"Shaking in response to tremendous effort has also been normalized in a lot of the yoga classes I've taken, albeit without the gritty 'pain is gain' subtext."
"I was really not okay with the public quaking of my body. Particularly when I was practicing in yoga studios with mirrors, I could feel the reddening of my cheeks."
"I tried to assuage my embarrassment by reminding myself what several teachers had repeatedly assured me—that shaking means I'm getting stronger."
"On top of all this self-consciousness, I couldn't reconcile another commonly issued piece of yoga teacher advice—to find ease in a pose—with the experience of battling my body."
Muscle shaking during physical activities like Pilates and yoga is often normalized and viewed as a sign of effort. Many instructors encourage this trembling as an indication of strength. However, the experience can lead to self-consciousness, especially in environments with mirrors. The contrast between personal struggle and the seemingly solid forms of others can amplify feelings of inadequacy. Despite reassurances from teachers, reconciling the idea of finding ease in poses with the physical challenge of shaking remains difficult for many practitioners.
Read at Yoga Journal
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