Find Your Balance

Interview and pictures by Cate Hamilton.

I don't l know about you, but since having children I've been conscious of how powerful and amazing my body is, but also how tired and broken it can feel some days. I discovered yoga a couple of years ago and it has transformed my mindset and relationship with my body. I caught up with Tom Burlinson, yoga teacher and fitness coach, to chat about why yoga is so great for our long-term physical and mental health.

Tom shows us how to do dancer's pose.

Hey Tom, first of all, tell us how you got into yoga.

I've always been into fitness and sport. I swam from age 5 to 16 competitively and got colours for my school in swimming and badminton. I also did a bit of distance running, but noticed my body was stiffening up more as I got older. Seeking to do something about it, I decided to take my first yoga class at the age of 18. It was harder than I thought and I enjoyed it, so I dropped one of my circuits classes and started going to yoga twice a week. Without changing any of the rest of my routine I noticed that my running was faster and easier and I was much better at circuits, which was always a fun and competitive environment so I was both happy and surprised at the effect the yoga was having. I continued going to yoga on and off throughout university, mostly attending classes during the holidays at GL1 in Gloucester. I enjoyed the peaceful and focused nature of it too, as well as the benefits to my fitness and flexibility. Then when I finished my Masters in Chemistry in Bath I decided to train as a personal trainer and became a yoga teacher at the end of 2012.

What benefits has yoga brought to your other sporting pursuits?

I run sporadically, just when I feel like it, and last time I did a half marathon I had only run three times in the year before that, and not further than eight miles. Yoga has made my legs stronger for running and improved my stride length. Yoga breathing is also really good for general aerobic fitness so for my running and surfing it is great. When you get pinned under a wave when surfing it helps to find calmness which means you don't panic and use up your supply of oxygen! You can calm yourself right down and come up for air.

What are the mental health benefits of yoga?

When you're practising yoga you need to be physically mindful, and really concentrate on the poses, and this is really peaceful. It gives your mind time to allow thoughts to come in, maybe things you've not thought about for years, and then you can process them. It's that processing time, and the awareness it brings us in the midst of our busy lives, that is really beneficial. It's got me through some challenging times when going to a yoga class was a break from what was happening off my mat.

Is yoga a good choice for our long-term and sustained fitness?

Yes definitely. We can practise yoga right into our 90s, as it's sustainable and not competitive. You're not trying to be the best at it, just working to the right level for you. An office worker won't be as flexible as a professional dancer! It's great for fitness and health. There is an element of personal development which comes with the physical challenges, but it's a calm, chilled-out time. And if you have any little niggles, you can scale back a pose and listen to your body, and then go for it when you are ready.

So is yoga good for injuries?

Well, I'd be careful about prescribing yoga as a cure-all for injuries, because if you're not doing the right poses you can end up exacerbating injuries. What yoga does is increase the capacity of your tissue to deal with different forces. Yoga exposes you to different styles of forces, and this can help you prevent injuries. It will also improve your overall bodily awareness so you can actually move yourself how you want to. Don't overdo it – mix up some more physical practices so that you get a strong and tension-free body which in turn will help bring the mental benefits down the road. If you are holding extra tension in the body from bad posture it will probably hinder your ability to relax into a pose. Doing some more restorative styles like Yin or Hatha are important to let the body recover but not seize up.

Tom says yoga is good for our mental as well as physical health.

What advice would you give someone who has just had a baby and wants to take up yoga?

Firstly, make sure your abdominal muscles are knitting back together. You can do this yourself, or get it checked out professionally. Avoid abdominal crunches – your body has been through a lot! Start with a Hatha yoga class and then challenge yourself with some Ashtanga or Vinyasa flow as you feel more physically ready for it.

What are your top three tips for building a sustainable fitness routine?

1. Go to yoga! It is amazing for your long-term mental and physical health. The benefits cross over into everything. And afterwards go for a sauna, read a book, listen to a podcast, and keep the relaxation going.

2. Do specific strength training. Target a weakness and make it better. Don't just say, 'I have a bad back.' Work to improve it as much as you can now and you'll be glad you did later. Imagine not being able to play with your child because you didn't sort yourself out when you could have. It's a good long-term investment to work on these things now.

3. Find something you like. If you don't like something you won't keep it up. Not everyone liked PE at school. If you were traumatised by cross country then you're probably not going to be into running now. Find what you love, and do that. I go climbing once a week, just for me. I do bouldering (no ropes!) which makes me really focussed on what I'm doing physically so I don't fall off, and this clears my head too.

What else inspires you, Tom?

Cat Alip-Douglas is an amazing yoga teacher from London who runs sangyé yoga school and brings Buddhism into the real world and is a great inspiration to me. And Mikael Kristiansen who is a ridiculous hand balancer/circus artist from Norway and also origami artist!

So there you have it. Yoga can change your life.

I always thought this was really corny, but actually it's true for me so I am happy to stick with that one!

Follow Tom on Instagram @tomburlinsonyoga and Facebook /tomburlinsonyoga