It is perhaps one of the most difficult stages of our lives. The coming-to-terms that occurs during the teenage years is a time of internal upheaval and change, not only physiologically but also mentally and emotionally. It marks a person's coming-of-age, positioning them for the life they will lead.
And while it is one of the most important formative steps on the way to adulthood, it is also one of the most precarious.
During this time, it is normal for teens to get swept up in the chaotic frenzy of adolescence and to become overwhelmed by their own turbulent changes. Some take to sports, others to brooding. Some bully relentlessly, others shop compulsively. Whether productively or unproductively, every teenager tries to alleviate the myriad tensions and confusions of adolescence.
This is where yoga comes in. As both a comprehensive exercise program and a form of emotional therapy, adolescents can use yoga as an effective means of balancing their rapidly changing bodies and countering teenage turmoil.
During the seven odd years of puberty, our bodies undergo huge changes. Hormonal floodgates open, causing muscles and sexual organs to develop, hair to grow, and our body alignment to mature into its adult configuration. Physiologically, these chaotic changes are hard on our bodies. Practicing yoga during this period helps stretch out the muscles, joints, and ligaments, keeping them supple and easing the tensions of rapid physical growth.
For young women, yoga can specifically help compensate for the changes their bodies are experiencing through sexual maturation. For example, the development of breasts tends to weaken back muscles and spinal joints with the added weight distributed to the front. Exercises that open the chest or bend the back can train one's body to rebalance the weight. Furthermore, and on a more delicate note, some poses can relieve the pain from menstrual cramps, easing the tensions that go along
with it.
For males, the development of muscle mass leads to strength training through weight lifting or sports. However, while this sort of exercise helps develop certain muscles, it neglects flexibility. It fails to work other muscle groups associated with joint mobility. The stretching poses of a yoga workout, therefore, are beneficial in correcting imbalances perpetrated by sports and strength training.
In this period of intense physiological change, puberty is naturally also accompanied by a turbulent transformation of our self-image. We become both aware of the changes and judgmental of them. We compare and fret about ourselves, resulting in an unstable and often negative self-concept.
Yoga's non-competitive approach allows practitioners to work at their own pace and engage at their own level without competition or comparison. Even in a full studio, yoga is a private practice. Its introspective nature helps us come to terms with our own bodies. Teenagers especially can benefit from this attitude by getting to know their bodies and being comfortable in them. In this way, yoga can help liberate adolescents from the self-doubt and emotional discomfort of such an unstable phase.
However, while adolescence is internally stressful, it is also the time in our lives when we have to start responding responsibly to external pressure. Our high school years fall squarely in the middle of puberty and demand a higher level of focus, attention and diligence than had been previously expected. Amidst wrestling with our own coming-of-age, we are expected to perform under pressure. It's tough, and high school drop-outs are not uncommon.
Practicing yoga can instill emotional and mental discipline. It teaches one to calmly focus on a task at hand and provides techniques to quiet nervous tension and the effects of stress. Breathing exercises and meditative practice can help master anxiety and doubt, thereby easing the weight of academic performance.
As maturing young adults, the pressure is on for us to start making our own way, to forge our path. While it is a necessary step that we all must undergo, it's far from easy. Hormonal imbalances and physiological upheaval make it difficult to cope with expectations. Self-doubt clouds our moods and reactions. We are a stranger in our own bodies - alienated by our changes. But we are not without recourse. Through yoga practice, we can develop tools and habits to counter the uncertainties of adolescence and ease our transition into adulthood.
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Posted on 28-07-2009 14:38
1. Tigerheadhooks
I wish someone had suggested that to me when I was going through that stage.
It's hard to express how to feel when you hear news of Michael Jackson's death. He was a world-renowned legend who contributed greatly to the music community and broke a lot of barriers for the African American community. 
As a body worker, this is a question that I share with my clients.
