Yoga for midlife

Once considered a “fringe activity,” yoga is now as common as jogging. But unlike the hazards of jogging for those of us over 40, yoga is viewed as unquestionably good for women — improving flexibility, strength and calmness.

While it’s true yoga can help achieve all those desirable things, as you get older you may need to retool your approach.

One of the smartest modifications is pacing. Just because rapid-fire sun salutes (common to the popular Ashtanga style) make you break a sweat, that doesn’t mean it’s the best type of yoga for you. As Sheila Miller, a certified Kripalu yoga teacher based in Toronto, points out, Ashtanga was “designed for teenage boys.”

Miller recommends the slower forms of yoga such as Kripalu, Anusara, Iyengar — or the “umbrella” style, hatha. They may seem like child’s play to the so-called pretzel people, but there are other skills — and benefits — involved in practising these more moderate styles. “By holding postures for longer, you are taking care of the joints by building strength,” she says. “The faster pace and momentum of Ashtanga gives less opportunity to correct poor alignment. And the repetition of poor alignment weakens vulnerable areas — power yoga risks greater numbers of injuries.”

Miller counsels women to combine yoga home practice with a good teacher. Yoga was designed to prepare you for meditation. And even if you never get to a single “om,” the physical state induced by a slower yoga practice is valuable. Think everything from improved sleep and digestion to better decision-making — not, it should be noted, typical concerns for teenage boys!