{"id":8687,"date":"2022-11-20T02:41:15","date_gmt":"2022-11-20T02:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\/?p=106381"},"modified":"2022-11-20T02:41:15","modified_gmt":"2022-11-20T02:41:15","slug":"10-tips-for-teaching-yoga-for-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/20\/10-tips-for-teaching-yoga-for-seniors\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips for Teaching Yoga for Seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There are almost 70 million<\/a> people in the U.S. between the ages of 58 and 76\u2014and more and more of them are practicing yoga. Like many others, they\u2019re attracted to the practice for the health benefits. The practice promises to ease pain, lower blood pressure<\/a>, reduce depression, and provide  benefits for other health concerns that impact older Americans.<\/p>\n

But teaching the senior yoga population involves more than just renaming a yoga class \u201cSilver Stretches\u201d and slowing down the flow. Yoga teachers who want to serve senior students will need to understand their unique needs.<\/p>\n

Meet seniors where they are<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The first thing to remember is that \u201csenior\u201d is a generic term<\/a> that describes people with a wide range of experiences and a wide range of goals for their practice. This demographic might include a 55-year-old with osteoarthritis, or a 75-year-old who runs marathons. And a senior yoga class may draw people who have been practicing since Woodstock, as well as those who are just being introduced to the practice.<\/p>\n

Yoga instructor Patty Balboni is a prime example of why we can\u2019t make assumptions about senior students. At 71, she is an avid hiker, biker, and kayaker; her last birthday celebration included ziplining. She also teaches yoga classes at the active-senior recreation centers in Greensboro, North Carolina where she lives. Her mission is to help her students find a practice they feel comfortable with.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to focus on what we can do and not what we\u2019re not able to do, or what our bodies don\u2019t really want us to do at this point,\u201d she says. \u201cBut we can all make some measure of improvement in our range of motion. We can get stronger. We can definitely become more flexible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking time to get to know your senior students will help you avoid ageist stereotyping, while making you aware of the particular concerns of your over-55 group. Here are other practical tips for teaching seniors.<\/p>\n

Listen to students concerns.<\/h2>\n

Some students may be daunted by the idea of getting on the mat\u2013literally. \u201cThe whole thought of [getting on the floor] strikes fear,\u201d says Robin Downes,<\/a> a yoga teacher and manager of the Facebook group Caregivers Embracing Elder Care<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re concerned about being able to get down and get back up.\u201d That may seem minor, but it can make the difference between someone coming to your class or not. It\u2019s important to let students know that there are options for their practice, including pose variations that keep them off the floor.<\/p>\n

Be prepared to flex.<\/h2>\n

Balboni says anyone who is teaching seniors has to be equipped to offer modifications and alternatives for any asana they plan to teach. \u201cDon\u2019t expect to come in with a lesson plan of poses and go down the list,\u201d she says. \u201cWhy are you doing the pose? Once you figure that out, you can more easily offer options that will have a similar effect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s an appreciation when the instructions are flexible,\u201d she says. \u201cI don\u2019t want my students to feel like there are hard and fast rules here. I don\u2019t want to give the impression that there\u2019s a right or wrong way, other than safety and alignment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Multiply the mats.<\/h2>\n

\u201cI advise my seniors to use multiple mats,\u201d Balboni says. \u201cI tell them to grab as many mats as they\u2019d like\u2013four, five, six mats\u2014and maybe another one to roll up and use if they have any trouble with their wrists.\u201d An additional mat or two can be folded to cushion the knees in kneeling poses.<\/p>\n

In fact, make use of all available props<\/a>. Blankets, blocks, bolsters, straps and other props can help provide support, comfort, and protection as seniors explore how to find the shape of the asana that suits their bodies. Just having a chair nearby can boost a student\u2019s confidence; it\u2019s there if they need to lean on it for support in standing balance poses such as Vrksasana (Tree)<\/a> or if they need to sit down and practice some chair versions of the poses you\u2019re teaching.<\/p>\n

Warm up head to toe.<\/h2>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t just jump in with a quick warm up\u2013rolling the shoulders and boom,\u201d says Balboni. She introduces her classes with some careful neck stretches, gentle spinal twists, and hip socket rotations. She starts every class with pranayama<\/a> practice including a four-count Box Breath and deep diaphragmatic breathing. \u201cThat full belly breath is news to a lot of the seniors,\u201d she says. \u201cThey\u2019ve been missing out on the full breath by only breathing in the upper part of the chest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Give extra attention to the small joints.<\/h2>\n

Our bones get more fragile as we age; our joints may become arthritic. We feel it not only in knees, hips, and shoulders, but also in the joints between smaller bones.\u201cThe feet<\/a> become a big issue as we age,\u201d Balboni says. \u201cOur soles thin out, so they\u2019re more sensitive. Plus if there\u2019s been any weight gain or you have any issues in the hips and back, it\u2019s all going to impact how we land and how we walk.\u201d She has students massage their feet, using their hands or working with a tennis ball to apply pressure.<\/p>\n

Wrists are another sensitive area that require careful warm up. Wrist exercises are a way to address arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or fibromyalgia, and help address any difficulty gripping and turning.<\/p>\n

Hush now, don\u2019t over explain.<\/h2>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t cue every little movement,\u201d Balboni says. \u201cI do cue them to pay attention to their alignment. Do they feel steady on their feet? \u2026That\u2019s what I\u2019m looking for.\u201d Once everyone is in a safe position, she encourages them to explore a pose in a way that meets their individual needs, whether that\u2019s stretching out a stiff neck or working on balance.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t discount the power of an \u201ceasy\u201d pose.<\/h2>\n

\u201cHolding your body up straight is an exercise,\u201d says Downes. Poses like Tadasana and Dandasana come to mind. Though they\u2019re not moving poses, they\u2019re still active and energetic. She has found such seemingly basic poses beneficial to her elderly father for whom she is caretaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cEasy\u201d poses can be a way to build strength<\/a> as well. Pressing blocks between your knees in Bridge Pose<\/a> can strengthen the legs. In a pose such as Virabhadrasana 2 (Warrior 2 Pose)<\/a> or Goddess hold blocks up to work arm muscles<\/a> isometrically. Staying in a Boat pose or Plank variation<\/a> for several breath cycles can also build core strength without the need for a lot of active movement.<\/p>\n

Focus on posture.<\/h2>\n

Seniors who have become sedentary may start to see changes in their posture, says Downes. Sitting for long periods of time encourages kyphosis, also known as Dowager\u2019s Hump. The discs between your vertebrae thin, which can cause your spine<\/a> to compress. People who use a cane may favor one side of their body over another, creating imbalance.<\/p>\n

For these reasons, seniors can benefit from poses such as Dandasana (Staff Pose), Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute), and Vrksasana (Tree), which encourage lifting the head and neck, elongating the spine, and opening the shoulders. Full forward folds (think Rag Doll) also help with spinal extension. Poses that are practiced on both the right and left side<\/a> help even out any physical asymmetry.<\/p>\n

Downes says she has seen an improvement in her father\u2019s posture since introducing him yoga and other healthy lifestyle<\/a> practices. \u201cHe was used to walking hunched over; I just want to remind him what it feels like to just stand upright,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Expand your idea of asana.<\/h2>\n

Downes incorporates music into her practice\u2013playing tunes that will resonate with her father and the other seniors she works with. \u201cPlaying their favorite music from when they were really active brightens their spirit. They feel it in their soul and it triggers good memories. Then you can guide them into healing movements,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

These \u201cdance breaks\u201d might include moving the shoulders or some twisting poses. \u201cClapping your hands wide is a big stretch for your shoulders,\u201d she says. Some chair yoga teachers choreograph sequences<\/a> that challenge coordination\u2013such as moving the arms in one direction and the legs in another, for example. This not only offers seniors a good physical workout<\/a>, it helps keep the mind sharp.<\/p>\n

Shine some light.<\/h2>\n

\u201cI think seniors appreciate a sense of humor. Why not put a little levity in it? Knowing that this is a stretch, literally and figuratively, for some folks, having a little humor takes the stress out of it,\u201d Balboni says. Do whatever you can to help students feel that yoga is something that they can do.<\/p>\n

Downes calls herself her father\u2019s main cheerleader, working to keep him in a positive state of mind. \u201cI tell my father whenever he may complain about something, that I don\u2019t want to disrespect the fact that you feel this way. And I totally, totally get it. But let\u2019s not stay in this feeling. Let\u2019s figure  what we need to do to move out of this state so that we can continue to have a great day.\u201d<\/p>\n

See Also:  13 Chair Yoga Poses for Seniors<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Tamara Jeffries is a senior editor for Yoga Journal<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"10<\/figure>\n

Here’s how to offer older adults a practice that meets them where they are. <\/p>\n

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