How to become flexible at 60

I joined a yoga class for mature ladies at 60 and I feel that it has halted the decline of my flexibility.

Chair Yoga. I do an online Zoom class.

Meant to add - it definitely aids my flexibility, balance and more. I'm 74.

I agree that yoga is very helpful. I have been practicing for about 5 years now, and at 62 feel strong and flexible.

As an office worker sitting at a desk all day, I do think it is important to have a good mix of both strength, flexibility and cardio. I try to get a good walk in most days, then yoga at home (on-line class) about 3 times a week.

(Apologies for dripfeed ) - the chair is just used as a proper for half the class. It is quite challenging, I like the fact that I can do e.g. the Warrior Pose seated, because that's quite a tough one.

Prop! Damn autocorrect.

At almost your age, plus being overweight, I started to get scared that I would never be anything approaching fit and was worried if I fell over, how embarrassing it would be to need assistance to get up! Most exercise regimes I had tried in the past were too difficult for someone like me - so I always gave up.
After a lot of searching, I found Tom Morrison's Simplistic Mobility Method. It's very flexible - you progress at your own pace and he gives other ways of doing the exercises if you find them too difficult. And when you get better, there are things to make the exercises a bit harder so you still get something out of them.
Tommorrison.uk

I started chair based exercises in 2018. Where I used to live . Joined at class near my new home but it closed because of Covid. Then found my council did active ageing class which was GP referral. Did that for over a year and they pulled the funding.

But go to a sit fit class near my home . I am the youngest in the class at 65 oldest is 91. The full membership is 16 but some weeks like this week where just 7 of us. We do exercises sitting down and ones holding on to the back of a chair. Don't think it's an easy exercise class it's not. Our instructor works us hard but she always you need to feel the exercises but if it hurts stop. She's in her earlier 60's. It's great fun. It's funny but I can do the exercises easier than I can walk.

If you Google over 60's sit fit classes there should be some in your area. My class costs £5 and lasts 60-70 mins. This week we did circuit training. It's great fun using bits of equipment but a minute seems a long time when you are pedalling on a free standing pedals sitting on a chair.

It's a lovely social group as well and we encourage eachother . Plus our instructor plays good music this week it was the rolling stones. All the members have multiple conditions.

No matter how much pain I am in I still go every week because it makes me feel better in myself.

Tai Chi. Gentle exercises that encurage flexibility and strengthen your core muscles.

I am 80 I have been doing it for 5 years and can think of no reason why I ahould need to stop.

I second yoga. I remember years ago saying to my yoga teacher that I needed WD40 on my joints. She said "yoga is the WD40"

I should do more but even the hour and a half each week keeps me active
I walk and dance as well.
I'm 75 and there are older people in my classes who are a darned sight fitter than me.

I don’t do any of those things but I do keep active. Just been in hospital for an operation and doctor said i was very fit for my age - 77. Now i feel like 50 😄😄

Our instructor about a month ago decided to do chair based yoga. While we did it and I did enjoy it. I paid for it the next day. Next class I said please never do yoga again everyone else said the same thing. They all hurt the next day.

What we do is fun and you feel it and I like doing circuit training. Plus after the warm up we do different exercises each week but like the warm up the cool down is the same.

When I retired I was very unfit and stiff. I joined a seniors exercise class where we did a range of exercises and really enjoyed it. I did Pilates which I preferred to yoga. When I decided to lose weight, I added in swimming and walking 10,000 steps a day.
I've stopped this now except for the walking but my flexibility is still better than when I was working.

Earlier this year I signed up for a Pilates class. It has utterly changed my life. I have lost weight, toned up and my fitness levels have increased. I take four pilates classes every week plus two yoga. Later this year I am going on a Yoga Retreat. It is never too late to take control. I am in my mid sixties.

The most important thing is to keep moving as much as you can. Then add in some of the great suggestions above. But your willingness to make changes is the biggest positive.

I also found adding a good quality turmeric supplement really helped my joints - both my big joints like hips and knees, but also my small finger joints.

Swimming is good too if you have the facility nearby.

Started Pilates six years ago at 60… took a few years to really enjoy it but now do it four times a week and also do dance classes, aqua fitness and walking…it’s definitely possible to improve fitness as well…side effect is dropping a ton of weight and taking charge of what I eat…you can do it…find an exercise you enjoy! Makes all the difference!

Snap!

I bought a Chair Yoga book for Seniors from Amazon nice big pictures, I do the exercises every morning without fail and find them beneficial and seem to cheer me up also ...

I did yoga classes for a year in my 40s and loved it. I did it at home from a video every morning in my 50s. In my early 60s I did another year’s course of yoga then I developed a form of vertigo (BPPV) and found there were a lot of poses I could no longer do which was really frustrating.

Now I just do some stretches and balancing exercises every morning but I do miss attending a class.

Yoga, yoga,yoga. Done it on and off all my life. Recommended.
Lots of different approaches. Hatha , pranayama (breath and stretching), many others.
It can just be lots of gentle but effective stretching or much more.
Can you find a good teacher in your area ? I think the "Wheel of Yoga" is a sort of central or regulatory body for yoga in the UK which could recommend a teacher.
Classes to suit all ages and existing degrees of flexibility.
Not at all competetive.
Try and get hold of Richard Hittleman's "Yoga 28 Day exercise plan" from the 1960s/70's?
Also I swim but not for everyone.
Good luck. Happy stretching.

I go to a Mature Movers class at my local community centre. It’s a National organisation that runs keep fit classes for older people. They’re great fun and I never thought I would say that about an exercise class.

I do yoga, Pilates and swimming . I feel toned and am way more flexible than I used to be. I’m in my 70s. Don’t use age as an excuse.

I do a fair amount of walking and golf using a stick for one and an electric trolley ( not a buggy) for the other. Just went back to learn to swim but it made back pain much worse. I am starting chair yoga as soon as my visitors go.

Interesting one: there is a 70 year old woman locally who is a brown belt in karate and took it up to keep fit, defend herself and meet people. I don't know if this would suit all older people, as any martial art is hard work physically, but it would be good to keep fit./