By Brandon Pollock, Ph.D., ACSM-EP-C
Cobra
Planks-with elbows on the floor
Tree
Warrior II
Yoga is an excellent and safe way to keep active, increase strength, improve flexibility, and reduce overall stress. Recent studies suggest that yoga may even boost your immunity and reduce your chances of getting a migraine. Kicking off a yoga routine can be intimidating for anyone, and even more so for elderly individuals. Many yoga poses and routines can be modified to various levels to cater to the specific needs of any population.
For older adults, yoga is not necessarily intended for becoming the next spider-man or spider-woman. Studies have shown that the outcome of performing, even just a few, simple daily poses can improve your overall quality of life, by reducing the risk of falls, pain, fatigue, and physical and mental stress. All of which, contribute towards improving an individual’s activities of daily living (ADL’s). It can be difficult for some adults to find time to get to a yoga studio or locate a studio that has the proper environment ( no 101 degrees like in the Hot Yoga practice!!).
Here is a simple yoga routine I have designed. This routine is designed for adults age 50 and above, and it is simple enough that it can be done anywhere, even in your cubicle, and quick enough that it can be done anytime, even during your lunch break. There is no excuse not to do it! The routine can be performed in 30 minutes and allows for gains in both strength and flexibility without the added risk of injury. It consists of fundamental poses focusing on stretching out large, primary muscles. The duration, simplicity, and repeatability of this routine make it especially great for beginners. When performing this routine, in addition to focusing on your form, remember to keep breathing. This is of critical importance for older adults as it is a key component of maintaining normal blood pressure.
Simple Easy to do Yoga Routine
Begin and end with a 5-minute warm-up and cool down. To switch it up, for the warm-up and cool down; try doing a 5 minute low- moderate-intensity stationary walk. Each pose should be held for 30 seconds, and the whole routine can be performed either straight-through or with each pose followed by a 15 second rest period. If the rest period is included, expect the total workout to take a little over 30 minutes.
Movement/Pose
Plank (Elbows on Floor), Cobra (Repeat)
Plank (Elbows on Floor), Downward Dog (Repeat)
1 Minute Rest (Child’s Pose)
Right Leg: Tree, Warrior I, Tree, Warrior I, Tree, Warrior II, Tree, Warrior II
1 Minute Rest (Standing Prayer Pose)
Left Leg: Tree, Warrior I, Tree, Warrior I, Tree, Warrior II, Tree, Warrior II
1 Minute Rest (Standing Prayer Pose)
Plank (Elbows on Floor), Cobra (Repeat)
Plank (Elbows on Floor), Downward Dog (Repeat)
***Before starting an exercise regimen consult with your physician or healthcare provider.
Barefoot Yoga – The Source for Yoga Supplies & Clothing
Article’s Resources
- John PJ, Sharma N, Sharma CM, Kankane A. Effectiveness of yoga therapy in the treatment of migraine without aura: a randomized controlled trial. Headache. May 2007;47(5):654-661.
- Krishna BH, Pal P, G KP, et al. Effect of yoga therapy on heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac autonomic function in heart failure. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: JCDR. Jan 2014;8(1):14-16.
- Qu S, Olafsrud SM, Meza-Zepeda LA, Saatcioglu F. Rapid gene expression changes in peripheral blood lymphocytes upon practice of a comprehensive yoga program. PloS one. 2013;8(4):e61910.
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