There are many ways to practice yoga so that you create a program that is most appropriate for you. Yoga includes breath work, meditation and physical poses or asanas. If we define "older women" as older than 40, yes, they can learn how to do more difficult yoga poses. Both athletic and non-athletic women can benefit from yoga. That said, the approach to a yoga practice must include mastering beginner poses before doing more advanced poses to prevent injury.
Start with Standing Poses
The most common physical issues that women older than 40 encounter may be menopause, weight gain or limited time to practice yoga. For these reasons, it is important to get medical clearance to start any new kind of exercise program.
Hatha yoga refers to any physical practice of yoga. A beginner might start with standing poses that are easiest to learn and help with correcting posture. Mountain pose, Warrior One pose, and Chair pose are good examples of asanas that build strength and balance.
Ashanga, Power, Vinyasa Yoga for Athletes
If you are athletic, you will have the advantage of being more self confident in your physical strength and this can help you learn yoga as a beginner. Ashtanga, power, vinyasa, "flow" yoga styles combine vigorous poses that are linked in continuous movements appealing to athletes. Sun salutations include chatarangas that start in a push up position requiring upper body strength that athletic women of any age can muster fairly easily. Still, include Iyengar and restorative yoga to learn alignment and correct postural imbalances.
Lyengar Yoga Builds Strength
Less athletic women have many options for a robust yoga practice. Start with Iyengar yoga as it uses props including folding chairs, blocks, rope walls, blankets and bolsters to help you move into and sustain yoga asanas as you build physical strength and body confidence. For example, learning standing poses using a folding chair for triangle pose or using a rope wall for Downward Facing Dog will greatly increase your ability to physically feel what muscles are being active and these props provide stability to perform these poses.
Sample 20-Minute Yoga Practice
Emphasize regular practice to build an intelligent yoga practice. This means at least three times a week for even 20 minutes. In that time, you can start with a restorative pose such as Viparita Karani, proceed to One Sun Salutation, standing poses such as Warriors One and Two, Parsvokonasana and Tree pose. Include one backbend such as Bridge pose and a Seated Forward Bend with a folding chair at the wall. Last, return to lying on the back, with heels propped on the wall, eyes closed and covered in Viparita Karani.
Restorative Yoga
Every woman is different, but older women tend to safeguard their free time. If you commit to a regular yoga practice, you will make the most of it. Iyengar yoga is especially appropriate as it provides poses to build strength, poses to do during a menstrual cycle, for post-menopause and to help prevent osteoporosis. Noted yoga authors include Judith Hanson Lasater, who emphasizes the need to practice restorative poses or Savasana, or Corpse pose, to calm the central nervous system.
The idea is that if you are 40, 50 or older than 60, you can safely build up to an advanced practice, if that is appropriate for your health.
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