To that list, I would add mobility, agility and coordination, or MAC, which we definitely lose through ageing.

But can a yoga practice alone offer a fully rounded and balanced physical practice?

Three popular yoga types are hatha, slow active stretching in which each pose is typically held for several breaths; dynamic stretching vinyasa flow, in which the practitioners move from pose to pose more quickly; and yin, in which poses are held for a longer time with passive stretching.

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Taking part in a variety of asana classes can help a yogi develop excellent flexibility and balance, decent endurance and some strength, although there is not much emphasis on power – nor on MAC.

Why? Most actions in yoga poses are pushing ones (using the pectorals in the chest, the deltoids in the shoulder, and the triceps in the back of the upper arm) with very little pulling. There is little to strengthen the V-shaped back muscle and biceps (front of the upper arm).

Many yogis do sun salutations, sequences of poses combined together. Each pose involves a pushing away from the floor and against the pull of gravity. To pull effectively requires something with which to pull, such as an overhead bar, gymnastics rings or a rowing machine.

Yoga movements are typically very linear, either stepping forward or backward; the sequences, once familiarised, do not develop much neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt to new challenges; and movement complexity is limited, requiring relatively little coordination.

I kept up my asana practice, but rented a stationary bike to keep up my endurance and develop my mobility, agility and coordination with movement training.

Importantly, I joined an online calisthenics group – through the Project Calisthenics app from trainer and physiotherapist Simon Ata – to build strength, using mainly body weight, through some challenging upper and lower body workouts.

I had planned in advance for quarantine, albeit for a two-week stay, not three, arranging to have mini parallel bars known as parallettes, resistance bands and handheld weights in my room. To make quarantine easier and the time pass more quickly, I tried to stick to a daily routine.

My days began as they do when I am at home, with yogic cleansing practices called kriyas, such as rinsing the nose with warm salty water, and pre nauli – in which your abdomen caves in while your rib cage expands. About 15 minutes of warm-ups such as gentle bouncing helps to loosen the joints. Then up to 75 minutes of dedicated yogic breathing techniques called pranayama set the stage for meditation.

These include the great seal pose (seated with one leg straight, another bent with the foot inside the upper thigh) and the lion’s breath (while sitting, inhale through your nose, open your mouth wide, stick out your tongue, stretch it downwards, then exhale forcefully, with an “ah” sound from your abdomen).

I ate two meals a day, skipping breakfast, so after finding that quiet place inside, I would venture back into ‘real life’, or at least virtual life, going online to check emails and survey what was going on in the world.

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After a healthy lunch of yogurt, berries, cheese and toast – provisions a friend delivered from outside – I’d blend a protein smoothie to have late in the day.

Early afternoons were spent working on my new yoga teacher training manuals and often I’d sneak in a short nap. By late afternoon, it was time to get my body in gear with a two-hour workout.

Calisthenics exercises engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously in either dynamic movements or static holds with little equipment required.

With a bit of creative adaptation, these exercises, such as pistol squats (standing on one leg, extending the other straight out in front while squatting), dips (using parallettes to lower and raise my body), and reverse hypers (leaning forward with legs extended straight in the air behind), could be done even in my cramped hotel room, incorporating the furnishings, using the heavy coffee table as support, and securing resistance bands over the doors or under furniture legs to use for hanging or pulling moves.

To boost efficiency, I would move into yoga poses in the resting time between reps.

Movement training, which includes freestyle random movements on the floor and creating sequences that mimic animal behaviours, such as scampering on all fours or balancing on the arms, helped to enhance my MAC.

So while I interspersed my daily yoga practice with calisthenics and movement, its purpose was not diminished. At my age, yoga poses matter less for their physical effects than the mental results – using them combined with slow breathing as a tool to calm my monkey mind and prepare the body for the deeper inward journey through pranayama (breath control) and meditation. And on the days I took a break to recover from strength training, I did a full, uninterrupted asana practice, of up to 75 minutes.

This formula for developing my body, mind and spirit works for me, and may work for others keen on ageing well, whether in quarantine or not.