7 Yoga Experts Share Their #1 Tip for Building Strength
Strength Doesn't Feel the Same Anymore, And Thatâs Not a Bad Thing
At some point {for me, it was in my 40s} the way I thought about strength COMPLETELY changed.
It wasnât just about how much weight I could lift or how many Chaturangas I could do anymore.
It became about having enough energy to get through the day without crashing.
Feeling capable in my own body.
Staying consistent without feeling broken or wiped out afterward.
^^^ And just because Iâm in my 40s doesnât mean Iâm slowing down.
I still want to feel strong, like REALLY strong. Iâve just learned that the way I train for it has to make sense for where my body is now.
Today, itâs less about pushing harder and waaaaay more about building the kind of strength that lasts, the kind that supports every day life, not just the workout.
THATâS WHERE YOGA COMES IN.
And not just any yoga. Iâm talking about strength-based yoga, restorative practices, and mindful movement that actually support the season of life you're in now, not the one you used to be in.
This piece brings together insights from seven respected yoga teachers.
đ All women.
đ All deeply experienced.
đ All shifting the conversation around what yoga for midlife strength really means.
But first, letâs talk about where to start if youâre feeling brand new.
Not sure how to shift your yoga practice toward MORE strength?
Start with my FREE 3-part Strength Yoga: Core Foundations training. Three short classes designed to help you build core strength, stability, and confidence with yoga.
1. Why Strength Starts with Your Nervous System
Inspired by me, Natalia Rennie
đ nataliarennie.com
Before I ever taught strength-based yoga, I taught women how to feel safe in their bodies again.
Because hereâs the truth. If your nervous system doesnât feel safe, your body wonât build strength.
^^^ It doesnât matter how consistent you are or how well you eat. If your system is stuck in stress mode, strength just wonât stick.
And in midlife? That low-level stress isnât always loud, but it sure as heck is CONSTANT.
Hormones are shifting. Recovery slows down. Sleep can feel like a gamble. You feel wired, tired, and worn down all at once.
So what do you do?
You start smaller. Slower. Smarter. You work with your body, not against it.
đ¤ Every time you let your breath slow.
đ¤ Every time your shoulders drop just a little.
đ¤ Every time you pause instead of pushing...
Thatâs nervous system work. And thatâs strength work, too.
^^^ The good news is; you donât need another punishing routine. You need a foundation that meets you where you are.
Start with your breath. Start with your base. Thatâs where real strength begins.
2. Stillness Is Strength, Too
From Judith Hanson Lasater
đ restorativeyogateachers.com
Judith Hanson Lasater has been teaching yoga for over 50 years. Sheâs the author of Restore and Rebalance, and one of the leading voices in restorative yoga.
Her message is simple.
âStillness isnât the absence of effort. Itâs the presence of awareness.â
Weâve been trained to think that rest is a reward for working hard. Judith teaches that rest is part of the work.
Her restorative yoga practice creates space for your body to repair, reset, and return to balance.
And in midlife, when recovery takes longer and fatigue is real, that kind of stillness becomes essential.
Because strength without recovery isnât sustainable. Itâs just borrowed energy, and eventually, it runs out.
3. Smart Strength Over More Strength
From Tiffany Cruikshank
đ yogamedicine.com
Tiffany Cruikshank has spent years bridging the gap between yoga and science, and her take on strength?
It's clear, practical, and refreshingly doable:
âLoad your tissues, BUT load them wisely.â
Translation? Your body needs challenge to stay strong, especially as estrogen drops and bone density becomes more of a factor in your 40s and beyond.
But challenge doesnât mean punishment.
Thatâs where Tiffanyâs brilliance really shines. She teaches women how to build strength with precision, the kind that supports your joints, improves balance, and helps you feel steady in your day-to-day life.
^^^ Grocery bags. Stairs. Lifting. Twisting. Getting up off the floor. Thatâs what this is for.
4. Slow, Precise Movement Builds Power
From Annie Carpenter, đ smartflowyoga.com
Annie Carpenter, often called âthe teacherâs teacher,â has a way of bringing you back to the heart of your practice without adding noise or pressure.
Her whole philosophy? Move with precision, not perfection.
She believes discipline isnât about rigidity. Itâs about respect.
^^^ Respect for your breath. Your joints. Your real life.
Annieâs SmartFLOW method teaches you how to slow things down. Not as a fallback, but as a strength strategy.
Because here's the truth: Fast doesnât always mean strong. Fancy doesnât always mean helpful. And being âchallengedâ doesnât always mean itâs good for your body.
In midlife, form REALLLLLLLY matters.
And Annieâs work is a reminder that every pose is a chance to listen, adjust, and meet your body where it actually is, not where you think it should be.
5. Strength Can Be Playful (and Personal)
From Kathryn Budig, đ kathrynbudig.com
Kathryn Budig has spent years helping women reclaim their strength. Not through perfection. Through play.
Her approach is deeply personal. She invites you to explore your body, your movement, your confidence, not with pressure, but with curiosity.
Because when we stop performing and start exploring, the body softens. And in that softening, strength can finally land.
In midlife, when SO much of our identity is shifting, this message hits differently.
You donât have to look strong to be strong. You donât have to move seriously for it to count.
Joy counts too.
Kathrynâs work is a reminder that;
đ The movement can feel like freedom.
đ It can feel like fun.
đ It can feel like home.
If yoga has ever felt too serious, too strict, or just not like you, this might be the permission youâve been waiting for.
6. Gentleness Builds the Kind of Strength That Lasts
From Elena Brower đ elenabrower.com
Elena Brower has spent over two decades guiding women back to themselves through breath, stillness, and the kind of gentleness thatâs anything but passive.
Her teachings bridge yoga, meditation, art, and emotional intelligence. And at the heart of her work is a quiet invitation:
Not to push harder, but to soften on purpose.
Because when life gets loud, Elena reminds us that clarity doesnât come from force. It comes from presence.
âWhen you meet yourself with gentleness, she says, âyou build trust. And from trust, strength blooms.â
In midlife, that kind of strength feels different. Itâs not about intensity. Itâs about inner steadiness.
The ability to pause. To listen. To respond, not react.
7. Strength Is the Courage to Stay Present
From Sarah Powers đ sarahpowersinsightyoga.com
Sarah Powers weaves yoga, mindfulness, and Buddhist psychology into something that feels both ancient and refreshingly relevant.
Her message about strength is simple, but it lands deep:
âReal strength isnât about holding tighter. Itâs about staying present when it would be easier to check out.â
And letâs be honest, in midlife, thatâs no small ask.
^^^ When your body feels unfamiliar, when energy crashes for no clear reason, when emotions get loud or unpredictable⌠distraction starts looking real tempting.
But presence is a practice.
Not a perfect one. Not always graceful. Just honest.
Sarah teaches that each breath, each pause, each moment you choose to stay instead of escape, thatâs strength.
The kind that doesnât shout, but steadies you.
Itâs the strength that helps you stay with your life, even when itâs shifting. To sit with discomfort, not because itâs easy, but because itâs true.
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