| Why are more, and more, students, over 40 years of | | | | In fact, shedding 10 or 20 pounds of body weight may |
| age, discovering Hatha Yoga classes for the first | | | | just extend your life span. Heart problems, high blood |
| time? What can Hatha Yoga do for a "couch potato?" | | | | pressure, diabetes, some forms of cancer, and more |
| What can Hatha Yoga offer the active person, who is | | | | diseases, prey on those of us who carry extra pounds |
| over 40? Let's take a closer look at each of these | | | | around. |
| issues for the deeper answers, which Hatha Yoga | | | | So, we are not considering living at a nursing home for |
| contains. | | | | an extra decade, but increasing our odds to have an |
| There are many styles of Yoga, and Hatha Yoga is | | | | active and quality life to the end. |
| just one of the nine main styles from India. Hatha Yoga | | | | What can Yoga offer the active person, who is over |
| has many sub-styles, such as: Vinyasa Yoga, | | | | 40? |
| Restorative Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Kripalu Yoga, and | | | | For those of us who have been exercising for |
| many more. Before we go too deeply into this subject, | | | | decades, we realize there is a flaw in the "No pain, no |
| please realize that outside of India, the most common | | | | gain" theory. Premature joint wear is the biggest |
| form of Yoga is Hatha Yoga. | | | | problem. For most of us, recognizing the difference |
| Why are more students over 40 discovering Hatha | | | | between muscular and joint pain comes with age. |
| Yoga classes for the first time? | | | | Therefore, the new fitness motto for middle age |
| Recently, I've seen an influx of Yoga students, at our | | | | should be, "Work smart, not hard." This requires a bit of |
| Attleboro Yoga Studio, who have been inactive for | | | | research, as to which style of Yoga is most suited to |
| decades, but decided to make a "life change" to | | | | your body and then finding a compassionate Yoga |
| improve their health. As a result, they become | | | | teacher. One class can tell you if the style is to your |
| physically active in Hatha Yoga classes and continue | | | | liking. As for Yoga teachers: It is easy to recognize a |
| to practice their Yoga training at home. | | | | Yoga teacher who is abusive from one who is not. |
| Some of our new Yoga students arrive, due to a | | | | However, some people are very attracted to a Yoga |
| physician's referral, but many have researched Yoga. | | | | teacher who will "push them." Be careful if you fall into |
| Their research caused them to make an independent | | | | this category. A Yoga teacher is not a coach, whose |
| decision to improve their health on a mental, physical, | | | | goal is to push you to the next competitive level. |
| spiritual, and emotional level. | | | | It is fine to have goals in life, but take the time to |
| As we approach middle age, body weight is harder to | | | | research your individual needs. Make sure the Yoga |
| get rid of than it ever was. As a result, this extra | | | | teacher, and the Yoga style, you choose will fit into |
| weight can bring us many health problems and | | | | your lifestyle. Yoga's principles are more about training |
| diseases. | | | | for longevity than training for a short-term gain. |