Yoga is a very popular form of exercise and you can find yoga classes
in gyms and halls around the country but what are the real benefits of
yoga for you?
Age is No Barrier - the great thing about yoga is
that you can start at any age or stage of fitness, in fact there are
many different yoga classes geared for both the very young and the very
old. Yoga is a great way for children to maintain their youthful
limberness into their adulthood. One yoga position is called the Happy
Baby and mimics the natural flexibility of young children.
This
position is one were you lie on your back, bring your knees to your
chest, open your knees and tuck them towards your armpits. Lift your
feet so that they are directly above your knees, your legs should be
comfortably at a ninety degree angle. Grasp the outer side of your feet
with your hands and draw you knees to the floor. This position mimics a
happy baby in their crib and their amazing ability to casually grasp
their foot and stick it in their mouth, this last part is not advisable
in a yoga class.
Yoga can be as gentle or as strenuous as you
want, depending on how quickly you move from pose to pose. Many people
who practice yoga continue to do so into their eighties and nineties; it
is in fact quite comforting when you see such a mixed range of ages in a
class, to show that aging is not to be feared but to be embraced. Many
people can and will adapt their yoga practice as they get older if they
wish,
In fact recently it was reported in the press with some
great pictures of a yoga teacher Bette Calmain of an 83 years old yoga
teacher in Australia who still teaches eleven yoga classes a week, when
asked if she was going to retire said:
'You're never too old. The body is a remarkable instrument.
'It can stretch and stretch, and get better all the time. Forget age'
It
is wonderful to talk to older yoga practitioners, who having been
practicing since before yoga was as popular as it is now and classes not
as many. If you are having doubts about yoga at what ever age you are,
research has shown that yoga helps prevent falls in older people, as it
improves balance, strengthens muscles and increases confidence when
walking. The study used an Iyengar yoga program specifically designed
for those over 65 and the participants attended yoga over a nine week
period.
