and while some days may feel better than others, you can still acknowledge that you took care of yourself and strived to do what was best for your body. Keep it up, and don’t let the painful poses stop your yoga practice!

Written by Emily Parsons, Certified Let It Go Yoga teacher.

Want to know more about Let It Go Yoga? Start here with our Diaphragmatic Breathing Video!