Yoga is a great activity to keep seniors in great shape by improving flexibility and mobility so it is perfect for CDPAP patients. If you want to know more about yoga for yourself or your favorite senior, keep reading to learn about yoga styles and the best places to enroll in yoga for seniors in NYC.
What Type of Yoga Is Best for Seniors?
The type of yoga that is best for a senior depends on various factors – such as current activity level, mobility, flexibility, desired rigor, and more. Here is some more information on a few styles that are typically a good fit for seniors:
· Restorative: Restorative yoga is a style designed to help restore and realign both the physical and mental state. In a restorative yoga course, you can expect gentle movements and stillness over set periods. The restorative style of yoga is linked to claims of increased flexibility, improved respiration, weight loss, increased circulation, improved bone health, reduced high blood pressure, and sharpened minds.
An important area of focus within restorative yoga is the concept of mindfulness. Mindfulness includes a focus on the present moment and awareness of ones’ physical and mental states. This focus and acceptance lead to reduced anxiety and various benefits stemming from it, such as healthier sleep patterns.
· Yin: The Yin style is another meditative and slow-moving yoga class that is great for seniors. Rather than using a lot of strength, this style aims to let gravity do the work as participants breathe and stretch in various poses for several minutes at a time. This style is excellent for seniors who may struggle with balance and is known to combat stiffness since it targets the connective tissues that are often its root cause in seniors.
As you can guess, Yin yoga can significantly improve a senior’s comfort over time. The increased mobility and flexibility allow for sitting and moving around more comfortably – without the possibility of falls during class as all exercises are done on the floor. The meditative aspects of the style also increase internal wellness by reducing anxiety and promoting awareness.
· Chair: When mobility or space is limited, no need to worry – there’s a yoga style for that. Fittingly called “chair yoga,” this style uses a chair for support. The chair yoga style attracts office professionals, long-flight travelers, beginners, and seniors alike.
If you are looking for a very gentle form of yoga, chair yoga is a great option. The chair is an excellent addition to seniors as they exercise not only because of the stabilization it provides but also because it lessens strain on the body and eliminates the need to get onto and back up from the ground! When participating in chair yoga regularly, seniors can expect a health-related quality of life upgrade related to better balance, strength, and mental well-being!
· Hatha: Hatha yoga is the form that most people associate with yoga. This is the most common class taught in the Western World and tends to be a basic introduction to yoga poses. A Hatha class aims to leave participants stretched and aligned – both physically and mentally. You may want to read into the Hatha class you’re signing up for since the term Hatha can be applied to describe any physical yoga, including postures.
· Iyengar: Iyengar is a style that focuses on gradual results. This style has a unique progression that systematically and safely helps participants reach desired results over some time. These results are spiritual and physical, including increased energy, greater clarity, and calmer minds.
Iyengar yoga revolves around three elements: alignment, sequencing, and timing. This style respects the boundaries of the human body and encourages props that can assist with poses while preventing injuries – like blocks, chains, belts, and blankets! This focus on safety makes Iyengar an excellent option for seniors. You can feel safe with an Iyengar instructor, as they are all required to undergo years of strict training followed by ongoing learning to hold a certification.
· Ashtanga: Ashtanga yoga is a highly structured and sequenced style that requires mastery of each pose series before advancement. It has been called the dance of breath and body. There is a significant focus on using proper breathing to push physical and spiritual bounds. Devoted yogis claim that mastery of Ashtanga leads to total control of the mind and the body.
This style is excellent for clearing the mind and building strength. It is a very physically demanding yoga style, so it may not be a good fit for most seniors.
· Vinyasa: If you’ve heard the term “flow yoga,” you already know a bit about the Vinyasa style. The key to Vinyasa is a seamless flow of breath and body from one pose into the next. There is no set order to a Vinyasa sequence; the only requirement is a perfectly smooth transition to the progression.
Since Vinyasa yoga is quite variable from one class to the next, it is great for developing overall balance and strength. This also makes it a great fit for seniors with pain in some areas of the body since it is less likely to cause or worsen repetitive motion injuries. Due to the calm and flow state that Vinyasa’s seamless transitions induce, seniors may find mental comfort in this style as well.
· Bikram: Highly active seniors will love Bikram yoga, a type of “hot yoga.” The idea behind this and similar styles is to combine the internal benefits of yoga with the physical benefits of more traditional fitness exercises. The most authentic Bikram classes aim to mimic the climate of India, where the style originated physically.
While the mental benefits are great, and the physical gains can be more significant and faster with this style, it isn’t for everyone. The more intensive postures and speeds can be harsh for many seniors! If you are sensitive to high heat or humidity, the rooms in which Bikram classes are hosted may be hostile, especially paired with physical activity.
The Best Yoga Studios for Seniors in NYC
Have you settled on a style? Let’s take a look now at where you can find classes in New York City that accommodate seniors.
· Yogamaya: Located in Chelsea, the Yogamaya Studio is on the 6th floor. Luckily, an elevator in the building means that seniors will not have to climb flights and flights of stairs in addition to the exercise from class. As of April 2021, courses are only being offered online based on pandemic safety precautions. The teachers at Yogamaya are certified, and some of them even educate emerging yoga instructors!
The customers at Yogamaya love the calming environment in the facility. They rave about the Vinyasa “flow,” Hatha, and restorative classes – plus the instructors who lead them! This Studio boasts a 4.5 out of 5-star score from reviewers on Yelp.
· Yes Studio: If you want Vinyasa, restorative, or yin yoga – check out Yes Studio! This Studio is best described as “nurturing.” Not only is the Studio designed to be calming and comfortable, but classes are led by qualified instructors who know how to cater to beginners and experts alike.
If stairs are a big problem, you can cross this one off of your list. The Queens studio requires you to climb one flight of them, and no elevator is available. If you or your senior can do the climb, it will be worth the while, as this highly-rated Studio also boasts 4.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp!
· Harlem Yoga Studio: Yet another highly acclaimed (4.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp!) Studio can be found in Harlem. While the location does not offer an elevator and instead requires two flights of stairs to access, the team at Harlem Yoga Studio shows dedication to making yoga accessible to everyone who walks through their doors. The highly qualified instructors at Harlem Yoga Studio teach intimate and inclusive Hatha and restorative classes in cheery, naturally lit classrooms. In-person classes are currently being offered following COVID-19 safety guidelines, as well as daily online classes.
· Three Jewels: Looking for an incredibly gentle vinyasa, restorative, or yin yoga curriculum? Three Jewels offers an experience that has earned them five stars on Yelp. Their minimalist style, individual attention, and skilled teachers have earned them much praise!
As a bonus, the Studio is easily accessible to seniors due to being on the ground floor. Props that prevent injury are free to use at Three Jewels.
· Yoga Vida: Yoga Vida is accessible at all four of its NYC locations, offering a ground floor space in NoHo and elevators in the Union Square, DUMBO, and Tribeca studios. Bikram, restorative, and slow Vinyasa courses are taught by teachers specializing in accommodation and inclusion.
This Studio is committed to cleanliness. As of April 2021, all locations are temporarily closed to promote safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Yoga Vida continues to accommodate its pupils with live daily courses and over 100 courses on-demand at YogaVidaTV.
The benefits of yoga for seniors are not surprising. The nature of this low-intensity physical art form brings clearer minds, healthier bodies, and improved qualities of life. Hopefully, this blog has helped you select the appropriate style and Studio to begin seeing these benefits!