When you think about getting into your 40s, you’re probably worrying a lot about how you can keep in perfect shape and keep that youthful glow going. This is pretty normal for anyone who turns 40 and continues to age more and more. Everyone wants the secret to everlasting youth. Well, unfortunately, it’s a fact of life that all of us are going to get older eventually. Everyone will eventually get those extra wrinkles and start feeling those aches and pains that you know so well already.
Even though there’s no fountain of youth to drink from, there are plenty of lifestyle changes that you can make to improve your physical shape and mental health. And one of those changes comes from picking up yoga during your daily life. Many ancient cultures have known yoga to be one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental wellness. Western societies are just starting to understand the benefits that yoga can bring into your life, especially when it comes to those of you in your 40s. Keep reading down below about the top yoga poses you can do at this moment in your life that are going to help you keep a perfect shape.
1. Equal Standing (Tadasana)
The first pose might seem pretty simple, but it’s super important for you to try out if you want to understand where your postural problems might lie. Use this pose to learn how bad your posture might be and where you need to improve to live a healthier and more comfortable life.
Start this pose off with your hands by your sides and with your feet parallel on the floor. You are basically going to scan your entire body from the bottom to the top with this pose. Start off with how your feet feel on the floor and where the weight naturally rests. And then move up the body to understand what pains you might feel or where your weight lies.
2. Tree Pose (Vriksasana)
Next, we’re going to talk about a pose that will help you with one of the major problems that comes with aging – balance. Many people who are older report that their balance gets worse as they age and this is just a fact of life that so many people deal with. The tree pose is a simple balancing pose that will help you improve your balance and stability.
You’re going to start off this pose in the same position as the first pose – the equal standing pose. Then, shift most of your weight onto the left side of your body. Lift your hands and form a prayer symbol at your chest. Bring your right food up to the side of your left leg and open your hips out in front of you. Try to keep this pose for as long as you can!
A great tip for keeping your balance is to focus on one object that’s in front of you in the room. This is going to help your body from moving too much to stabilize. Interestingly, you can do it anywhere and keep your figure in shape & face wrinkle-free. Keep practicing the tree pose, flowers will bloom and fruits will reap!
3. Squat (Utkatasana)
One of the parts of our bodies that start breaking down the most whenever we start to get older are our legs – especially our thighs. When you work out these muscles, they are going to help protect you from various injuries and strains that could give you an extended stay in the hospital.
Start in the equal standing posture (as discussed earlier) with your feet right together and your hands down at your sides. Act as if you are sitting in a chair with your knees and feet together. Make sure not to go too far, as you don’t want to hurt yourself or strain too much. Just go far enough that you feel a good stretch in those thigh muscles. While you’re doing this, try to swing your hands out in front of you to keep the balance.
4. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Sshvanasana)
Next up, we have a pose that’s pretty common throughout the yoga world and it’s probably one that you’ve heard a thing or two about. That’s because it’s one of the main yoga poses for any age group. When you perform the downward dog, you’re going to be building up your upper body strength, stretching out your spine, and helping with any back pain you may be feeling.
You’re going to start this pose on your hands and knees, with your wrists right under your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Keep your feet hip-width apart and ensure that your palms are down on the floor with your fingers spread out. Next, curl up your toes and reach your hipbones up to the ceiling. Keep those heels off the floor and bend your knees if necessary to make the pose more comfortable.
After you’ve kept this pose for a few seconds, try to move your heels down to the floor. You should feel a slight stretch in the back of your legs that’s going to feel great! It’s best to try to balance your weight between the front of your body and the back. You don’t want to put your whole weight on your hands or on your feet, as this is not going to help out your aches and pains at all.
5. Plank (Phalakasana)
This last pose is going to test your strength and durability a bit. The plank pose is fantastic for those of you who need a bit more upper body strength and core stamina – both of which decrease as we age.
You perform this pose by starting on your hands and knees. Make sure that your wrists are right below your shoulders and you have your core engaged and ready to go. Next, you’re going to raise up your body to be a straight line. Use your core to steady yourself and keep your hips from falling too far to the ground or too high into the air. If you have too much pain in your wrists, you can perform this pose on your forearms, rather than on your hands. You can hold and repeat this pose as much as you want, as it’s fantastic for building up that core strength you might be lacking at this point in your life.
All of these poses are going to help you build up your strength and ensure that you keep that perfect shape you want well past your 40s. Aging is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t mean that we have to lose our strength and stamina while we go through this process!
