Yoga is a physical practice that has continued to develop over the past four decades. You have heard many things about it and in particular that it is a very beneficial practice for health. Also, you would be tempted to start the practice of yoga. Only you hesitate because you are 60 years old or more and you wonder if it is a good idea. Our article answers all your questions.
You can't approach the question of starting yoga at 60+ quite the same way depending on whether you already practice another physical practice or not.
If you are in a dynamic that leads you to hiking, gentle gymnastics, swimming, water aerobics, or another sport, learning the basics of yoga will not put you in difficulty.
On the other hand, if you have until now been rather absorbed by your professional activity to the point that it left you little time for leisure or sports activities, it is in your interest to take stock of your health with your doctor. .
Rare are the cases of contraindication to the practice of yoga. In any case, it is very likely that you will be asked for a medical certificate for course registration. This is a generalized precaution, primarily driven by legal protection concerns.
If you suffer from a particular pathology or some slight physical disorder, it is advisable to mention them to the yoga teacher. You are never forced to take a particular posture. Yoga is a discipline that does not aim for performance. But knowing that you suffer from a knee or a shoulder will allow the teacher to understand why you are not taking the posture and even to offer you alternative movements.
Depending on where you live, the offer in yoga classes can vary considerably. In small provincial towns, the offer is smaller and the teachers do not have enough students to afford to organize lessons by level or age. The courses therefore mix ages (over 18) and young adults can mix with older people. However, from a certain level of population, in medium cities and beyond, yoga studios can offer yoga classes for seniors.
Generally open from the age of 50, these courses have adapted approaches. The precautions are greater there and the postures more circumscribed. We can even offer accessories, such as a brick or a strap, to help you adopt a posture. The pace is generally slower there and you are not likely to feel overwhelmed.
Depending on your temperament, such a framework can be reassuring in the face of the unknown of the discovery of a new physical practice. However, find out if it is a senior level course for beginners or an advanced level. Some big studios can make a difference. Finally, if your state of health is good, your main characteristic is to be beginner much more than being “senior”.
If you have a character that tends towards the search for perfection or that leads you to easily compare yourself to others, it can also be beneficial to get your bearings in a course that is homogeneous in level and age. We observe people get discouraged quite quickly when they find that they are not able to take the postures as well as others. It is not in the spirit of yoga to welcome any experience, whatever it may be.
Keep in mind that it takes time and perseverance to see changes, because yoga leads to deep and lasting changes.
There are several kinds of yoga. Some teachers specify that they teach Vinyasa Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga… while others only specify “yoga”. This is the case in an associative environment where you often sign up for a yoga class without really knowing what it is exactly.
Moreover, even when several teachers practice the same yoga, they each have their own energy, and the classes differ a lot depending on the personality. The voice is also a factor that can matter a lot for some people, especially for relaxation times.
Also, it is advisable to do one or two trial lessons, without obligation, to make sure that the practice meets your expectations.
Yoga is a practice that calls for self-presence and awareness of movement. The postures are taken gently, in coordination with the breath. It is this very particular work of self-awareness and bodily mobilization in the breath that leads to the discovery of its inner mechanisms, and which leads to the understanding that the body is not to be forced to thank you but that it must be respected. in its history and within its limits.
So you understand that being flexible or not is hardly important. If you are naturally flexible, you will have the pleasure of taking certain postures that are less accessible to people who are not. But flexibility also has drawbacks. Insofar as the felt is essential, flexibility can limit awareness of movement. Yoga simply calls for building the right posture, that is to say the posture that you can take according to your possibilities in the moment.
If you are aiming to improve your flexibility, yoga is a good choice. With age, the muscles tend to retract, putting enormous strain on the tendons. But, the most annoying thing is that the joints lose range of motion. However, the simple fact of regularly and fully mobilizing your body will allow you to regain your joint mobility. Know that yoga is the most complete physical practice.
If you are one of those with a medical contraindication or a physical condition that greatly limits your movements, preventing you from lying on the floor, for example, there is chair yoga.
Postural work is done in connection with a chair that helps you maintain balance in standing postures or to work on stretching in an equivalent way to postures while sitting on the ground or lying on your back. A simple chair turns out to be quite an amazing work support!
For those who have the financial means, yoga in private lessons is also an interesting alternative to group lessons because the teacher builds tailor-made sessions, according to your personal problems.
Postural yoga is a physical practice that limits the effects of aging. The body wears a lot if you don't use it. When we get older, the pain limits the possibilities of movement more and more each day. However, yoga invites you to push the movement to its limits, to get a little bit of pain while staying in a completely manageable area. The benefits in terms of the circulation of energy in the body are felt from the first session. Scientific studies have also shown that the practice of yoga soothes pain related to osteoarthritis, tension problems or even insomnia.
The anxieties, anxiety and other mental tensions associated with advancing age can be considerably relieved with yoga. By working on the concentration skills, we limit the problems of mental ruminations. Mobilizing the body also improves morale.
So don't really hesitate to discover yoga, whatever your age:the wide distribution of this practice shows that it is much more than a simple fad!
