Which one is best for anti-aging, strength training or yoga?

Let’s talk about the conclusion first. There is no absolute “best” between the two. They have different emphasis on different dimensions of aging. When it comes to anti-aging efficiency, a combination of exercises is far better than sticking to one type.

Nowadays, there are indeed supporters of both groups in the fitness circle. People who believe in strength training hold a lot of evidence-based medical evidence - after all, the human body loses muscle mass at a rate of 1% per year after the age of 30, and the loss rate will double after the age of 60. Sarcopenia not only causes a slumped face, loose muscles, and decreased metabolism, but is also the number one cause of falls and disability in middle-aged and elderly people. Strength training is currently recognized as the most efficient way to delay muscle mass loss and improve bone density. There is a 56-year-old uncle next to me. His bone density has been declining every year during physical examinations. He has been practicing weight training for three consecutive years. Last year, his bone mass was even better than the report from ten years ago. He usually carries dozens of kilograms of vegetables to the fifth floor without blushing or out of breath. His condition is better than that of many middle-aged people in their forties who sit for a long time every day.

However, what people say about anti-aging through yoga is completely valid. Many people's understanding of aging only focuses on muscle and bone mass, but they ignore that "stiffness" and "tiredness" are also core manifestations of premature aging - long-term high stress, cortisol disorders, fascial adhesion, and poor posture. These will only make you look ten years older than your actual age, and will also quietly increase the risk of chronic diseases. I once had a 37-year-old female reader who works as an e-commerce operator. She stays up until two or three o'clock every day, and her shoulders and neck are as hard as frozen butter. She practiced strength training with a blogger for half a year, and her trapezius muscles became thicker and thicker, and her waist was sprained. Later, she switched to yoga three times a week and light weight strength twice a week. After four months of training, her shoulder height returned, and her sleep increased from four or five hours a day to more than seven hours. Last time I saw her, she couldn't stretch. She said that her colleagues asked her if she had secretly done anti-aging programs.

There is really no need to compete for a ranking. Look at those sports enthusiasts who are in far better condition than their peers. Very few of them only practice a single sport. I met a 61-year-old aunt in an outdoor hiking group before. She does upper body + hip and leg strength training three times a week, two yin yoga + one flow yoga. Her muscle mass is about the same as that of a 40-year-old woman.

If you usually sit for a long time and don’t move much, your muscles are loose when you pinch them, and you can’t breathe even after climbing the third floor, then you might as well put a higher proportion of strength training first to increase your muscle mass and metabolism.； If you are stressed every day, have shoulder, neck, back, and back pain, and cannot sleep well, then start with yoga two or three times a week. It is not too late to adjust your state and then gradually increase your strength. A combination that suits you is the best anti-aging method.