5 Great Beginner Yoga Poses For Seniors

Doctors often recommend that people remain physically active as they age. However, not all exercise routines will work well for older adults. There’s some good news for those who are interested in trying yoga for the first time, though. You can start practicing yoga right now with a few great poses. 

5 Yoga Poses For Beginners

1. Relaxation Pose

• Lay on your back with your palms facing up along the sides of your body or facing down while resting on your torso.
• Extend your legs.
• Take three deep, slow breaths.
• Relax your body, starting with your feet and moving up your body to your hands, arms, back, abdomen, chest, neck, and head. Hold for 10 to 30 minutes.
• Roll over to one side and slowly move to a seated position.

2. Mountain Pose

• Lift your toes and fan them out, then drop them back down to create a wide, solid base.
• Engage the muscles on the front of your thighs and draw them upward.
• Rotate both thighs inward.
• Maintain the natural curves of your spine.
• Tone your belly, drawing it in slightly.
• Widen your collarbones and check that your shoulders are stacked over your pelvis.
• Shrug your shoulders up to your ears and then roll them back to release your shoulder blades down your back. 
• Let your arms hang naturally with the elbows slightly bent and the palms facing forward.
• Take 5 to 10 breaths while you hold yourself in this position.

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3. Child Pose

• Get on your hands and knees.
• Spread your knees as wide as your mat, keeping the tops of your feet on the floor with the big toes touching.
• Rest your belly between your thighs and place your forehead on the floor. Relax the shoulders, jaw, and eyes.
• Stretch your arms in front of you with the palms toward the floor or bring your arms back alongside your thighs with the palms facing upwards. 
• Stay as long as you like.

4. Side Warrior Pose

• Stand with your feet a leg’s distance apart.
• Pivot your right foot 90 degrees to the right while angling your left foot slightly inward.
• Place your hands on your waist, grounding through the feet.
• Breathe deeply, and on your exhale, bend your right knee until it’s in line with the ankle below it.
• Extend your arms out from your shoulders while turning your gaze over your right hand.
• Breathe and hold the pose for five deep breaths.
• To release, press into your right foot, straighten your right leg, and pivot your feet back to center.
• Return to a comfortable standing position.
• Repeat on the other side.

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5. Simple Reclining Twist

• Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
• Press your feet into the floor, lift your hips, and shift them to the left.
• Shift your weight onto your right hip.
• Extend your arms out from your shoulders to about shoulder height, palms facing up.
• Draw your knees in toward your chest, and drop your knees to the right while rolling onto your right hip. Stretch your left shoulder blade toward the floor.
• Rest your right hand on your left thigh to ease the knees down toward the floor.
• Gaze toward the ceiling or to the right, or complete the twist by looking toward your left hand.
• Breathe deeply and hold the pose for three to five minutes.
• To release, release your hand from your thigh and lift your knees to the center. Press into your feet and shift your hips back to the center.
• Repeat on the other side.

Though beginner poses are meant to ease you into yoga practice, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll be easy for everyone. Chair and swimming yoga can be great ways to try poses without putting too much strain on your body. Using yoga props like blocks, wedges, bolsters, and belts can also help with certain poses.

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The Health Benefits Of Yoga

Yoga can improve your balance, mobility, and flexibility. It’s also good for enhancing your strength. These attributes reduce your likelihood of falling and hurting yourself as well as make it easier for you to carry out your everyday tasks. Additionally, studies show that yoga is one of the exercise programs that can fight against osteoporosis. This means your bones won’t be as brittle and at risk of breaking. 

Another great benefit of yoga is that most people find it to be relaxing. This level of relaxation can help reduce your stress levels and make it easier for you to get a good night’s sleep. You may also find that it eases some of your aches and pains – which helps you go about your day.

Yoga can be quite beneficial for older adults so there’s never a bad time to start. If you have any concerns about doing these poses, consult your doctor. Many yoga poses have modifications that make them accessible to those with physical ailments or disabilities.