Ever gone to a yoga class halfway through and discovered that you need to fart? Or, even worse, you just did it? As humiliating as it may have been—farting, in reality, is a pretty common occurrence, even in a yoga class.
So, why do we fart when we’re doing yoga?
Why Does it Happen During a Yoga Class?
If you’re wondering why yoga sessions can stimulate farting, Health.com says: “Farting throughout the day and night is mostly a good thing; otherwise, the gas buildup can lead to painful bloating.” Excreting wind, in short, makes you feel better.
In the case of farting in a group yoga class, the reason can be one of the following:
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- Eaten lots of junk foods
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Pregnancy and postpartum recovery
- Dysfunction of Pelvic Floor Muscles
Apart from the list of reasons mentioned above as the cause of farting. There can even be other reasons behind farts and gas, like – food items [Carbs, Fizzy Drinks, Gluten, Dairy, Bean, and Lentils] you eat just before the practice.
4 Ways to Prevent Farting in a Group Yoga Class
Now you are aware of the cause, let’s take a look at the following ways to reduce or eventually prevent farting in a group yoga class:
1. Be mindful of your eating portions and speed.
Taking large food bites and chewing with your mouth open may cause you to take in more air, resulting in more air in your stomach. Excess gas can also be generated by eating too fast. So, make sure that you eat slowly and deliberately savoring each bite.
2. Avoid sugar-free gums and candies.
Many sugar-free items, such as gum and confectionery, contain sorbitol and xylitol as alternative sweeteners. They can be poorly absorbed by the small intestine and may cause constipation, gas, and bloating.
3. Attend an early morning lesson with a light stomach.
It is suggested to wait 3-4 hours after eating before doing yoga. Also, if you want to practice first thing in the morning, you should do it on an empty stomach.
We like to practice on an empty stomach since the energy required for digestion should not be diverted from our yoga practice. If we don’t give our bodies adequate time to digest, any bending or twisting will be exceedingly painful.
So, if you’re getting ready for your yoga class and you’re hungry, you can try nibbling on something light on your tummy.
4. Practice wind relieving yoga pose in privacy before the class
If all points failed above and you’re bloating already, there’s the last resort. Get to the yoga studio a few minutes early and practice these wind-relieving yoga poses when there’s nobody around. You can find some of these poses in our previous blog post here.
How to Embrace the Body’s Natural Behavior When It Happens?
When something embarrassing happens to you, you will likely focus too much on yourself and overlook other people’s behavior. Observers are likely to care about you more than you realize and to judge you less harshly than you think.
The researchers predicted that you could feel less humiliated by stepping outside of your perspective and thinking more like an observer.
Only when you feel farting in a group yoga class is normal, then others will also start to feel the same.
Finally, How to React to Farting in a Group Yoga Class with Humor?
If you don’t know how to ease the aura of your yoga class after a fart, here are a few cues for you:
- Make a poker face and cover your’ explosion of relief’ with a sneeze or cough instantly.
- Humorously point the finger at your classmate and throw them under the bus. You can also say, “Oh, it’s alright that happens to everybody.”
- If you have a dog in your group yoga class, blame the poor animal…well, cause nobody will judge them! 😉
The Takeaway
Flatulence and accumulation of gas are normal; and if it occurs during a yoga class that is actually a good sign that your practice is effective, so do not feel ashamed or embarrassed.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/yoga-farts
- https://yogamyoldfriend.com/8-ways-not-to-fart-in-your-next-yoga-class/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaFRZuBw9JM
- https://www.health.com/condition/digestive-health/what-farts-say-about-your-health
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gluten-free-foods
- https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/yoga-farts#is-it-normal
