(Older) Permies Might Need Yoga

My wife and I have been homesteading for two years.  This is our first home.  Before that, we were traveling/working, and doing quite a lot of yoga.  I am 56.  (My wife is not 56 ; ))

As everyone here well knows, homesteading is an incredibly active lifestyle.  We go all day, drag ourselves in each evening, then get up the next day all excited to do it again.  Our yoga habit, however, declined precipitously.  It used to be daily, now it's rare we have the opportunity.

Viewed as an experiment in healthy living, our crazy-active homesteading life (coupled with the wonderful diet it brings), does not compare to the physical health we enjoyed from our daily yoga life.  Homesteading has kept us thin and maintained muscle mass, but in most other aspects -- core strength, balance, flexibility, joint pain -- it has been a train wreck.  

[Kindly remember, this is in the context of being 50+ yrs old.  If you're 20-40 yrs old, this probably sounds whiney.  But you're going to be this old some day, so this perspective may be helpful.]

We kept at the homesteading-only approach for well over a year, but found the lack of yoga in our daily life was not balanced by our chores/projects-based activity levels.  Surprised us!  We thought digging, hauling timber, weeding, planting, watering, and building would IMPROVE our physical fitness.  Nope!  Not for us, anyway.

To maintain any hope of a long-life health-span, we have had to cut our homesteading activities significantly to bring yoga back in to our lives.  

And we don't mean just sloppy seconds.  Yoga takes some living space; time, focus, energy, and commitment.  We have probably had to back off homesteading activities by 30% to make space again for yoga.  But without it,...well, that wasn't on the menu.  I was crashing.  At 56, with a lifetime of exercise behind me and a solid homesteading life in my present, my health was degrading.  My joints just couldn't take it.

So if this topic gets any traction, we would be happy to share our yoga habits.  We do it at home, use free YouTube resources, and pretty much know what we're doing.  The cost is approximately 1/3 of our homesteading capacity but the benefits are game-changers for our capacity to maintain our Permie life for the long haul.

If you're older and finding that the homestead lifestyle is wearing you down, you're not alone!

I'm a *little* older than you, at - 59, and do find that well-balanced movement and stretching help, quite a bit, and yoga is my preference, as well - but, I'm not diligent, as I should be. Finding a partner to do it with can make a huge difference, too, simply in accountability, even if you can't actually do it together. John(my hubby) prefers qi cong, Kung fu, or tai chi. All will accomplish the same ends - flexibility, stability, toning, balance, strength, and endurance: all things that are needed, in permaculture. Combined with a well balanced diet, it's a very healthy lifestyle.

I'm interested in what types of yoga you have found to be the most accommodating and supportive to your lifestyle and progression.

I’ve  thought about yoga. Can you tell me more about making physical space for it?

Bethany Brown wrote:I’ve  thought about yoga. Can you tell me more about making physical space for it?

I'm obviously unable to answer for Roy, but I've found that a space about my own height, rounded up to the next 6" or so, works well enough, so, for me, that would be about 5 1/2ft by 5 1/2ft, to allow for full movement. But, I'll admit, a more open, spacious area is a much more relaxing workout. Weather (& insects) permitting, I love doing it on our deck - which also means my little cavalier isn't trying to snuggle into me, every time I pause, in my movements, lol. My daughter also likes doing it on her tiny apartment patio.

It needs far less space than most of my hubby's preferred martial arts styles, which - with the usual exception of the garden varieties of Tai chi - require walking space.

I was told a long time ago that it is “impossible to be overweight while practicing yoga”. I wish I have not proven that wrong, but sadly I have.

I love yoga though (48 years old) and use YouTube as you do. I bounce around depending on my needs like dealing with balance, or nursing a back ache, etc.

It can be frustrating though, and as an example, I tried doing balance yoga as at the time I was working at height (hundreds of feet up). When I did not get the balancing goals I was hoping for, I moved on.

Good for you guys in being so committed.

I wish I was, and agree that a partner to stretch with would be nice, but my local yoga spot is only online so why pay $160 a month when I can watch yoga on YouTube for free?

Maybe this post will motivate me to stick with better routines. Thank you, and that is a heartfelt thank you too.

This is timely and pertinent for me.  I am about in your age range, and I have my share of back issues and some pain complications.  I have thought about yoga as a way to ameliorate some of my issues and your commentaries is making me think more about it.  I was actually thinking about paying for it, hopefully for an instructor who would be sensitive to my back and pain needs.  But if I get yoga at least partially mastered, maybe youtube would be the cheaper long-term approach.

Eric

Bravo, Carla.  There are certainly an infinite number of ways to achieve balance.  

I was just surprised to discover our Permies lifestyle left my joints and muscles so painful, so regularly, and trending in the wrong direction.  For other 50-somethings, perhaps such a transition (yoga-to-homesteading) would improve their physical state.  I dunno, I can only speak to our results.

Perhaps I'm reaching here, but yesterday I experienced what I thought was a good example of the benefits of a yoga body vs. a homesteading body:  Clearing trees regularly, we've been moving lots of heavy firewood rounds.  I noticed yesterday that although my arms are quite a bit stronger now, moving rounds is actually harder than two years ago, when our core strength and connective tissue system were much better.

So here's how we brought yoga back into our homesteading life:

We quickly learned that a major impediment to doing yoga was having a dedicated space for it.  We tried moving tables and chairs for a few months, but that was a speed-bump on the path to yoga, and lord knows we didn't need more of those.  So we converted our master bedroom (the only high ceiling in the house) to a yoga studio (photo).  That commitment of key terrain brought helpful momentum.

And spot-on again, Carla:  Doing yoga alone is vastly more difficult than with a partner.  My wife and I always do it together.  I'm sure my poses are 5x better when I know my wife can see me.  Plus all the running commentary, encouragement, and the reminder it's time for yoga...priceless.

We went straight back to our old YouTube resources.  There's so much out there, I'm certain you'll find better content for your druthers, these are just the ones we found work for us.  These yogis are like family!  We can't say enough good things about them.

Easy yoga days, https://yogawithadriene.com/  
Slightly harder days, https://www.yogawithkassandra.com/
Hard yoga days, https://www.youtube.com/@traviseliotyoga
Challenge days, https://www.youtube.com/@BreatheAndFlow

If you're starting from zero, I recommend a studio membership for 3 months to learn the basics.

Time is really the issue.  We find yoga basically takes a whole afternoon because we can't start when we're already exhausted, and we can't go back to work afterwards in any meaningful way.  We basically call it a day at 2 p.m. 3-4 times per week.  Yes, a massive commitment of resources.  But we liken it to building soil and roots.  Only then do the trees grow tall.

Eric Hanson wrote:This is timely and pertinent for me.  I am about in your age range, and I have my share of back issues and some pain complications.  I have thought about yoga as a way to ameliorate some of my issues and your commentaries is making me think more about it.  I was actually thinking about paying for it, hopefully for an instructor who would be sensitive to my back and pain needs.  But if I get yoga at least partially mastered, maybe youtube would be the cheaper long-term approach.

Eric

There are SO MANY good YouTube yoga instructors, with different styles of teaching/talking/ moving, and programs designed for specific needs, even including for those who are bed or wheelchair bound, pregnant, elderly, disabled in some way, or super fit and looking to ramp it up - something and someone for everyone. It's my usual means, too. But, honestly the accountability is where I dearly fall short. It's very easy to skip it, because something else cropped up, I was already behind in chores, or I felt too achy, or my allergies were acting up and giving me a horrid headache, or... the wind was blowing the wrong direction... lol.

Roy, I just LOVE that you've added the mirror to your yoga space. They're an invaluable tool - just like the ballet and martial arts studios use, to ensuring you're in the best position for each move - even when you're working out with a partner, but especially if you're working alone. It's something I need to add to my space, but hadn't thought about. Now, it will be on my mind again, as I hit the thrift shops, this season!

I'm not going to disagree with the principles and discussion here, but I would like to mention a possible alternative factor. I do not come from a permaculture/farmer family. We had no chicken coops or duck runs to clean out when I was young, and just small properties with some veggie gardens, not big homesteading tasks to attend to.

So may I suggest that while you're resting from your yoga (which I totally approve of you all doing) that you look for some videos that show good ergonomic lifting/shoveling/forking etc. It took me several years to realize that I was using a long handled shovel incorrectly. I read about it in a book, where it was really an aside to the key discussion, but it made total sense, and I've been much more effective with certain jobs since.

Often we think these tools are simply natural to use, but in fact, farmers have been learning to use them efficiently for centuries, and teaching their kids for just as long. We sort of expect to have to be taught to use a scythe because they're big and scary and not part of urban or suburban life. But shovels? Of course we know how to use a shovel... except we didn't need to learn the tricks and efficiencies because we weren't shoveling every day for 4 hours trying to plant an acre of trees!

ETA: Different sized people also benefit from different sized tools and handles. The right size of long handled shovel for a 6' human is *not* the same as for a 5'2" human, so keep that in mind too!

My husband and I have been doing yoga for about 15 years and it is essential for our health. We're both in our 60s and have tree-filled acreage to work on. We do about 20 minutes 5 days a week first thing in the morning. It seems like any other time doesn't work or we're too tired, or whatever the excuse is.

After yoga we do either weight lifting, another yoga session, qigong, karate, or some other exercise. We tend to do the same routines that work well for us and the familiarity makes it relaxing. The amount of space we use is just some floor space in front of the TV.

We look at the morning exercise as the limbering up and working of the joints and tendons for more vigorous work later. I highly recommend yoga of any type or duration that works for someone.

how awesome!! i'm another 50s-ish, used to be super into yoga but moved more heavily into pilates as a way to try to keep this old bag of bones from breaking down when doing the things i enjoy.
I'm also a person with strong opinions about ergonomics and think they're both super important. I make my living sitting in chair and pounding on a keyboard. The ergonomics office setup consult I did years ago was the best money i've ever spent, i think. I broke my wrist earlier this year and the only thing I could do without pain was... work at my desk!!! Small blessings.
I am so glad to hear that so many people are getting good results (strengthening, protection, range of motion, balance, etc) from this kind of conscious movement.

[quote=Jay AnglerIt took me several years to realize that I was using a long handled shovel incorrectly. I read about it in a book, where it was really an aside to the key discussion, but it made total sense, and I've been much more effective with certain jobs since.


Can you share some of what you learned about using the long handled shovel correctly?  Which book?

Thanks!
Sandy

Steve Zoma, I had a similar experience.  After 30 years in the Army, my body was broken.

In the midst of retirement, I read or heard that yoga is the only activity that if done correctly, you can't get hurt.  Plus, it helps you avoid injury and heal better if you are injured.  Worth a try, right?

So my first month of retirement was a 30-day yoga retreat, and the rest is history...up until the point I (unintentionally) stopped doing yoga for something I thought was even healthier, homesteading.  There just wasn't enough time or energy leftover for yoga.

Whoops!

I will be the first to admit that 3-4 afternoons a week is not necessary for a healthy yoga routine (as several other commenters have sagely observed).  It's probably overkill.  But for now, I'm in recovery mode so I'm going with what I know works.  We'll better harmonize our schedule as we go.

But what we have learned:  SOME yoga is very important for our health-span.

I know virtually nothing about yoga. I can't dedicate a big indoor space to it and I live somewhere with snow on the ground for six months of the year. I do have a few blocks in the greatroom that might be big enough. I'm 53 and obese, but otherwise the doc likes my health. If I was willing to dedicate three hours to reading or watching videos to pick up some basic education and then 20-30 minutes several days per week to establish a practice, would it be worth it or is that too little? And can you hook me up with where to start learning?

Christopher Weeks wrote:If I was willing to dedicate three hours to reading or watching videos to pick up some basic education and then 20-30 minutes several days per week to establish a practice, would it be worth it or is that too little? And can you hook me up with where to start learning?

I can say from experience that 20-30 minutes a day is great for increasing/keeping range of motion, core strength, and much more. Especially as a beginner, you may find that amount of time is perfect, and if you want to do more, then add some on. There are so many options for type of yoga, how long to practice, different teachers, etc.

I think that consistency in practice is way more important than how long or how good you are. Some mornings everything feels sore and my balance is crap. Some mornings the movements feel smooth and strong, but it took a long time to get there.

The most important thing for starting out is to be good to yourself and start slow and easy. When we started we were shocked at how tight our joints were and how hard even the simple moves were. The dogs watching us were amused at the sounds that came out of our mouths (cussing and old person sounds mostly) - another good reason to do it at home.

I would just try out different videos with different teachers and see what works for you.

Christopher, good for you.  There's yoga for everyone, everywhere, any time.  You just have to find yours.

If you have a friend that does yoga, even like a Facebook friend who knows you, I would definitely ask them.  In pretty much every way that matters, I am not qualified.

But here's a list of potential options:
1)  If you have the resources, do a one week yoga retreat.  After that, you'll know what to do next.
2)  Duluth has about a half dozen yoga studios.  If you can get there every weekend for a month, you'll know what to do next.
3)  Enlist a friend to be a yoga buddy, then figure it out together.
4)  Search youtube for beginners yoga.  I'm sure there's tons.

Whatever you do, start small and slow.  Whatever the instructor does, do an easier version that feels right for you.  Never try to keep up with anyone.  Don't try to match someone's pose.  Never push beyond what is comfortable.  Listen to your body and you'll know what to do next.

And to start off, don't worry about equipment or space.  Studios will have mats for you.  If you're doing yoga at home alone, move a few chairs out of the way and use a towel on a carpet.  Your knees will be sore at first from even a soft surface, but they will soon feel much better.

If you have an image in your mind of 30 fit & trim folks in a room in Nike yoga duds all doing the same poses, forget it.  A yoga studio will have every body type, every age, and every skill level of patrons.  By design, it's the most inclusive community on Earth.  Whatever the instructor is doing, there will be folks doing much easier poses, the same pose, or harder poses.  It's all individual.  If you're trying, you're tied for the Best Student Ever.

My dad used to take Iyengar yoga classes and while he isn't able to practice yoga now, he credits that style with his ability to healthily do both a very physically demanding job and keep up with a lot of yard work without injuries. He said it taught him how to treat his spine and core. He has had type 1 diabetes for 67 years so he does have some damage and limitations due to that but I have been impressed by what he has continued to be able to accomplish in spite of his "affliction" as he calls it.

I was wondering if anyone else had specific styles or approaches that are helpful for those either needing support for other strenuous labors or with physical limitations that preclude vinyasa or other strenuous style practices.

Thank you for your original thread and follow up reply Roy, it was well received.

For my personality type, I have an overdriven need to hold myself accountable for my time; I mean we only have 24 hours in a day. It does not matter if people spend 18 of them doing video games, they like me only have 24 hours. But I want to accomplish something a little more appreciable then a game no one cares about is not real.

For me, yoga does that. I have never relaxed well anyway, and as I have aged cancer took its toll, but so do its medicines. I don’t think it’s possible to overcome the dehydrating effects of my meds and it leaves me really sore. But yoga helps with that, as well as other stuff so to me it’s time well spent.

I have not always taken care of myself. My own body has tried to kill me three times, but a little time spent doing yoga is a lot better than other things that would be more wasteful of my time.

I am 83 and when I was the original posters age I came to the conclusion I could not continue doing homesteading and outside work to retirement age.  I had the opportunity to train as a massage therapist and a new  career as a chiropractic assistant.   Learning body awareness and teaching it to others has helped me be able to do things that were getting to difficult at 56 although with age endurance time and recovery time inverse.
e the condition worse if you do not take the time to reset the pattern and lighten the load until you can maintain the correct pattern.
I began giving the instruction: If you have to finish a task; taking 15 minutes to correct a pain pattern may allow you to work another hour but trying to work another 15 minutes may result in never finishing because of chronic pain.

So as mentioned with physical tools, use this one adapted to your needs.

What a great topic for a thread! I have done yoga on and off since my first introduction 50 years ago. In my late 50s I began going to a yoga class twice a week. I stopped my yoga habit about six years ago. A year and a half ago I got the beginnings of plantar fasciitis. It worsened and worsened and became more and more painful, involving my right side from foot to shoulder and out to wrist. I have found relief through returning to yoga. I’m 72, and I have always lived a very physical life.

About repetitive tool use- I agree with Jay on using them ergonomically, though I don’t think I can describe such things as when to bend the knees when using a long handled shovel or pitch fork.  But SWITCH SIDES when working in asymmetric tasks, and use your body to decide when you are done with a task for the day.  Quit when you’ve had enough, rather than finishing the task.  You can come back to it, and finish tomorrow.  Switch to a task that utilizes a different muscle group.

And about which yoga, Yin yoga is the style I do on a daily basis.  It’s focus is on the connective tissues.  One of the main things that makes it “yin” yoga is the recognition that individuals have differently shaped bones, which dictates many things.  Most styles of yoga ask for uniformity, “knees over toes” “outstretched legs at 90 degree angle” etc.  In Yin the target area is identified “you should be feeling the stretch in your right quad” and encourage you to adjust your body to achieve the level of stretch you are comfortable with in the target area on that day.

Another thing about Yin, is that it’s mostly done lying on the floor, holding a pose for 3-5 minutes… so it can easily be done when exhausted after a day on the farm.  Another form of yoga that can be done when tired is “restorative “ yoga.

I agree that a series of yoga classes will help a beginner get to the point where they CAN practice independently.  I agree with Carla, a partner can be wonderful.  Right now, and for the last few months my partner has been the plantar fasciitis, and for awhile I was doing yoga three times a day.  

As far as I know, Yin isn’t strengthening, nor does it help directly with balance.  I’ll have to be adding some Iyengar poses, hopefully in a flow sequence.  I like flow sequences because all I have to do is start.

The most beneficial yoga for me has been yoga nidra.  It’s yogic sleep or a form of guided meditation.  I discovered it a couple months ago.  I turn the guide script on when I go to bed and fall off to sleep.  For a life long insomniac that’s truly miraculous.  The target meditative state is that between sleep and awake, and said to be  more restful than regular sleep.  Eventually, I will want to learn to maintain awareness instead of sleeping, but the benefits I am getting even sleeping through it are huge.

I will post links for a yoga nidra podcast I use, and a youtube yin yoga “class” I use.  

Devi Daly’s you tube channel yin yoga sessions:

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCojdcIW2fYAjkwoHNFRXl3g

Ayla Nova Yoga Nidra And Beyond podcast:

I’m having trouble getting the link, but she has a you tube channel and her podcast is on apple podcasts so hopefully you can find it without too much trouble.

Trying again on the Yoga Nidra and beyond podcast link.😊

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/yoga-
nidra-beyond-ayla-nova/id1643838005

And, here’s my dedicated yoga space

The rust colored bath mat is where my dog lies does her yoga😉

I would suggest Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube.  She offers lots of adjustments for all bodies and has a very positive and supportive attitude.  20mins a few times a week is definitely worth it, yes.  Good luck and I hope you enjoy it.