I’d like to do some kind of flexibility activity, alongside some strength work. For the past 15 years or so my exercise has been 95% cycling with a little running and gym work. I’m getting a bit older (48) and various things I’ve read suggest strength and flexibility can suffer.

What should I try? I thought yoga perhaps – what should I look for in a class? I’d prefer something that’s free of woo (local gym class mentioned “expelling toxins”).

What about other options? I did Tai Chi for a couple of years and really enjoyed it, until the woo-free teacher was replaced by a full-woo teacher.

Pilates can be really good but it’s tricky to find the right class. Some will run the class as an actual workout where you push yourself and get sweaty. Unfortunately, most are old ladies making shapes.

I’ve done all three. Depends on what you want to get out of it. As you mention a lot depends of the instructor, particularly for yoga. Also with yoga there are so many different types ranging from the relaxing to the full-on cardio workout type. I quite enjoyed Body Balance as it has a nice mix of Tai Chi, yoga and pilates moves and is quite relaxed. More recently I have been doing a lot of Pilates which is much, much harder than it looks and is great for developing your core and really focuses on doing small moves in a precise manner (which I found hard initially as I was used to doing more full on types of exercise). I have found Pilates to be best for a couple of medical issues I have (meniscal tear in knee and some arthritis in my hips).

Pilates all the way.

I’ve seen bodybuilder types get trashed by 80 year old women and never come back.

Core ftw. Want to look good or be functional?

If the latter – Pilates.

Body balance once a week here. Keeps some of the aches and pains in check. All the pilates classes at the gym get booked up as soon as they are available.

I did yoga class once a week for a few months at the start of last year. It was quite relaxed and I felt muscles stretch I didn’t know existed! Holding the poses was unexpectedly challenging but I’m not particularly strong. At times being the only inflexible man amongst flexible women I felt a bit out of place, especially after they changed things around and the times I could make it meant I ended up doing a faster paced class. I wasn’t familiar enough with the poses to keep up and became a bit fed up. If you’re getting your cardio exercise already (ie cycling) then use yoga for flexibility and basic core strength, and go to a slow paced class where poses are held for longer. I haven’t been for over a year but definitely will do it again at some point. I try to do some of the basic poses at home at least twice a week.

The Down Dog app is really good, allowing plenty of customisation and you can just do it at home. Also on my gym rest days I get a mat out and spend an hour going through all the stretches in a yoga book I have. It’s nice and relaxing and again entirely free of woo (I like that word).

Want to look good or be functional?

Did someone say ‘functional’….

Another vote for pilates. No woo, and look around for a class that suits. I’m lucky to be in a class of five which means lots of personal attention to terrible form. It’s helped my core strength and general flexibility loads (he says with a sprained back after not doing any over the summer break…)

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/article/izn20130115-All-Cycling-Cross-Training-0

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/article/izn20131002-First-Class-0

https://www.youtube.com/user/Calisthenicmovement/videos

Another vote for pilates. Also, if there is some sort of movement and mobility class that’s worth a look as well, I’ve tried both and the movement class has definitely helped more with aches and pains.

Thanks people – I’ll see what options I have for pilates at the gym, I know they get booked quite quickly. Body balance might be an easier place to start for me, more of those available.

What are the different types of yogas? Which one is the best for strength/flexibility?

Gunz, Patton, I’ll take a look at the app/links, ta.