Veggie Blog

Five minutes can be an unintimidating way to begin yoga, especially if you have not exercised regularly for a while. The original Veggie-Blog article introduced a short routine aimed particularly at men over 40. Its associated Amazon identifier points to Yoga for Men in 5 Minutes by Krzysztof Trelski, rather than a general article on men’s fitness.

What is the idea behind the book?

The appeal is simplicity: a compact sequence that can fit between work, family commitments and the rest of the day. The original description focuses on warming up, moving the spine and working on basic strength and flexibility. It does not provide enough information to confirm which individual postures appear in the edition linked here, so we will not invent a pose-by-pose table of contents.

Is a five-minute routine worthwhile?

Yes, as a starting point. The World Health Organization emphasises that doing some physical activity is better than doing none. A brief session may be easier to repeat each morning than a complicated programme you rarely finish. It can also encourage you to make room for walking, cycling or other exercise later in the week.

At the same time, five minutes of gentle yoga cannot stand in for every aspect of fitness. Adults also benefit from regular aerobic movement and muscle-strengthening activities. The NCCIH yoga overview offers a balanced look at what yoga can and cannot do, along with precautions for beginners.

What should men over 40 keep in mind?

Start at a comfortable level rather than forcing stiff joints into an impressive shape. A chair or wall can help with balance, and a slower pace makes it easier to notice discomfort. If you have an injury, heart condition or other health concern, ask a qualified professional which movements are appropriate.

Related on Veggie-Blog: No Time for Yoga? How a Few Minutes a Day Can Still Count.

Book: Yoga for Men in 5 Minutes by Krzysztof Trelski
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you)

The featured image is an AI-generated illustration, not a photo of real people or an official book cover.

Ananda Yoga has been taught to many thousands of students and yoga teachers over the last thirty years. Designed to give valuable benefits on many levels—physical, mental, emotional—its highest purpose is to tune practitioners into the body’s subtle energy flows, allowing them to experience the full spiritual dimensions of each posture. Most Ananda Yoga postures are done with affirmations to help the practitioner expand the benefits of yoga beyond the body, into the mind and soul.

This unique book teaches hatha yoga as it was originally intended: as a way to uplift your consciousness and aid your spiritual development. Kriyananda’s inspiring affirmations and clearly written instructions show you how to attune yourself to the consciousness of each pose, so that each yoga posture becomes a doorway to life-affirming attitudes, clarity of understanding, and an increasingly centered and uplifted awareness.

Covers the basic principles of hatha yoga including standing poses, relaxation poses, spinal stretches, sitting poses, and inverted poses—all with photographs. Also includes suggestions for routines of varying lengths for both beginning and advanced students.

Book: Ananda Yoga by Swami Kriyananda
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This unique guide shows both the yoga enthusiast and the yoga novice how to use hatha yoga postures and techniques to physically connect with Jewish spirituality.

“If you are curious about hatha yoga, Aleph-Bet Yoga provides a safe introduction to the basic yoga postures and techniques. If you are one of the tens of thousands of Jews who already practice hatha yoga, Aleph-Bet Yoga will connect your yoga to something explicitly Jewish. With its Jewish content and intent, Aleph-Bet Yoga will enhance rather than interfere with your religious identity.”
—from the Introduction

As we move our bodies through the Hebrew aleph-bet, turning toward the inner meaning of the letters, we can tap into the deep connections between our body, mind and spirit.
Drawing on the sacred texts and mystical writings of Judaism, combined with the insights of yoga teacher Steven Rapp, Aleph-Bet Yoga is an East-meets-West experience for our whole selves.
Aleph-Bet Yoga makes it easy for anyone to incorporate yoga into their life, and combines the physical and spiritual aspects of Judaism. It features step-by-step instructions, photographs clearly demonstrating each yoga pose, and insightful words to inspire and guide us in connecting the spiritual meaning of the Hebrew letters to our yoga practice.

Book: Aleph-Bet Yoga by Steven A. Rapp
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Insomnia is the most common disorder of sleep. It’s also one of the most frequent reasons a person visits a doctor. About 10% of people have some ongoing insomnia nightly, and roughly half the adults in our culture have some trouble with insomnia–a huge number considering how debilitating insomnia can be!

Yoga Therapy is a revolutionary new approach to working with common physical and mental ailments. Combining yoga postures with the latest in conventional and alternative medical treatments, each book in the Yoga Therapy series presents a fresh, effective approach to healing.

In Yoga Therapy for Overcoming Insomnia, an experienced medical doctor and an acclaimed professional yoga teacher share the ingredients that support a good night’s sleep. You’ll discover simple and important steps to help prepare you for sleep. And, you’ll learn how to use Ananda Yoga, a relaxing series of gentle stretches, breathing exercises, and positive thoughts—all of which have been proved to be helpful in insomnia.

You’ll discover:

Everything you ever wanted to know about sleep.
Types, causes, and treatments of insomnia.
How to create good “sleep habits.”
Instructions for simple yoga postures and breathing exercises to lead you into sleep.
How to use “self-talk” affirmations to relax your mind and body.
Yoga Therapy is clear and comprehensive. Most people can easily practice and enjoy these exercises and suggestions immediately. Get ready for a good night’s sleep!

Book: Yoga Therapy for Overcoming Insomnia by Peter Van Houten
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The old version of this post described three yoga exercises, Warrior III, Plank and Side Plank, but the instructions were so garbled that they were hard to follow. I have not watched the video that goes with the post, so I have rewritten the steps from standard yoga practice. They are general instructions, not taken from a study. They are demanding poses, so read the safety notes before you try them.

What does Warrior III train?

Warrior III is a standing balance pose that works the standing leg, the back of the body and the core. The old post began from Mountain Pose, and that is a good way to start. Stand with your heels slightly apart and big toes touching, legs straight, chest lifted and arms by your sides. Place your hands on your hips. Shift your weight onto your left foot and lift your right leg behind you, keeping it straight. Hinge forward from your hips, not your waist, until your torso is parallel to the floor and your raised leg is in line with it. Keep your hips level and your weight evenly spread across the inner and outer edges of your standing foot. Begin with five breath cycles and build up gradually, as the old post suggested, but do not rush to fifteen. To come out, lift the torso and return to Mountain Pose, then repeat on the other side.

How do you do Plank Pose?

Plank builds strength in the arms, shoulders and core. Begin on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders. Step your feet back until your legs are straight and you are balancing on your toes with your feet together. Keep your arms straight, your shoulders away from your ears and your body in one line from head to heels. Do not let your hips sag or lift. Harvard Health notes that most experts suggest holds of 10 to 30 seconds, done as several shorter sets, rather than one long hold. The video that goes with this post, “How to Do the Plank Pose” from Howcast, shows the pose. I have not watched it, so use it as a guide only, and not as a safety check.

What is Side Plank?

Side Plank is a harder variation. From Plank, press your ankles together and roll onto the outer edge of your right foot, stacking your left foot on top with your legs straight. Lift your left arm toward the ceiling and look up at it if your neck is comfortable. The old post said to let the abdominal muscles support the body without clamping and crunching, which means staying long through the waist and breathing normally. Hold for five breaths, then lower your left hand to the floor, roll back to Plank and repeat on the other side. Support yourself with your lower forearm if your wrist is sensitive, or lower your bottom knee to the floor while you learn.

What should you watch out for?

These poses put weight on the wrists, shoulders and lower back, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that the most common yoga injuries are sprains and strains. It recommends beginners avoid extreme practices and advises people with conditions such as lumbar spine disease, balance problems or a pre-existing injury to talk to a health care provider and an instructor, since some poses may need to change. If you have back pain or other back problems, Harvard Health suggests doing the plank on your knees, or standing and leaning against a counter at a 45-degree angle. As general yoga advice (not from a source), a forearm plank takes pressure off sensitive wrists. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness or tingling.

How can you build up?

Practice near a wall or a sturdy chair for Warrior III at first, resting a hand on it for balance. Do a few minutes of warm-up beforehand; our guide to warming up before yoga explains how. For Plank, start with short holds and rest in between. Work through our post on holding poses with steadiness and the basic yoga postures and their variations to prepare your legs and core. If your goal is a strong midsection, our post on gaining a shapely waist through yoga has more ideas, though keep in mind that no exercise can remove fat from one area of the body alone. A short, regular practice of three or four sessions a week will do more than one very long session.