Can I Start Yoga at 30?
Understanding your yoga practice as you age. What you should expect at every age range and how far you will go!
Yoga adoption has been increasing at rapid speeds in the last 10 years, thanks to social media and the quest for self-reflection, self-compassion, and the practice of kindness.
Of course, that only adds to the ever-increasing need for flexibility, and healthy body/mind workout practices, in the world we live in today.
However, can you start yoga at any age? and, will you get all of its benefits if you start later in life as opposed to in your 20’s?
Yoga can be started at any age, including in our 30s. Yoga as a practice does not follow an outcome-based approach. Irrespective of the age at which one starts yoga, what matters is enjoying the practice, believing in it, and keeping patience, compassion, and kindness for your own self. There is no place to get to in yoga. Yoga will meet you wherever you are with your age, with your body, and with your mind.
We discuss some interesting themes in this article.
We speak about flexibility in your 30s and how you can achieve it.
We talk about how to build a yoga practice when you are in your 30s and the areas in your life in which yoga can touch and benefit you.
Can you become flexible at 30?
It is true that the body’s natural tendency towards flexibility decreases with age.
That said, the body’s ability to become flexible still remains the same.
By creating a consistent practice of stretching and increasing mobility, the range of motion and flexibility can improve at any age.
What is important here is to start slow, and gradually build up a practice that supports your goal.
The sooner you start, the easier it will be to gain flexibility.
An obvious question that comes to mind at this point is…
How long does it take to become flexible?
On average, if you are in your 30s and practicing yoga thrice a week, it could take 3 to 6 months to develop flexibility.
When you are in your 20s, it could take you a little less time to become as flexible, and similarly, as you age, it takes longer to gain flexibility.
That said, there is no standard minimum time required to become flexible.
Since each body is different, two people practicing similarly can experience a difference in the time they take to become flexible.
How soon one can begin to notice changes in flexibility will depend on factors like age, style, frequency of practice, and consistency.
If you are practicing consistently and have awareness of your body, you will be able to notice slight differences in a few days.
What is important to note here is ‘slight’ differences.
The more tangible differences can begin to appear within a month of consistent practice.
And, if you spend a couple months practicing with consistency and patience, you will most likely begin to experience your own body differently with the flexibility it will achieve.
Is flexibility all that yoga can help you achieve? Find out now.
Is there anything else to gain from yoga at 30 apart from flexibility?
Yoga is a storehouse of benefits.
If you are in your 30s and are looking for more reasons to practice yoga other than gaining flexibility, this list is for you.
1. Helps prevent and manage lifestyle diseases
Our 30s, for most of us, is a decade of stress.
As if work, relationships, and managing a house were not enough, there is the added stress of dealing with the traffic, putting up with social media, and climate change.
The regular practice of yoga is CALMING for the mind and body.
It greatly helps to reduce stress, lower hypertension, overcome anxiety, and boost the immune system.
2. Reduces the first signs of aging
Yoga is a great way to detox.
It increases blood circulation in the body and cleanses the organs.
Yoga, through cultivating awareness, helps the body and face to relax, including jaws and eyebrows, thereby, preventing wrinkles.
It also helps in sleeping longer and better, which is important for those dark circles to go away.
3. Boosts your metabolism
Stepping into the 30s, among other things, also means a reduced metabolic rate.
Yoga, by improving digestion and increasing blood circulation, can give your metabolic rate a boost.
It also helps stimulate and strengthen the endocrine glands, which is instrumental in regulating their function.
4. Helps balance your hormones
This is especially relevant for women in their 30s.
In your 30s your body is going through many changes.
You begin to experience some changes in the menstruation cycle, the symptoms of PMS (premenstrual symptoms) haven’t yet disappeared, and there are changes in hormonal levels that happen because of stress.
Not to mention pregnancy, which is a phase some women go through in this decade of their lives.
Yoga helps elevate your mood, which can fluctuate during these different phases.
It helps balance your hormones naturally through breathing, mindful movement, and by bringing your body to a sense of inner calm.
Wanna know more? 👉 Here Can Yoga Increase Estrogen Levels
How many times per week should I practice yoga if I'm over 30?
When you are in your 30s, practicing yoga three times a week in hour-long sessions is usually considered sufficient.
This is because the muscles and tissues in the body need some time to recover and regenerate.
If you want to practice yoga more often, you can alternate between more active yoga sessions and restorative yoga.
However, there is no standard rule.
If you feel that your body does well with more frequent yoga, you can even practice five times a week.
You may also like 👉 How Long Does it Take to Get Good at Yoga?
7 Yoga poses to become flexible after 30
Here are some yoga poses that work wonders for building flexibility after 30.
1. Standing Forward Fold or Uttanasana
Forward folds are wonderful for working on your flexibility.
They open the hamstrings, tight hamstrings are one of the main reasons for back pain.
2. Cat-Cow Pose or Marjaryasana Bitilasana
This pose helps build flexibility in the core.
It also improves mobility and flexibility in the neck, shoulders, and spine.
It loosens the spine and helps with back pain.
3. Bow Pose or Dhanurasana
This pose works on the whole length of the spine and helps build back flexibility.
It works on stretching the muscles in the body that we use when sitting.
It helps increase flexibility in the chest, hips, and legs.
4. Bridge Pose or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
This is an important pose that helps your back become more flexible.
It stretches the back and the shoulders if they are tucked in.
5. Cobbler’s Pose or Baddha Konasana
This is a pose to really open the hips.
It also creates flexibility in the groin area and the hips.
It is known to make deliveries easier for women and treat urinary issues.
6. Wide-angle seated forward bend or Upavistha Konasana
This pose works on the insides of the thighs.
It helps open the hips and lower back and stretch the hamstrings and calves.
7. Cow Face Pose or Gomukhasana
This is a pose that gives a deep stretch to the shoulders, chest, and arms.
If your hands are not able to meet each other, that’s ok too. You can use a prop to find the clasp.
Where should I start yoga if I'm over 30 - at home, studio, or retreat?
Let us list this down in order of preference.
#1 Pick: A yoga studio
If you are in your thirties, perhaps the best way to start yoga would be to go to an absolute beginner’s class in a studio.
The advantage of starting your practice in a studio is that you can be gently guided into the postures and can build a strong foundation for your practice.
#2 Start at home
Another way is to start a home practice, probably by watching videos of yoga classes on Youtube.
While that is a good way to start too, you just need to make sure that you are following a gentle class and that you are aware of your body for any discomfort and pains.
#3 A yoga retreat
A yoga retreat means spending a few hours or days focusing on your practice of yoga.
While this is a great idea to build your practice, to be able to sustain the physical demands that a retreat might place on you, it can help you to have some familiarity with yoga.
So, go to a studio, build a home practice, and then, set off for a yoga retreat.
How will your approach to yoga change as you age?
Like everything else in life, your practice of yoga will also go through change.
Yoga in your 30s
When in your 30s, the more active and fluid style of yoga is perhaps more appealing.
Vinyasa, which involves quick and frequent movement, could be your preferred choice.
Even modern-day power yoga, which is what a cardio workout is to the gym, offers the challenge and the thrill that you could be looking for.
Yoga in your 40s
As you move into your 40s, the goals for your body begin to shift.
You could be looking for greater strength and more resilience for areas of the body like the back.
It is here that yoga becomes more traditional, like hatha yoga, where you hold the poses to build strength.
The core becomes a special area of focus.
Here a great and inspirational yogi story to read My Yoga Journey Started Very Late in Life at 49
Yoga in your 50s
By the time we reach our 50s, the body begins looking for more grounding.
Women, in particular, go through big shifts in their bodies (menopause).
The more restorative form of yoga is what is helpful in this decade of life.
It helps to provide rest and balance in those years where there already has been enough accumulated stress.
This is also a great time to build a meditation practice.
Yoga in your 60s
This decade of life is a time when you are looking for more balance while also maintaining your strength.
This phase can be used to focus on and establish a pranayama practice.
It helps to calm the mind and body, deal with issues related to sleep and offers relaxation and support.
Asanas that are balancing in nature are particularly helpful.
What is also a helpful area to focus on is strength – for the hips, legs, and back.
Yoga in your 70s and beyond
At this point in our lives, yoga can be used more as therapy.
Regular practice of yoga can help with age-related issues like memory loss and decreased alertness.
The practice of yoga here can be customized to individual needs.
Whether it is to deal with osteoporosis, cardiac issues, or vertigo, yoga can be made to suit what is needed for a practitioner.
Care has to be exercised to avoid injury to the body by pushing it in yoga poses.
In closing
If you are on the other side of 30 and have never been to a yoga class before, just know that it is never too late to start!
You do not need to be flexible or strong or have the stamina to practice yoga.
Yoga will come and greet you as you are, and help you develop these assets for your body.
To take this to the other end, if you are wondering what could be the right time for a child to start yoga, here is a great video.
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