While working in private equity in Hong Kong, American Will Thierbach realised he needed a lifestyle intervention, discovering yoga in the process.
Hong Kong was quiet…unusually so. Every day since I moved to Hong Kong from the U.S., nearly six months prior, was bustling to the point of chaos. I loved the chaos…surprisingly, the quiet, too.
I didn’t love feeling out of shape and overweight compared to every other person I encountered on my daily commute down and back up through MidLevels. A lifelong athlete, I never considered myself unhealthy, but at 1.75m and 88kg, the steep hills, unrelenting humidity, and oppressive heat were taking a toll. I needed to do something.
I joined local fitness behemoth Pure, planning to engage a personal trainer. I did. I hated it. My trainer, despite my very clear brief to the contrary, was focused on bulk and strength. I wanted lean muscle mass and flexibility.
When I joined Pure, I opted for the “everything plan.” The two choices were access to one specific gym only, or access to them all. I chose “all” because there was a location just 10 minutes from my flat and another one co-located with my Two IFC office complex. I figured I’d use them both regularly, which I did.
With the everything plan came unlimited yoga, whether you wanted it or not. I made note of that when signing the contract, but it wasn’t a factor in my decision as I was focused on establishing a new personal training regimen.
A brief segue…in the late 90s and 00s, I was the guy who kept Groupon afloat by purchasing and never redeeming those amazing offers…one of my favorites was for a month of unlimited yoga classes for $20. Seemed like a no-brainer. All I needed to do was go to a class…which I never did.
Circle back to that surprisingly quiet, damp, chilly, late January day, 2012. It was the start of the Chinese New Year, and the city was empty. Lamenting my failed personal trainer experience I decided it was time to cash in those Groupons and try a yoga class.
After a few minutes online, I discovered that Pure had a yoga studio in the Centrium building, barely a 10-minute walk from my flat. I navigated the scheduling app and signed up for two classes, back-to-back. Hatha 1 and Hot Flow.
Maybe not the smartest move I’ve ever made as the hot class almost killed me, but I was hooked.
Over the next six months I averaged five to eight classes per week, most of them in hot rooms. I changed my diet, dropped 14kg, and bought three new tailored suits.
It’s hard to describe how encompassing yoga is regarding overall health and wellness. By simply moving your own body weight through standing, sitting, and floor postures you’re able to address every joint and muscle group. You can even manipulate your internal organs. If you can’t touch your toes, it doesn’t matter…push yourself to your limit in any pose and you will reap the physical benefits.
The physicality of yoga surprised me. I believe in the spiritual and holistic benefits, but for me the practice was just brutal and beautiful physical exertion…the best and most vigorous workout I ever experienced, period.
Over time you improve. You get stronger quickly. You gain flexibility. You sleep better You crave healthy foods. You build better habits.
Yoga is hard…very hard. Like anything difficult in life, you will benefit from both the pursuit and the achievement. With yoga, you will fail, fall, flail, and flex in ways you didn’t think possible. You will change emotionally and physically. You will feel healthy.
I was 48 when I took my first yoga class and I wish I had started when I was 8. That said, I learned that it really doesn’t matter how old, how fit, how strong, or how skeptical you are…just give it a try and thank yourself later.
Namaste.
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