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In defense of yoga let me say this: asana practice, properly taught, is all about awareness, which equals control. Flexibility has nothing at all to do with yoga, itself. Flexibility is just a fringe benefit. The postures in asana practice are templates laid over the body to provide a specific object of awareness. Movement is coordinated with an intentional breathing technique and this all manifests as control. This is what yoga teachers mean when they tell you to "listen to your body". Too much of modern day yoga is the product of marketing, and under poor direction it can end up being performative. This can lead to injury.
I don’t think Will was criticizing yoga. He was saying doing yoga without strength and control can get you hurt. I practice at home. I got rushed and sloppy a few times and at 55 injured my shoulder and lower back. Since I was flexible it was easier to get hurt. I understand his point all to well 🤦🏻♀️
@@KMRRgoldens I quit because the pace of Vinyassa seemed to pose a high risk of injury for an older person. I'm regular at yin yoga though and love this practice.
Most elderly people have problems getting up off the floor. As a child you spend a lot of time on the floor, adults do not. Doing yoga / stretching exercises on the floor can improve balance, mobility, flexibility and the ability to get up and down.. Just getting up and down to the floor in a controlled manner is difficult for many older adults. Play with your children on the floor. Bend over, get down and pull weeds in your garden. Play with a pet on the floor. The more effort you make to work on balance and flexibility will pay dividends as you age.
This is such an important video for me because it explains why I get injured so often at the gym. I am 75 years old and am very flexible. I come by it naturally, I can do toe touches effortlessly, get up off the floor with no hands and really don't have to do much in the way of stretching for most of my resistance training. That said, I am always getting injured, and don't realize it until the body part starts to hurt within a day or two. I did not feel pain at the time of the exercise. So, the notion of control is a huge revelation for me. I would like to explore the concept of developing that ability further. Right now however I am having issues with the hands and feet. Will be doing the ankle exercises.
I'm sorry to hear about your injuries. I'm pleased my video was able to shed some light on what you've been experiencing to help prevent further problems. I hope the exercises prove helpful for you, and I'm wishing you all the best ☺
I taught myself this lesson over 50 years ago, as a teen following along with Lilias, Yoga and You. I overstretched and destabilized my low back, initiating (I think) my degenerative disc disease.
I’ve been doing bridges for about 12 months , with no noticeable improvement at all even though I tried to keep my back from arching (following an L4/5 fusion ). Your way is probably how I should have been doing them ! Thanks so much Will !
The most sensible video about physio exercises. I got issues from stretching but didn't know why, those stretching exercise videos didn't help, this video just did it. We need to strengthen the stability muscles as well, they are part of our body. Thank you so much!!!
I’ve had the exact opposite experience with yoga. I used to hyperextend both elbow and knee joints and yoga has taught my muscles to hold the joints in neutral alignment. Maybe some yoga classes only do stretching, but most I’ve attended follow a curve of centering, warm-up, heating/strengthening, balance, deep flexibility, cool-down, and drawing inward. All while having reminders of how breath brings control to the movements. But the student needs to be engaged and aware of what is happening in their body. Yoga is what you feel when doing an asana, not what you look like.
Loving these videos! I'm at 66 year old fitness instructor and so work work with a lot of seniors and these are great, especially the "avoid" and "don't " videos. What we we're taught in fitness classes and yoga is sometimes incorrect and generally contraindications are not covered well. These are awesome!
I strongly agree with @alanhill2508. Quality yoga teachers express that asanas when practiced correctly increase strength with flexibility. Body awareness is key although difficult for some to relax into. Respectfully we have guest physiotherapist teachers during teacher training and study anatomy, including this awareness during classes. Perhaps more face to face practice required so poor execution of asanas (exercise) are corrected. I do think this series are useful video. However please any activity, sport, exercise poorly executed will cause weakening. Still teaching almost 70 Yoga has been the most helpful.
Thank you. I found this very helpful. I got interested in yoga last year and was enjoying it a great deal and did exactly what you described, too much stretching. By the end of last summer my lower back was killing me and I am still trying to recover from it. My chiropractor found he posterior tilt in my pelvis had increased greatly and now I am working on strengthening my lower abs to get it under control, which can be really tricky to do properly. I needed a simple solution that was not too fancy or complicated. Many of your exercises and tips have helped me make some progress.
A great video Will. I have recently been doing more stretches but fortunately found your video with three strengthening exercises to prevent injury to the rotator cuffs, lower back & knees which have helped to strengthen the muscles around those areas. Am recovering from a torn achillies tendon and after 18 months it has healed very well. I am currently doing the heel raises then transferring all my weight to the weak leg and slowly lowering myself down to a flat surface. Fortunately the gym physio suffered a similar injury & so offers sound advice.
Hi there - I'm sorry to hear about your achilles injury, but I'm so pleased to hear you've found a great physio and that your recovery is going well. I'm wishing you all the best 😃
I have a connective tissue disorder causing hypermobility of the joints. Flexible is necessary but stability & strength of the muscles to protect joints is crucial.
This is so important 17 years of martial arts and around the shoulder I was hypermobile Injuries! Stability work so important. Dynamic stretching. Functional movement. Well explained. Well done Will! Matt the pilates teacher.
Hi Matt - I'm sorry to hear about your injuries. I'm pleased to hear that, from your experience, you agree with my suggestions. Wishing you all the best ☺
Is stability building the same as strengthening exercises? Also would love to see a set of real time exercises that can be added to a playlist depending on our physio needs.
Oh so true!! I was doing my stretches at home just keeping flexible a bit of Pilates a bit of yoga..so the downward dog? I convinced myself it’s time to push those ankles to the floor (at 64!) and TWANG! Achilles Tendon has been swollen ever since. Months of no exercise totally out of condition and no respite on the horizon until it settles down!!
Thank you, thank you! I thought my shoulder exercises in the gym were making me stronger. I kept feeling weaker..I tried your shoulder resistance band, I could only do 2! I so appreciate your helping us older people.
Low back pain in women from a Chinese medicine or TCM is a symptom of weak kidney qi. There are many reasons for this which have nothing to do with exercise of any sort but other factors eg stress. I have practiced yoga for 50 years and taught. Yoga is not about stretching. It’s about holding a position which can range from the absolute beginner simple phase to advanced. Done correctly with breathing it will always develop strength within the posture. The aim of yoga is to open the Nadis or channels of qi/prana/life force. This in turn leads to meditation.
Yoga is not about stretching ❗️ find a fully qualified and experienced yoga teacher and you will find that out. Been practicing yoga for 40+ years. Never once injured myself because I listen to my body and work with it not against it. I understand there are lots of yoga teachers now who just teach it for fitness. Run a mile, that’s not yoga 🙏
Same. Began at 16, I'm 54 now and have taught countless seniors who were beginners and thrived by always making the practice confirm to their own body.
Hi Will, clicked the link, filled in the form, no email. Yes I have checked my junk folder😂 Would love to see more mini work out sessions in real time to enable me to follow along.
Great video and suggestions. Ive done slow flow hatha and always go away feeling like I pinched a nerve or twisted an ankle or shoulder. I'm only doing restorative yoga now. It's calming and all you do is lie there. I have had to spend days icing my joints after Hatha. It's no good for us older folks.
Great video! Your comment about yoga,was spot on...i used to teach yoga and my teacher was a physio herself so I learned alot about the kinds of pathologies people come in with. The really flexible people were usually the weakest in their joints and muscles. I have to be careful not to overstretch my lumbar as it destabilises my SI joint. ❤
So helpful to know I found this information very helpful thank you Will!❤ I would like to compliment you on your posture and you are standing tall without any slumping ❤
Excellent video, as usual! Future suggestion: At the end of the video, summarise the recommendations: 1. Band rotation (shoulders), 2. Heel raises (ankles) 3. Curl up (lower back), and maybe a visual diagram. Thanks heaps for everything; truly appreciated.
Unfortunately, from my experience using the bands for stretching or conditioning, especially the move you’re showing initially here. The band will only do that so long and then break. Over the years I’ve had so many bands some I got at professional seminars and some through insurance plans. I’ve had to use them also for rehabilitating my right knee and leg after a fall. I would say for that reason they were suitable. I have not listened to the entire video. I don’t know if you were getting into bio, mechanical terms. What I’m referring to is just discussing the difference between active stretch and static stretch. The along and the short is I rather use the Cord like bands with handles. They are a lot more durable. They also allow specific range of motion and stretching at the same time when you do it slow hold for a short period. This is I believe called agonist antagonist contraction.
cant access the video here in aus ! i use your exercises every day will ,,,ive had some amazing results ,, thank you ,, kind regards sharon ,from austraila
Thanks for this helpful explanation. I was surprised that you recommend the curl-up exercise as many of your viewers would have (or be at risk of) osteoporosis. Can you please explain why you feel it is safe.
🌷Thank you again Will for another great teaching on stretching shoulders.👍 Love this video also. I love the slow, gentle way you show us those exercises. Much appreciated 👌🌻👍🌹
Thank you so much for purchasing my book, I hope you find it packed with interesting content and, most importantly, that you enjoy it! Wishing you all the best 😃
@@HT-Physio It came in today, starting tonight. What I like most so far is the simple approach, no easy fix, no quick results promises. To the point, effective and above all, easy to implement. Will make sure to leave a review on Amazon 🇨🇦. Thanks again. Pierre 💪💪
Yes. Very helpful. ThankYou. Can you please do an exercise to correct duck feet? I was immobile for about 8 months and I notice now that my feet point outward rather than straight when I walk.
Its all about balance. Strength and flexibility. Never go beyond whats comfortable and listen to the body. Yoga is fine if done correctly along with strength training.
Interesting that this video came up on my phone, because i have been dealing w a shoulder/neck injury for about a year now, lots of tremendous pain from my shoulder/bicep down to the back of my hand. Probably from 35+ yrs of working w horses and slinging hay. But anyway, i still am training the draft mule that i believe aggravated the shoulder w his lack of training a few yrs ago, so ive been trying to not use it but now the past 3 months im back to adding in specific phys. therapy stretches to it as i kind of have limited choices (cant afford hundreds of dollars for mri, or 1000s for surgery etc!). Ive historically NEVER been flexible even as a kid and stretching routines have ALWAYS been painful for me so ive dabbled in some for periods then would give up after a few months due to no real tangible benefits and of course the sheer torture of just stretching anyway. But ive been really strict on this routine and doing all the recommended phys thpy ones as well as the stabilizing ones for my crappy injured spine as well. Its been very long and tough, but i THINK even tho my shoulder and arm are a bit better sometimes, i AM evening out again and the posture is improving too as i was so rounded from the pain! I could not even dare try to do those moments w that band months ago but maybe now i should start trying it to get that strength back again? Its hard to tell when is the right time to use it, or not unfortunately. I always prided myself on my strength being in the horse world and riding and grooming etc, now the past yr i cannot even empty a bag of grain into a bin anymore. Im hoping that adding the slow resistance eventually could help me get my arm back to normal as ive never had a shoulder injury before this, was always strong. Heading near the big 5-0 soon...cant have a useless left arm for life! Im trying so hard to get back on track! Wow i just vented my emotion onto a video comment. Anyway thank you for the new exercise to try after all these stretches ive been doing!!
I haven't finished watching, but by control and stability, do you mean re-building muscle strength???? I stretch all the time, very flexible. My hamstring has been hurting for years, the chiropractor suggested it might be because of my spondylosthesis, lowest vertebrai, but when I was shown how to do squats, holding to the back of the bike, my quads are still sore days later, I'm just super weak after COVID working everyday, sitting. Also, I now do those back rolls, such a small movement, for my vertebrai.
As for the curl up, your version causes the lumbar spine to flatten, thus removing natural lordosis. Others (McGill, for example) suggest maintaining lordosis during the curl up (with the hands or a rolled up towel), perhaps to avoid stress on the lumbar spine. Any thoughts on which approach is better? Does flattening the lumbar spine place unnecessary stress on the discs? Thanks in advance for any feedback.
I'm 65 and do alot of calf/leg stretching but I find that I'll cramp at night occasionally. And I eat good and take LOTS of vitamins. Any idea why I cramp? PS. the main area of cramping seems to be the hamstring (when I'm sleeping). Love your videos
@@ktall6749 My problem is not dehydration. I probably drink more than I should but I do sweat a lot. I'm guessing its some chemical imbalance, but I spent 25yrs in our medical system (had a weekly appt of some kind at a minimum) and I've had enough. Glad your issue resolved !!
I have extremely stiff shoulders, I have often participated in bench press competitions, so my shoulders are completely adapted for the bench press. Always done well back, so this is in proportion. But shoulders are so stiff that back squatting is no longer possible, I can't get far enough back. I don't have any complaints, strong shoulders. Is there a reason to make it more mobile for the future, or does this actually not matter?
I see no benefit in stretching other than in maintaining a full range of motion. I've never stretched before or after jogging. And before lifting weights, I only check to see whether I have an impingement. Now, I am at half the volume of what I used to do, but I once ran up to 100 ks a week, and did 30 set workout on a double split, 6 times a week. I do less than half the volume of what I used to, but after 50 years nonstop of working out, I have zero pain, and zero loss of mobility.
That's me, older physio therapist told me I'd be a cirque de soleil contender if I wanted, said super flexible is not good for ligaments, torn knee my 1st major prob, so I've cooled it, I really don't want to be overly stretched, that's just too gross!
Thank you very much for an informative and useful video. I have a question: Do we need to use a pillow in the 3rd exercise? If yes, how high should it be? Thank you.
I noticed the 'Band rotation' is almost the same as the 'Activate rotator cuff' exercise in your "Do These 3 Things BEFORE You Exercise" video, except in that one the band goes under the opposite foot. Does the foot you use to hold the band change what the exercise does?
Yoga is all about bringing balance and stability to the body. It’s actually harder to teach flexible people to bring more strength to their flexibility. Yoga teachers are like any other profession, there are good and bad. Most people don’t want to pay for a good teacher. You would do more service to speak knowledgeably about a topic.
Mobility matters. Bicycles matter. Electric busses matter. Electric trains matter. Safe protected bike and bus lanes are necessary for efficient transport. Children should be able to ride bicycles or take a bus to school safely. Cities need to provide multiple options for transportation. Less cars, more buses, more bicycles. Staying active is key. There is a climate crisis. We need to make walking, cycling, using escooters and taking a bus easier and the default option for most people. Ebikes are brinigng many older adults back to cycling and the benefits of exercise.
I've know too many seniors who found physical healing and freedom via yoga to buy this bs. Common sense, listening to your body presence. Those are all integral within all forms of yoga, btw. Yoga is meant to conform to your own body and level of ability, not the other way around. This is how all of those 60-80 year old beginner yogis I've known we're able to benefit greatly from it.
Viewed from the side, you can see that your footstool is just barely stable when you are standing on the balls of your feet at the edge, with your heels hanging over. It would be very easy to make that stool rotate out from under you.
"The Hidden RISK of Stretching" starts at 1:02. The first minute of this is pure jabber, just wasted time and irritatiion of the poor wikkle electrons.
