Tyler Ardron’s Wellbeing fix – Yoga

We caught up with Gallagher Chief Tyler Ardron on what he does to get his wellbeing fix on a weekly basis and his answer is Yoga. Check out what Tyler had to say below around giving yoga a go and then join him for a yoga session.

When did you start yoga?
In 2009 I started yoga. It was offered to all varsity athletes at the university I attended in Canada. It was a weekly thing I would go to and I found it was making me feel better so from there it just really took off.

What inspired you to give yoga a go?
Even before I started yoga at university my mum had begun practicing it. While I was at university, she did her teacher training so I would say that having her there to always remind me how much I liked it and the how good it was for me was my biggest inspiration.

I could never have a conversation about yoga without mentioning Ana Chidzoy though. When I moved to Wales I was searching for somewhere to take my practice and she had the perfect spot. The classes were everything I loved and still to this day is one of the best teachers I have ever had the privilege of coming across.

Why did you start doing yoga?
I think I started because I had heard it would be good for my muscles. It also just seemed like something fun to do with my friends.

Do you have any qualifications?
In 2017 I got my teacher training qualification from the British School of Yoga. It took me a long time working it in around rugby and I had some people help along the way that I am very grateful for.

What are the benefits of yoga?
There are so many benefits of yoga it is always hard to list just a couple. The number one thing I get from it is the stillness of the mind. I think everyone just wants to be going non-stop in our society and always worrying about what’s next or if what I'm doing is good enough. Just being present and on your mat is enough with yoga and slowing your thoughts down to be in the moment really takes some work. When you can get to this stage the magic really happens and all the other benefits start to come along.
That being said, if you just want to stretch or strengthen you muscles it can definitely give you those physical benefits as well.

How does yoga help you with your rugby?
I have been lucky enough to play a lot of rugby games every year thanks to keeping the body bendable and durable. I can also really let things roll off my back and smile in the face of pressure because I have been able to control my mind a lot better than if I hadn't done yoga.

How often do you do yoga?
I try to do yoga every day. It's pretty rare that I don't get on the mat, even if it's just for 20 minutes. I get to as many classes as possible at Ara studios as well.

What is your favourite yoga move and why?
Savasana is the best posture for sure! Just lying there and being still can't be beat. It has taken a lot of years to learn to love this and now it just keeps getting better.

What is your favourite type of yoga and why?
It is really hard to pick a favourite but I would have to say Vinyasa is my favourite. You can gain the most freedom and you can really lose yourself with a good playlist and some proper breathing. When I am able to, I always try to get to the Vinyasa class followed by Yin to really relax.