Yoga After 50 For Dummies

Improve balance, flexibility, and overall well-being

Yoga is a terrific way to stay fit and improve mental clarity, balance, agility, and flexibility. Written by the founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, this book takes the guesswork out of starting or continuing yoga at 50 and beyond. You'll learn how to adapt stances and breathing to your changing body to reap the benefits of this ancient practice and use it to calm your mind and body--one pose at a time.

• Discover step-by-step instructions for more than 45 poses

• Relieve stress

• Leverage your breathing

• Target weak spots, avoid injury, and deal with pain and chronic conditions

• Discover yoga apps and videos

Auteur

Larry Payne, Ph.D. is the founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and coauthor of Yoga For Dummies. Named "one of America's most respected Yoga teachers" by the Los Angeles Times, he also developed Yoga programs at UCLA School of Medicine and Loyola Marymount University.

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• Improve balance, flexibility, and overall well-being
• Practice gentle Yoga and relieve stress
• View step-by-step photos of key poses
  **Discover more than 45 poses to fit your body's needs

**Yoga is a terrific way to stay fit and improve mental clarity, balance, agility, and flexibility, but it's important to practice it correctly to avoid injury and deal with pain and chronic conditions. Written by the founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, this book takes the guesswork out of starting or continuing Yoga at 50 and beyond. You'll learn how to adapt stances and breathing to your changing body to reap the benefits of this ancient practice and use it to calm your mind and bodyone pose at a time.

**Inside...

• Think like a Yogi
• Establish a Yoga routine
• Target weak spots and increase overall flexibility
• Leverage your breathing
• Vary your meditation style
• Balance your diet
• Discover Yoga apps and videos

Résumé
Improve balance, flexibility, and overall well-being

Yoga is a terrific way to stay fit and improve mental clarity, balance, agility, and flexibility. Written by the founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, this book takes the guesswork out of starting or continuing yoga at 50 and beyond. You'll learn how to adapt stances and breathing to your changing body to reap the benefits of this ancient practice and use it to calm your mind and bodyone pose at a time.

• Discover step-by-step instructions for more than 45 poses
• Relieve stress
• Leverage your breathing
• Target weak spots, avoid injury, and deal with pain and chronic conditions
• Discover yoga apps and videos

Contenu

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Foolish Assumptions 2

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 3

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: The Age of Yoga 5

Chapter 1: Yoga Over 50 is Just Smart 7

Understanding the Benefits of Yoga 7

Yoga at 50-plus 9

Yoga reduces stress 9

Yoga helps you breathe easier 10

Yoga helps your body 10

Yoga for meditation 12

Yoga improves your mental health 12

Check with your healthcare provider before you start 13

Finding Your Place in the World of Yoga 13

Selecting the Right Place and the Right Teacher for You 14

Selecting classes wisely 14

Home 16

Gym 16

Houses of worship, community centers, and libraries 17

Practicing without Injury 17

Playing It Safe 18

Warming up 18

Preparing the joints 19

Performing magic with PNF 19

Modifications 21

Chapter 2: Preparing to Practice 23

You Don't Need a Lot of Equipment to Practice Yoga 23

Comfortable clothes 24

Mats 25

Blocks 25

Blankets 27

Bolsters, cushions, and pillows 28

Straps and other accessories 29

Proper Sequencing 31

Before You Begin 33

Chapter 3: Breathing through Your Yoga Poses 35

Benefiting from Breathing in Yoga 36

Leveraging Your Breathing 36

Breathing through the nose 36

Extending the exhalation 37

Four-part breathing 38

Breath surrounds movement 38

Three Ways to Breathe When Moving 39

Advanced Breath Work 40

Preparing for breath work 41

Bellows variation routine 42

Left nostril breathing 42

Alternate nostril breathing 43

Bee breath 44

Part 2: Yoga on the Mat 47

Chapter 4: Twenty Great Postures for the 50-Plus Yogi 49

Remembering Function over Form 49

Listening to your body 50

To modify or not to modify 50

Focusing on the spine 51

Forgiving limbs 52

Fascia (or as I like to call it, your leotard) 52

Yoga is not a competition 53

Asymmetrical Forward Bend 55

Bent Leg Supine Twist 55

Boat Pose 56

Bridge Pose 57

Child's Pose 57

Cobra Pose 58

Corpse Pose 59

Downward Facing Dog 59

Easy Pose 60

Great Seal 61

Half Chair Pose 61

Half-Standing Forward Bend 62

Knees-to-Chest 63

Locust Pose 64

Mountain Pose 64

Revolved Triangle 65

Seated Forward Bend 66

Standing Forward Bend 67

Supported Shoulder Stand 68

Warrior I 69

Chapter 5: Meditation for the 50-Plus Mind 71

Benefiting from Meditation 71

Steady the Mind 72

Types of Meditation 73

Yoga postures 74

Mindfulness meditation 74

Transcendental meditation 74

Loving-kindness meditation (metta meditation) 75

Guided meditation 75

Kirtan Kriya 76

Meditation Routines for Home 76

Mindful meditation routine 77

Loving-kindness meditation 77

Kirtan Kriya routine 79

Part 3: Yoga in Your Everyday Life 83

Chapter 6: Yoga, Your Food, and Your Weight 85

Reaping the Benefits of a Balanced Diet 86

You do not need to be a vegetarian 86

One food plan does not fit all 87

Stress eating 87 Smartphone apps 87&...