Yoga for Senior People
10 Oct 2019 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
In the present world, health is defined very narrowly. Fitness is only seen as the state of looking good from the outside. The way you move, one’s external appearance, and lack of diseases are seen as major indicators of being healthy. Amid all these talks, we overlook the much important context of life – emotion. Life is not just about the body, it is also equally about the mind and soul. When we talk about senior citizens, the most common perception we hold is their inability to do physical tasks. Should they be treated as entirely unhealthy individuals? No, certainly not. Since the meaning of fitness is not limited to the body, one can aspire to remain fit from the inside. Yoga, as a philosophy of overall fitness, believes that all kinds of work can be performed by anybody, albeit in different ways. Hence we talk about Yoga for Senior People
Yoga is a highly flexible science. It has been prevalent for more than 5000 years in South Asia and the world.Yoga promises to bring anyone with the zeal to enjoy good health on the track of fitness. It is different for different groups of practitioners. For seniors, Yoga presents a set of practices that are highly compatible with their body structures and physical abilities.
Yoga poses for Seniors
1. Shishuasana: Shishuasana is an easy exercise for calming down the brain. In old age, human brains need more peace and serenity. An elderly person cannot tolerate much humdrum and thus, the mind requires immense calmness. Get on your knees and bend forward to bring the chest on the thighs and put the forehead in front of the knees on the mat. Experience silence in the position. This exercise not only lets your brain enjoy peace but also stretches the spine to provide the body with relaxation.
2. Baddha Konasana: Baddha Konasana is a sitting exercise, in which a person enjoys a good amount of stretching in the thighs, and spine. The practice is great for elongating the spine and keeping the body in good shape. Flexibility in the hips and pelvis regions can also be experienced with the practice of Baddha Konasana. To perform this asana, one needs to join the soles in front of the pelvis while keeping the body straight in a seated pose. Hold the toes with your hands and keep the chest open.
3 . Pranayama: Talking about the most effective Yoga exercises for elders, Pranayama can be the best. It is all about breathing, which is the regulator of almost all the body’s metabolic acts. The practice of Pranayama is easy and doesn’t require any physical movement of the body. It is about inhaling and exhaling constantly to experience peace. The practice is effective in boosting blood circulation in an astonishing way and also purifies the red liquid. It is highly recommended to aged people, who will experience a boost in many inner body functions.
Chair Yoga for elders
One of the biggest beauties of contemporary Yoga in this world is Chair Yoga. It has given elderly people and those with immobility a great way to enjoy the benefits of Yoga sitting on a chair. In this form of Yoga, a person sits on a chair and practices various asanas. Although most of the asanas, particularly sitting ones, are similar, many poses are remodeled in different ways. Chair Yoga poses allow elders to practice and enjoy workouts without moving from one place to another. This way, they can benefit themselves by boosting blood circulation, stretching body parts, etc.
Yoga for beginners
Coming to those having little knowledge of Yoga, it is very difficult for them to quickly adjust to most of the highly advanced poses. Beginners need to first understand the simple poses of Yoga before exploring science. Here are some of the Yoga exercises a beginner-level practitioner should enjoy:
1. Trikonasana: Trikonasana or Triangle Pose is a very influential exercise, especially when you talk about thighs and shoulders stretching. It is a basic level asana, which is practiced by stretching both legs to a distance of about 3-4 feet. One needs to bend forward to touch the left toe with the left hand and repeat the same on the other side. Make sure to keep the knees unbent during practice.
2. Tadasana: Tadasana is one of the introductory level asanas. The pose is very effective in maintaining the stability of the body and mind. It is just about standing straight with all body parts active. You can raise your hands in the air to join the palms in Namaskar to give the asana spiritual touch.
3. Dandasana: Sitting on the mat, spread the legs in front of the body. Keep both the legs parallel to each other and the upper body in a straight line. Make sure the upper and lower body makes a right angle at the pelvis. During the practice, place the palms on the mat beside the hips and the hands should be in line with the body.