In my working days long ago, I had a lot to be proud about.
I don’t have much to be proud about these days, but I am proud that at nearly 79 years old I can do 30 pushups in a very short time. When I started a few months ago I could only do 7 pushups. Pushups are not really a part of yoga, but they fit in nicely between the plank pose and the upward dog pose. My yoga isn’t normally high stress. It’s more for balance and flexibility.
The Tai Chi exercises are also for balance and fluidity of motion. All of the moves are slow and easy. There is a part of Tai Chi that is an excellent fighting skill like Kung Fu or Karate, but those practices are no longer for me.
The most taxing exercise that I do is a horse stance.
It is very good for muscle building. Many years ago we did this in karate classes. I can hold the pose for a count of 30 and that’s all. Young guys can do the stance for a longer time. This not only builds muscle, but it is also good for balance. Feet are 36 inches apart for the stance and one might want to begin with a wall close behind him to make sure one doesn’t fall backward. A variation of this for older people is to sit on the edge of a sturdy chair, cross your arms over your chest and stand up without using your arms to help you get up from the chair. Do that 10 times and you will be amazed how much effort it takes.
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