Flexibility Exercises Are An Important Part Of Any Well Rounded Fitness Programme.

Flexibility exercises become even more important as you get older and your joints become tighter and stiffer. Flexibility reduces the chance of suffering from back and joint pain and allow you to enjoy all the benefits of an active life.

There are many different forms of flexibility exercises such as Pilates, Tai chi and Yoga, all of which have significant benefits for mind and body. The following is an article written by my daughter who has travelled to many parts of the world (including India) studying and teaching yoga. She is presently in London where she gives private tuition, and also works for a company that promotes yoga events. Have a look at her photo and see what flexibility exercises can do for your body.

A Younger You with Yoga

Not just an flexibility exercise, the ancient art of yoga has the ability to help you stay younger and brighter, whatever your age.

According to yoga, age is determined by the flexibility of your spine and not the number of years you have lived. Yoga helps in slowing down the aging process by encouraging and maintaining elasticity in the spine. The spine is the conduit for our core nervous system and therefore organ function.

By maintaining a flexible spine and by strengthening the muscles that support good posture we not only make sure that we maintain a svelte figure and elegant appearance on the outside but, by good posture, we also encourage naturally good breathing, digestion and nervous system function.

A well oxygenated, fit and balanced body makes for firm skin, bright eyes, a sharp mind and great energy levels.

Sirsasana or headstand is reputed to be the strongest ‘anti-aging’ asana not only because of the increased circulation of blood and nutrients to the brain, which some physicians say is arguable, but rather, according to the ancient yoga masters, because of the reversal of gravity upon the inner organs.

The inverted postures, if done correctly and without stress, give the heart a rest and the lymph system a boost. The heart no longer works to pump blood against gravity and the lymph system which relies on movement for circulation is given a boost.

With regular practice inversions may also delay the onset of gray hair or convert gray hair back to its natural colour thereby making a person look younger.

Bow pose is another anti-aging exercise. The older a body gets, the more the upper back rounds and the chest caves in. Practicing back bends slows this process by opening the chest and shoulders, making the body look and feel younger. The result is a strong and supple body that can remain upright no matter what your age or condition.

I have been the student of several yoga teachers who, not only in terms of looks but also in terms of their vitality and youthful sense of being, are testament to the health and anti-aging benefits of a yoga lifestyle.

One teacher in particular deserves mention: I met Karen in Rishikesh, North India were I attended her Iyengar Teacher Training Programme. At 70 years of age she was able to perform and hold postures that were a challenge to even the most practiced of students, all more than half her age.

It must be mentioned however that even more then her physical strength, I was most attracted to Karen’s wonderful ability to interact and become friends with students of all ages; she didn’t just cross age barriers she seemed to dissolve them.

I have also met several accomplished yogis and saints, all of whom had remarkably youthful appearances and, particularly beautiful hands and feet. These yogis seemed to be ageless (you couldn’t place an age on them) I now know that many of them were in fact 70 years old and more and yet their inner-glow and radiant complexions show nothing of their age.

Flexibility exercises, and in particular, Yoga offers us the simplest and most effective methods for staying happy, healthy and youthful but it is not a quick fix or a fast route to the fountain of youth.

The yoga lifestyle does require a shift of attention or a ‘re-wiring of your system’. Some would say that the yoga lifestyle requires sacrifice and dedication but my experience is that a healthy lifestyle requires that you simply love yourself; it is out of this love that the dedication to practice consistently grows, for it is with consistency, that the benefits of a yoga lifestyle are attained.

Yoga is a glorious journey to becoming the healthiest and happiest you can be, never mind your age.

The aim of all yogic practices is to cleanse the body and mind of its impurities in order to reach the core of our being, our True Self. Yoga is therefore not fulfilling its highest functions when used solely for aesthetic pursuits, borne out of a dislike for who we are and the natural process of aging.

Yoga aims to bring you to a place of love for yourself and for all that exists around you… it is a wonderful benefit however that you get to feel and look wonderful along the way.

It is recommended that you always consult a qualified yoga teacher before starting a yoga practice. Yoga is an extensive science which requires practice and learning; please do not begin a yoga practice or any other flexibility exercises on your own or with a book or a DVD.

Please go to the Contact Us page if you would like more information on the practice of yoga, or if you live in London and would like private tuition.

You can also have a look at Eternity Yoga and Basic Yoga Information which are two sites with more information on how yoga and flexibility exercises can help you stay young. These pages will open in a separate window behind this page, so minimize me, and return when you are done.

Kate Does Her Flexibility Exercises