Strength and Mobility are Equally Important As You Age
Finding the balance between Strength (Sthira) and Ease (Sukha)
Yoga is a practice that, in addition to calming stress and anxiety, is equal parts strengthening and stretching. Why does this matter? As you age, you lose both strength and mobility, and unless you work to keep them, we will lose them. Neither one is more important than the other, they are both equal. Without strength, you lose stability, but without mobility, you can’t move well.
Take the simple act of walking. If your hips, hamstrings, or lower back are tight, it will be difficult to walk comfortably. You will struggle to stand up straight, and your gait will be shortened or possibly uneven. Standing up after sitting for long periods will be painful, either in your hips, your lower back, or both. You may notice pain in other parts of your body too. It's not just "old age" that makes it tough to move, it's lack of mobility.
If your legs and core are weak, it will become difficult to walk for long periods of time. You will feel unstable, as if your legs could give out at any moment, and you may lose your balance. Muscle weakness can also lead to pain due to compensation: some muscles overwork to make up for the weak muscles and it causes strain and imbalance. Over time, this can throw off your gait and lead to falls and injury. The muscle weakness doesn't have to be global weakness, you might just have weakness in certain muscles due to underuse and improper body mechanics.
I’ve been there
I have always been an active person (swimming, yoga, dance, walking) and I went for years never using my glutes. I had no idea. I figured that because I was swimming and practicing yoga that I was using all my muscles. Flexibility has never been a problem for me as a former dancer and avid yoga practitioner. When I turned 39, suddenly I started having lower back pain. I saw one of the PTs in my office and she said my glutes were weak. "How could that be?! I am so active!?" I told her. But it was true.
During my next yoga class I realized that I did the whole class and never once used my glutes. I knew this because I had to actively engage them as I practiced, as they weren't firing naturally. Once I started intentionally engaging my glutes as I practiced and swam, my lower back pain disappeared and never returned. I am now 53 and the back pain is still gone. The only times it comes up is if I sit with poor posture for long periods, which I rarely do, or if I forget to use my glutes.
I intentionally engage my glutes when I practice yoga, and swim. When I go for walks or hikes, I know I'm not using my glutes when my right hip starts to "talk to me." When I fire up my glutes, the pain disappears. It's like magic.
Strength is only half of the picture
If you are a weight lifter or athlete and only strengthen, over time, you will lose your mobility. You can tell the people in the gym who don't stretch because they struggle with full range in their exercises, like stiff leg deadlifts, flies, or even getting on and off the bench easily.
If you can't touch your toes, or can’t easily put your hand behind your head or behind your back, you need to work on mobility. If you swim and struggle to get your arms out of the water, mobility might be the issue.
Mobility is functional, not extreme. Flexibility can be more extreme, like trying to put your foot behind your head. That’s not what I mean here. Functional mobility allows you reach your feet to put on your shoes and socks. You can reach behind and fasten your bra behind your back. This mobility allows you to reach up and grab something from a shelf above your head.
Mobility allows you to move through a range of motion that supports your movements, keeping you active and home and when you do sports or other physical activities. Stretching and strengthening your body regularly will keep you moving and active for the long term.
As you age, regular, mindful stretching and intentional strengthening will keep your body able to do the activities and sports your love to do. Injury is often caused by not paying attention to what your body is telling you (read “Have You Ever Wondered What it Means to ‘Listen to Your Body?’” . Injury also happens when you over use one muscle/group and underuse the one that should be working (like me with my glutes).
An amazing yoga pose that both stretches and strengthens the body is Downward Facing Dog. It stretches and strengthens most of the muscles in the front and back of the body. You stretch the hamstrings, calves, lats and lateral ribs, while strengthening the shoulders, upper back, quads and lower abdominals. One pose does not a yoga practice make, but it's a good place to start.
Downward Facing Dog/Adho Mukha Svanasana
Start in Table on your hands and knees, with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Spread your fingers wide and press the whole surface of your palms into the mat. Your shoulder blades should press outward as you tuck your toes under, and start to shift your weight backward toward your feet. Move your chest toward your thighs as you straighten your legs.
If your lower back rounds when your legs straighten, keep your knees bent or slightly bent. You want to keep your spine straight. Feel your upper back widening as you press your palms forward and downward into the mat. Reach your hips away from your palms and reach your heels away from your hips.
Feel your lower abdominals engaging, as well as your quads. Try to keep your knees soft, so that you don’t hyperextend your knees.
Hold Downward Facing Dog/Adho Mukha Svanasana for 5-7 breaths, then release into Child’s pose. You can repeat this pose multiple times to build strength and stretch out your body.
Modifications
If your wrists or hands bother you in Downward Dog, Dolphin pose is a nice modification. You can place your palms and elbows on the floor with your forearms parallel to each other and go up into this variation of Downward Dog. What I love about Dolphin pose is that it’s hard to “cheat.” Placing a block between your palms will keep your wrists from falling in toward each other.
If your shoulders bother you, can do Downward Dog using a chair, placing the hands either on the seat of the chair or on the back. This takes the pressure off the shoulders, while still allowing you to engage all the appropriate muscles. Only press as hard as feels comfortable. Spread the shoulder blades apart and be careful not to drop the ribs toward the floor. Keep the front ribs in and the abdominals engaged.
If you play golf and live in Massachusetts, join me for Yoga for Golf starting February 23! Yoga pairs perfectly with golf to even out your body, improve your strength, and increase your mobility so that you can enjoy playing for the long term. Click the button below for more information or to sign up!
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Such a helpful post. What a wonderful reminder that it takes both strength and mobility to keep our bodies moving. I have seen what a lack of both strength and mobility does to someone. My 96 year old grandfather has struggled for years with very limited mobility and strength and has suffered the unfortunate consequences. As someone turning 50 in a few months I appreciate your writing. Thank you 🙏
I would love to see a downdog modified for hiatal hernia reflux. I avoid inverting my head Thank you!