If you think that you are too old to start yoga, then you’re wrong. For starters, yoga is considered ageless. This means that you can actually start practicing yoga regardless of your age. The thing is, you just need to choose the kind of yoga that will match your abilities.
If you decided to practice yoga later in life and started without much flexibility, there is nothing you need to worry about. With patience, persistence, and time, you can accomplish a great deal and become an expert in the future. It is also a great choice because it doesn’t need expensive equipment and can be practiced anywhere.
Are you ready to get started on yoga? We are too. Let’s go!
How to Get Started with Yoga
If you are just starting with yoga, you need to know the basics first, so you’ll understand it better. Yoga is a popular activity all over the world that incorporates breathing, movement, and meditation. You can enroll in a class or do it at home (but having a professional instructor is ideal).
Once you are enrolled, having your first yoga class might seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be daunting if you know what to expect. Typical yoga classes are 45 minutes to 90 minutes. It sometimes starts with a concentration on breathing, shifts to poses known as asanas for the majority of the lesson, and often finishes with meditation as a cool down.
You also need to somehow know these basic things when practicing yoga:
It focuses on breathing.
You can practice as many yoga poses as you want, but the exercise will not help the body if there is no deep breathing. Breathing is what allows energy to shift and what helps the body to be calm.
The already-stiff body that attempts to form itself into various poses would just damage itself. But when you breathe deeply, you can open yourself to experience more feeling and be more in tune with what’s going on in your body. Breathing deeply into yoga will potentially help you prevent injury.
There are various yoga poses.
Depending on the studio and the teacher, pose names can be referenced in Sanskrit or English, or a variation thereof. Aside from these, there are also poses by type, by anatomy, and by benefit.
Poses by Type
- Standing Yoga Poses
- Twist Yoga Poses
- Forward Bend Yoga Poses
- Arm Balance Yoga Poses
- Core Yoga Poses
- Yoga Backbends
- Strengthening Yoga Poses
Positions by Anatomy
- Positions for Your Abs
- Poses for Your Ankles
- Positions for Your Arms
- Poses for Your Glutes
- Positions for Your Hamstrings
- Poses for Your Hips
- Positions Your Lower Back
- Poses for Your Neck
Poses by Benefits
- Yoga for Anxiety
- Poses for Back Pain
- Yoga for Depression
- Poses for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Yoga for Headaches
- Poses for Menstruation
- Yoga for Neck Pain
There are different yoga equipment that you will need.
If you plan to start your yoga journey at 30, you should also familiarize yourself with some of the equipment you’ll use.
You’ll need mats, bolsters, blocks, and blankets. Although some studios and gyms typically provide all the equipment and props, you’d also want to buy your own just in case you want to practice yoga in your house.
Different Types of Yoga
As we mentioned above, you just need to choose the kind of yoga that will match your abilities.
Yoga classes come in a range of types, so it’s a good idea to learn and research a little about it. With this, even though you think you are starting yoga in your 30’s, you will have a piece of basic knowledge on what a particular type of yoga can offer.
Hatha
Hatha yoga is a yoga branch that generally comes to mind when you think about yoga in general. Training requires breathing, body, and mind. Classes typically require 45 minutes to 90 minutes of breathing, yoga poses, and meditation.
Vinyasa
Vinyasa is a type of yoga that is characterized by stringing postures together so that you can move from one to the other seamlessly, by breathing. Typically referred to as “flow” yoga.
The Vinyasa classes offer a variety of postures, and no two types are ever the same. The opposite will be fixed forms such as Bikram Yoga, which has the same 26 positions in each lesson, or Ashtanga, which has the same sequence every time.
Hot Yoga
Hot yoga is a vigorous style of yoga practiced in a hot, humid studio. There are several kinds of hot yoga courses. During the Bikram form of hot yoga, the room is heated to approximately 105 F (40 C) and has a moisture content of 40%.
Iyengar
Iyengar yoga comes straight from the most ancient Hatha yoga tradition, but it has developed into an exact and simple form that modern practitioners easily understand. Much attention is paid to the poses’ technical synchronization to keep the mind pulled inward but still centered and linked to reality.
Kundalini
Kundalini yoga is a mixture of breathing, movement, and sound. It derives from the Sanskrit word kundal, which translates into coiled energy.
Reading and searching which type of yoga is best for you will help you enroll in a yoga class. Regardless of your age, there sure is a yoga type that you’ll benefit from.
Why You Should Practice Yoga in Your 30s
If you are not convinced yet, maybe knowing the benefits of yoga will help you change your mind. That is why we listed some of the many benefits of yoga in our body.
- Yoga will keep you sane. If you are in your 30s, you indeed have many more responsibilities than when you’re in your 20s. Life might be a little heavy, starts looking a little different, and things start changing emotionally. Good thing there is yoga, that will surely help you release your stress and calm your mind.
- It’s normal for men to shift their hormone levels as they grow older, go through hard times, or have children. This can mean a decrease in testosterone, and yoga can help curb the emotional swing that can come with that and its hair loss. Yoga is indeed beneficial.
- The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
The Bottom Line
There is no age limit when it comes to yoga. You can always start practicing it whether you are in your early 20s or late 30s. As long as you have the desire and discipline, you will surely be able to do it, and eventually, be good at it.
READ ALSO: Can I Teach Myself Yoga at Home?
