Why Yoga Is Perfect For 40+ Male That Want To Start A Fitness Routine

One of my interest is to help people starting an exercise routine and maintain it. If you are men over 40 who is out of shape, Yoga could be your savior.

Most men at this age start experiencing stiff body, poor posture and lack stamina, daily activities become increasingly difficult, ranging from unable to tie shoelaces, balancing on single leg, playing with children or simply maintaining physical activities.

Yoga offers strength, flexibility and balance, and the wonderful thing is you can practice almost anywhere and anytime.

Flexibility

Flexibility diminish as we age, which lead to imbalance muscle tones and lack range of motion at the joint. Yoga counter this with mindful gentle stretching and strengthening of the muscle fiber, enhancing joint health and mobility. A few sets of these poses like Downward Facing Dog, Bow Pose, Cat-Cow and Seated Spinal Twist ( Lord of the Fish) are great starting point to improve your flexibility. All these poses can be practiced with props using chair and wall which make it more accessible to men over 40.

Balance

Have you find yourself easily losing balance when standing on one leg ? If you are then you are prone to fall as you get age. Yoga is great for improving posture and balance which help with control muscle tones and proprioception—the body’s ability to perceive its position in space. Maintaining balance is a complex task that requires coordination from your muscles, tendons, bones, eyes, ears and brain. The practice of yoga is about building concentration and awareness which makes it perfect for balance training. Holding your position in Tree Pose, Chair Pose, Warrior 3 or Half Moon Pose can build intense balancing strength and focus.

Strength

Dynamic yoga practice like flow offer movement in bodyweight is great for strength development. I love Sun Salutation A and B for most men over 40 which is easy enough practices that comprise of various poses in transition. While specific strength and endurance in gym is great, Sun Salutation flow is an easier and less time consuming alternative to improve strength, body composition and general body endurance. Research shows yoga can enhance overall physical strength with regular practice.

Embarking on a fitness journey can be daunting, especially if you're a man over 40 experiencing stiffness, poor posture, and dwindling stamina. However, yoga offers a holistic approach to improve not only flexibility, balance, and strength, but also mental well-being.

Thank you for reading. I hope to hear from you about any thoughts or questions that you have. Write to me at [email protected] or subscribe to my newsletter