Last Update: 3 December 2024
What do you notice first when looking at this photograph? Is it the perfect posture, strong body and remarkable flexibility of the female model, or maybe the dynamic lines, generous proportions and suggestion of clean efficiency offered by the BMW C Evolution? Either way, freedom of movement, clean living and high levels of agility are synergies that make the all-electric e-scooter a perfect fit for yoga devotee Ericka Wray.
Forget the outdated ‘no pain no gain’ concept of exercising. These days, many people are discovering yoga as a smarter way to long-term physical well-being. The benefits of training your body in this highly disciplined way are numerous and include stronger, more flexible muscles, greater energy, and increased ability to cope with the day-to-day stresses of modern life. For Canadian Ericka Wray, it was only after years spent as a ballet dancer that she found yoga and realised that exercise didn’t actually have to hurt!
“I started ballet at just three years of age after my grandmother noticed the joy I experienced dancing around the house,” she says. “I went on to special ballet academies and, driven by the motivation of touring the world as a professional ballet dancer, I was soon dancing and rehearsing six to eight hours a day. But after 18 years as a dancer, my body had truly had enough so at the tender age of 21 I made the most difficult decision in my life and ‘retired’ my dancing shoes.”
It was only after hanging up her pointe shoes that Ericka realized just how unhealthy and unnatural ballet had been for her body. For years she had assumed that it was normal to get out of bed with aches and pains every morning, but then she discovered yoga as a healthy and conscientious way to keep in shape. By strengthening her inner core and all muscle groups in a gentle and effective way, she has been able to benefit from the greater levels of agility, energy and concentration that yoga offers, and without the elements of competition and scrutiny associated with her former life as a ballet dancer.
“Yoga gets me grounded – it is a special time just for me when I can be ‘in the moment’,” Ericka confirms. “I don’t need to think about what still needs to be done today or tomorrow, or what I didn’t do yesterday, I can just be in the ‘here and now’. Yoga and meditation has taught me to listen to what my body and soul needs and it has created strength and flexibility – both physically and mentally – making it easier for me to deal with all the daily challenges the world has in store for me. I’d recommend it to everyone!”
So, one way to condition your body and mind is by practising yoga, or any exercise that offers you a feeling of overall well-being and the benefits of freedom of movement. These are the exact same qualities you get from riding the all-electric C evolution. BMW Motorrad calls it ‘modern movement’ and put simply, it’s the ability to move around the city quickly and efficiently, yet effortlessly, with zero-emissions and a big smile on your face. How’s that for wholesome, clean living?
Discover more about the benefits of yoga for all fitness levels at www.yogabasics.com and find out everything you need to know about BMW C Evolution urban mobility here.
