Those teachers who criticize my flexibility are invariably comparing me to females, never my mere-mortal male peers.

That lady with grade-A flexibility

• faces higher risk of injury. Chair yoga teacher told me many examples. I guess it’s rare to see an individual both very flexible and very strong.
• eg: she met many flexible (but not strong) women
• eg: Many athletes and dancers have injuries…. often push to their limit and over-stretch.
• may not be able to make a living as a yoga instructor, as Ankur could
• may not derive satisfaction and self-esteem from her superior flexibility
• may be poor in balancing, strength and endurance in yoga, not even considering endurance sports
• may not have so much willpower.
• is probably not going to win in any yoga competition, but why bother with competition? So why feel inferior to them?
• enjoys yoga just as I enjoy jogging. However, in terms of cardio fitness and weight improvement yoga is ineffective, so if I must choose I would rather have the jogging advantage than the yoga advantage.

My self-knowledge advantage helps me put up with the negative peer comparison and keep going on yoga.

I have hypolordosis (reduced lumbar lordosis). I once imagined that if I could surgically sever some connective tissue in my lower back, then I would be able to bend forward “like them”. However, whatever is too short in my lowerback is still vital for my body. I am grateful to that piece, when I can swim, cycle, climb stairs, jog, squat, twist, side-bend, sit-up…