Easy yoga poses for seniors

Yoga exercises unite the mind, body and breath, refreshing the mind and the spirit. They help tone the body and keep a balance between the hormonal system and internal organs. With the system in such a complete balance, the aged people who practice yoga age gracefully. Therefore, even older people can benefit from practicing yoga techniques. Some of the poses that older people practicing yoga might use are discussed below.

Triangle Pose

With the feet a leg length apart, the person will turn his or her right foot to face completely outside while the left foot will face approximately 45 degrees inwards. The heels should be lined up with the hips. With the palms facing down and the arms raised parallel to the ground, the person extends the trunk as far as possible to the right then drops the right hand to the shin with the left arm extended vertically. They then twist the spine and trunk in a counterclockwise manner while the trunk remains parallel to the ground. This pose helps in regulating blood pressure while strengthening the hips and stretching them.

Standing Spinal Twist

This is a posture in which a person rotates the waist. It makes the waist supple and flexible by giving it a stretch. It heels constipation, prevents slouching, strengthens arm and leg muscles and keeps the spine in an upright position. It ensures that older people are firm on their feet. A person stands up straight with his or her feet together and the hands facing each other in front of them and parallel to the ground while breathing in. The arms should not touch each other but rather should be as far away from each other as one shoulder is from the other. As the person exhales, he or she should now twist to one side while keeping the feet firmly in place and the hands the same distance apart. Then he or she should turn the head to face the direction in which the body has been turned. The exercise is then repeated by twisting the body in the opposite direction after breathing in and coming back to the center. These movements should not be jerky but rather slow and graceful for better results. This procedure should not be done when someone is pregnant or have slip disc, hernia or a recent abdominal surgery.

Butterfly Pose

This pose improves the flexibility of the groin and hip regions. It also helps in the movements of the bowels and intestines, and removes fatigue after spending many hours standing or walking. It is also ideal for relief from menopausal and menstrual discomforts, and when practiced until the third trimester, it ensures that the baby is delivered smoothly. It should not be practiced by sciatica patients, but if a must then the persons should ensure that their hips are raised or they sit on a cushion. With the spine erect and the legs stretched straight out, the feet are brought towards the pelvis so that the soles touch each other. With the feet in both hands, exhale and inhale slowly while flapping the legs slowly as if they are butterfly wings. Increase the speed at will.

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