Making the connection between On the Mat and Off 

the Mat

Just like any discipline, sport or path we choose to take, there are lessons, challenges, light bulb moments that happen which we know affects positively or negatively with the outside world.

It's knowing what these moments are and this happens by becoming more aware of ourselves throughout our daily life.

"I was Meditating one day and I just wanted to get out of it. I asked myself why and then began realising I'm escaping other areas of my life" Adam, Life Grip

One of the reasons I love Yoga is that you learn so much about yourself on the Mat during practice, but then it seems to just flow into your daily life and you continue learning. Things seem to just pop up and you keep on having these 'ah-ha' moments and have moments of progression.

Not only does progress make up happy, but then just this alone spreads to other areas of your life and well...you just become happier.

What are you learning in your chosen discipline that leaks into other areas of your life?

There have been countless times where I have been hesitant to move further into a pose or even just try the pose. My teacher would say "don't think, just do it!"

My teacher was right, as when I wouldn't think about it and just do it, I would surprise myself 9 times out of 10 and experience that positive feeling of progress and overcoming a piece of fear that was making me hesitant. Me being hesitant was actually preventing me from future growth.

So now the question is; "Where else am I hesitant in my life off the mat, preventing my growth and missing opportunities?"

It's almost like an accelerated form of self-development as during Asana's (poses) & Meditation these major points are highlighted and now Yoga has provided a priceless gift of presenting the things that could be holding you back. It also presents to you your strengths.

"An accelerated form of self-development"



Yoga is so much more than just the Asana's

Stretching and Mobility, Increasing your strength, focusing your mind, increasing lung capacity and helping to detoxify your body are all benefits that Yoga provides.

I initially began Yoga for increasing my range of motion and calming my mind as I have always been drawn to it. But now since practicing Yoga the biggest thing it provides is those 'Ah-ha' moments and continued learning about myself on the mat and off the mat.


"Create space to move/progress further into the pose"

Creating space with the breath in a Yoga pose so you can move/progress into it further is something I took off the mat into the outside world immediately. All too often we can find ourselves feeling like we're stuck in a rut and worse at the end of the rut with nowhere to go. Sometimes to get out of that feeling, space needs to be created to move into.

Breathe, create space and move into that space, repeat.

Yoga can provide so much more than stretching and mobility. Allowing yourself the time and space to go along to a class and see what happens to you. The beauty of Yoga is you'll get what you need out of it. By putting yourself into positions you never thought were possible, very quickly you learn more and more about yourself.

The first thing I noticed was a sense of calm and an increased sense of focus. I was just generally happier and more at ease in everyday life. In the Yoga Asana's there is a strong focus on alignment, ensuring you're in the right position to get maximum benefits and eliminate the risk of injury. How often in our life off the mat do we prepare things correctly, including the alignment of our true selves to an ultimate goal to gain maximum benefit and reduce or eliminate risk?

"I increased my Lung Capacity. This benefit just speaks for itself" - Adam, Life Grip

I remember I damaged my knee skydiving and couldn't run for 12 weeks. I began my Yoga Teacher Training Course towards the end of that 12 weeks and it helped my knee for sure. But what happened next was just amazing and still blows me away to this day.

There is a hill near my home I would take my dog up and I'd try and run the whole hill to the top and could never get there. I could only get half way up. Once I finished my Yoga Teacher Training, I gave the hill a shot first go, now keep in mind I had not run for 12 weeks or more now. I managed to get 3/4 of the way to the top and 2 days later I tried again and made it all the way to the top.

What had happened was not that I was stronger or anything Like that, but from the Yoga Teacher Training I expanded my thoracic region (muscles around my rib cage which expand and contract with each breath) and I was now able to take in more oxygen. It wasn't that my lungs were bigger, but now my lungs were able to expand more as I'd created space for them to move into.

If breathing muscles are too tight, it can restrict your lung capacity which reduces that life-giving oxygen that needs to be flowing through your body.

Here are the benefits I receive from Yoga. You may experience a list completely different as Yoga will only provide what you need;

  • Increased Lung Capacity
  • Reduced Stress
  • A sense of calmness through my daily life
  • An accelerated form of self-development
  • Increased focus
  • Higher quality of emotions
  • Gives me joy
  • Increased Strength
  • Increased Range of Motion
  • Better Stability and Stronger joints
  • Better Balance and Coordination
  • Better Mental Health
  • A tool I can use anywhere, anytime...priceless

Go find something in your life which is priceless, you can do anywhere, anytime, fills you with joy and optimises and benefits other areas of your life.

Hey, it may not be Yoga, so use this as a guide to look into your chosen discipline and seek out the ways it teaches you in ways that Yoga teaches me. If you look, it will be there.

Eat Clean, Think Clean and Live Clean, your body changes, your mind thinks better, you handle stress and challenges better and are more driven and motivated as your energy levels have increased along with your mental clarity. You now begin to look at other areas of your life and how you can enhance them.

Share your experience with changes in your diet, I would love to hear!

Don’t Forget to share!

Eat, Think & Live Clean.

Kind Regards

Adam Phillips – Founder of Life Grip

Need help?