Relax Into Yoga for Seniors - Safe and Simple Practices for Older Adults

A valuable contribution to yoga for older adults
"Relax into Yoga" is a distillation and development of the Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors program developed by Carol Krucoff and Kimberly Carson at Duke Integrative MEdicine in Raleigh NOrth Carolina. I took the program and was certified in 2009. This teacher training program is built on a mini geriatrics course to develop understanding of the enormous range of variability in physical capacity among adults over 50 - and to develop understanding as well, of the significant health and safety issues faced by many older adults. Perhaps the three most important lessons learned were first, "Do no harm;" second, yoga teachers of older yoga students need to be "guardians of safety;" and finally, in order to safely teach older students, classical poses may be deconstructed and modified to reflect the intention and function of the original poses.

These concerns inform the four sequences offered in the DVD "Relax into Yoga:" `Bed Based Sequence,' (31 minutes); `Chair Sequence,' (29...

Relax into yoga SAFELY.
Here's the disclosure: I took the Therapeutic Yoga for Senior Teacher Training at Duke Integrative Medicine with Carol and Kimberly. It was an intensive resident program that focused on yoga for seniors-those with compromised bodies and those older students coming to yoga for the first time. I studied with them because I wanted to be taught by teachers with extensive experience and members of the medical community and I wanted especially to know how to teach yoga in a SAFE manner to my older students. I wanted, I wanted, I wanted . . . and I got!

Carol and Kimberly's approach is Ahimsa -- first do no harm. Safety is paramount when teaching seniors. They focused on movement, awareness, and relaxation techniques as essential tools to teach; and they emphasized maintaining the dignity and respect for each student.

Now they have produced a CD, Relax Into Yoga for Seniors which offers direct teaching to older students. It is based on the Duke class and the sequences...

Safe and varied yoga practices for all to enjoy
The Relax Into Yoga DVD is perfect for seniors or those with physical challenges, and accessible to everyone. It's packed with multiple sequences of differing lengths geared to anyone seeking a gentler yoga experience. The main practice sequences offer options for varying abilities with practices in bed or seated on chair only, or adding floor and/or standing poses, etc. The shorter and more focused special practices could easily be added on to any of the main practices. Carol and Kimberly guide all the practices from off-camera with clear, concise, accepting, and encouraging instructions, while several senior models demonstrate, which allows them to show the possible modifications and variations. As a yoga teacher who frequently works with this population (and who completed Carol and Kimberly's wonderful specialty training intensive in Yoga for Seniors a few years ago), I initially purchased the DVD as a resource for chair-based yoga class planning. I have not regretted this...

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