Hey, you! Are you tired of hearing that yoga is just for young people? Well, it’s not. Many residents in senior living in New Buffalo, IN, are turning to yoga as a way to stay active while they age. Aging adults might find it easier than other exercise programs because it’s low impact and doesn’t require much strength or balance. That said, some poses may not be best suited for older bodies—and some are perfect for helping aging adults maintain their health. Read on to learn about some gentle yoga poses you can do at your local senior-friendly independent living community:
Mountain Pose
The Mountain Pose is a great way to begin your yoga practice, and it’s also a good pose for seniors over 65. Here’s how you do it:
Stand with feet together or just slightly apart, toes pointing forward or outward. Bring your hands together at the center of your chest, with palms facing each other but not touching (you can place them above or below your heart). Close your eyes if you’d like.
Take a deep breath as you bend down into the pose, bringing your hands toward the floor. Keep knees straight as much as possible during this stretch; focus on lengthening through both legs without letting them go completely straight. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds before returning to standing tall again by straightening through both legs and lifting arms overhead, so they’re parallel with the floor (or higher, depending on how flexible you are). Repeat three times before moving on to another pose in this sequence!
Chair Pose
A chair pose is a great way to improve your balance and posture. It’s also a good stretch for the hips and ankles, which can help you avoid falling in senior living communities.
The starting position is standing with feet together and heels touching each other. As you exhale, push your hips backward until they’re parallel with the floor while maintaining your knee position—this will bring your hands onto the chair behind you (or a wall if there’s no chair available). Next, inhale as you bring yourself upright again; then repeat this movement several times until it becomes easy enough to do without any props (i.e., don’t hold onto anything).
Forward Bend
This pose is so simple and easy to do, and it has a number of benefits. First, it stretches the muscles in your hamstrings, lower back, and calves. Second, it helps you lift your mood by releasing endorphins—the “feel good” chemicals released during exercise. Finally, forward bends help reduce stress because they slow down the heart rate and help release tension throughout the body.
Eagle Pose
Eagle Pose, or Garudasana, is another great pose for aging adults because it helps to stretch the shoulders and chest. It also stretches the hips, hamstrings, and calves. In this pose, you will have your hands on your thighs with your feet wide apart in a V position. You can do this seated or stand up, depending on what feels best for you. The only thing that should be moving in this pose is your arms as they stretch out towards each other overhead until they are perpendicular to each other like the wings of an eagle (hence the name). If you want more of a stretch in those hamstrings, bend one leg at the knee to form an L-shape with both legs straight out behind you like an eagle about to take flight! Hold this position for at least 10 breaths before switching sides, so both sides get equal amounts of stretching time but don’t forget to breathe fully during these times!
Conclusion
We hope that this list has inspired you to take up yoga. It’s an easy way to improve your health, whether you are a senior or not!
