Middle age is the age when very few people still keep their body healthy and supple. However, by practicing hatha yoga, middle-aged people can keep balance and flexibility for the body!
However, middle-aged people can completely improve their health by practicing hatha yoga. This is a kind of gentle yoga, a “tonic” to help middle-aged people regain flexibility and strength for the body. In the article below, easyhealthylive.com would like to share with you 4 easy ways to practice hatha yoga with chairs to help you regain flexibility and youth for middle age.
Why should older people practice yoga?
Older people may no longer be active and the body has lost its firmness and flexibility. This condition leads to the weakening of the muscles in the elderly body leading to many related diseases such as back pain, stiffness, obesity, constipation, insomnia and depression. In addition, older adults may also suffer from circulatory problems, leading to further reductions in mobility and overall well-being.
When you are in middle age, you will often have to face unstable health conditions, even diseases related to blood pressure, bones, joints, cardiovascular … At this age, your health You are no longer rich enough to do intense workouts.
Yoga is a gentle, easy and natural way to promote overall health and quality of life for all, regardless of age or physical condition.
The benefits of yoga for seniors are similar to those for the general population: increased muscle tone, balance, strength, and improved mood. Through breathing exercises, lung capacity increases. If you want to sleep better, improve your physique, reduce stress, then yoga can help.
Hatha yoga poses for middle-aged people
1. Sitting position with hands clasped in front of chest
The simplest way to practice hatha yoga with a chair is to sit and relax, clasping your hands in front of your chest. This is a hatha yoga pose for beginners. This pose helps your body and mind gain energy recovery and meditation.
Doing
- Sit on a chair with your arms, shoulders, chest and lower back relaxed
- Clasp your hands and bring them close to your chest. Close your eyes, stretch your chest. Practice slow, rhythmic breathing with relaxation. Focus on breathing to release tension in the body
- Hold this pose for about 6 breaths or as long as you want
2. Sitting Mountain Pose
This is a great pose to focus on your breathing. This way of practicing hatha yoga helps you strengthen the internal strength and flexibility of the back and chest muscles.
Doing
- Take a deep breath. Sit up straight and lengthen your spine
- As you exhale, push the sit bones (the lowest part of the spine or the 2 points that lift your body weight when you sit) down into the chair.
- Your feet are at a 90-degree angle to the floor and your knees are ankle-straight. Keep the distance between the knees with a fist
- Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, draw your shoulders and back, pull your belly in, and relax your arms down to your sides.
- Combine with your feet by lifting your toes and pressing all corners of your feet into the floor
3. Exercises to sit and stretch the body
This pose is part of a series of restorative yoga, workplace yoga or therapeutic yoga. Keeping the torso and hips in place with the chair helps keep the arm stretch and stretch more balanced, especially when doing deeper poses. The move encourages widening and effective use of the diaphragm.
Doing
- 2 arms to relax, relax. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths
- Inhale and lift the right arm upwards, stretching the right side of the torso and bringing the right arm to the left as far as you can. At the same time, slowly tilt your neck and chest to the left side
- Exhale completely and take a deep breath, hold the pose for a few seconds and then continue to exhale rhythmically
- Inhale and extend the right arm and bring it back to the chair, combining the exhalation completely and relaxing the neck and shoulders
- Repeat this move again. Make sure your body is balanced and don’t lean to the left too much, causing you to lose balance
4. Exercises to sit in a twisted chair
One of the simple ways to practice hatha flow yoga that you cannot ignore is the twisting chair exercise. Twisted posture helps you relieve back pain, aids digestion and circulation in the body.
This pose is also known as the “detox” pose. Even though you have a chair to help you twist, think that you don’t need a chair so you can deepen your twist. Your body will come to a natural stop so don’t force it with hand pulling. Attempting to twist can cause serious injury.
Doing
- Inhale, widen and stretch your spine. Raise your hands to the sides
- On an exhalation, gently twist to the right and lower your arms to gain momentum. The right hand should touch the top of the chair and the left hand will be on your body
- Cast your eyes over your right shoulder. Grasp the chair’s handle to keep you in a twist rather than twisting too deeply
- Hold this position for about 5 breaths, then release and return to the starting position. Relax and then continue with the left side twist
Notes when middle-aged people practice yoga
Choose yoga classes for the elderly
During the first week, go to a variety of classes with different teachers. Give yourself the opportunity to experience the difference, and understand that each teacher brings a unique method and perspective to communicate and motivate you.
Pay attention before the training session and take measures for beginners
The best time to practice Yoga is in the morning (before breakfast) or late at night. Try to avoid eating (except for a snack when absolutely necessary) for about 2 hours before your workout. Otherwise you will feel very tired and heavy during the training session.
If you have a long-term injury or deteriorated condition while performing hatha yoga exercises, you should see your doctor to know what poses to avoid and to inform your teacher to avoid doing so. for worsening condition
Pay attention to practicing simple and persistent yoga exercises
In the first practice sessions, your body will definitely have aches and pains, if you do not try to overcome this stage, you will not be able to practice yoga for a long time. Therefore, you need to be persistent for the body to get used to the movements in yoga, everything will become much simpler later on.
Pay attention to the safety of practitioners
Yoga is not about standing on your head (the banana move) or crossing your legs over your neck (the fetal movement). Yoga is also not a flexibility that one person can do all the poses. Yoga is not meant to be ostentatious, not a place to show bravery to be praised by teachers or admired by friends.
Can middle-aged people practice yoga at home?
You are middle-aged and want to practice yoga at home for maximum comfort but don’t know how without a coach. easyhealthylive.com is a great solution that you cannot ignore. This is the “bridge” between you and a yoga 4.0 teacher with in-depth knowledge. Why don’t you just choose a suitable trainer and start practicing with easyhealthylive.com?
Reference source
Seniors Yoga Sequence: Chair Yoga Sequence for Seniors https://www.tummee.com/yoga-sequences/yoga-sequence-for-seniors-restorative-and-chair-poses Accessed: 24/2/2020
7 Yoga Poses You Can Do in a Chair https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/chair-yoga-for-seniors#3 Accessed date: 24/2/2020
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.