If you’ve ever worried that you’re “too stiff” or “not flexible enough” for yoga, this episode will help you breathe a little easier. Yoga therapist Mikah Horn breaks down one of the most common misconceptions in the yoga world: the idea that flexibility is a prerequisite. It isn’t. In fact, stiffness is often one of the best reasons to begin a gentle, therapeutic yoga practice, especially as we age.

In this grounded beginner-focused episode, you’ll learn why your stiffness is less about “tight muscles” and more about your nervous system doing its job to protect you. You’ll explore what actually matters when starting yoga later in life, and why simple movement variety, support, and slow pacing can open up more freedom in your body than you might expect.

Whether you’re totally new to yoga, coming back after time away, or simply feeling locked up in your joints, this conversation offers clarity, reassurance, and a practical path forward.

In this episode, you’ll learn

• Why stiffness is a normal part of aging and not a barrier to yoga
• How your nervous system, not your muscles, is often behind that “locked up” feeling
• Why therapeutic yoga focuses on mobility, strength, balance, and posture alongside flexibility
• The five things beginners truly need: movement variety, support, slow pacing, consistency, and a curious mindset
• How small, simple practices create meaningful mobility over time
• Why props are tools of wisdom, not weakness
• The value of predictable, short home practices for long-term progress

👉 Your Next Step

Explore the Yoga to Ease Joint Stiffness & Improve Mobility playlist on YouTube. These beginner-friendly classes help you move gently, build confidence, and start feeling better in your body.

🔗 Mentioned in the Episode

• YouTube Playlist: Yoga to Ease Joint Stiffness & Improve Mobility
• Lifelong Yoga Online (membership)

💌 Stay Connected

• YouTube: Lifelong Yoga with Mikah
• Instagram: @lifelong.yoga
• Free Facebook Community: Yoga at Home