Yoga After 50 For Dummies

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.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond the Book 3Where to Go from Here 4Part 1: The Age of Yoga 5Chapter 1: Yoga Over 50 is Just Smart 7Understanding the Benefits of Yoga 7Yoga at 50-plus 9Yoga reduces stress 9Yoga helps you breathe easier 10Yoga helps your body 10Yoga for meditation 12Yoga improves your mental health 12Check with your healthcare provider before you start 13Finding Your Place in the World of Yoga 13Selecting the Right Place and the Right Teacher for You 14Selecting classes wisely 14Home 16Gym 16Houses of worship, community centers, and libraries 17Practicing without Injury 17Playing It Safe 18Warming up 18Preparing the joints 19Performing magic with PNF 19Modifications 21Chapter 2: Preparing to Practice 23You Don’t Need a Lot of Equipment to Practice Yoga 23Comfortable clothes 24Mats 25Blocks 25Blankets 27Bolsters, cushions, and pillows 28Straps and other accessories 29Proper Sequencing 31Before You Begin 33Chapter 3: Breathing through Your Yoga Poses 35Benefiting from Breathing in Yoga 36Leveraging Your Breathing 36Breathing through the nose 36Extending the exhalation 37Four-part breathing 38Breath surrounds movement 38Three Ways to Breathe When Moving 39Advanced Breath Work 40Preparing for breath work 41Bellows variation routine 42Left nostril breathing 42Alternate nostril breathing 43Bee breath 44Part 2: Yoga on the Mat 47Chapter 4: Twenty Great Postures for the 50-Plus Yogi 49Remembering Function over Form 49Listening to your body 50To modify or not to modify 50Focusing on the spine 51Forgiving limbs 52Fascia (or as I like to call it, your leotard) 52Yoga is not a competition 53Asymmetrical Forward Bend 55Bent Leg Supine Twist 55Boat Pose 56Bridge Pose 57Child’s Pose 57Cobra Pose 58Corpse Pose 59Downward Facing Dog 59Easy Pose 60Great Seal 61Half Chair Pose 61Half-Standing Forward Bend 62Knees-to-Chest 63Locust Pose 64Mountain Pose 64Revolved Triangle 65Seated Forward Bend 66Standing Forward Bend 67Supported Shoulder Stand 68Warrior I 69Chapter 5: Meditation for the 50-Plus Mind 71Benefiting from Meditation 71Steady the Mind 72Types of Meditation 73Yoga postures 74Mindfulness meditation 74Transcendental meditation 74Loving-kindness meditation (metta meditation) 75Guided meditation 75Kirtan Kriya 76Meditation Routines for Home 76Mindful meditation routine 77Loving-kindness meditation 77Kirtan Kriya routine 79Part 3: Yoga in Your Everyday Life 83Chapter 6: Yoga, Your Food, and Your Weight 85Reaping the Benefits of a Balanced Diet 86You do not need to be a vegetarian 86One food plan does not fit all 87Stress eating 87Smartphone apps 87Don’t Forget the Cardio 88Practicing Yoga while Seated 88Fifteen-minute routine 90Five-minute routine 99Chapter 7: Connecting Yoga and the Power of the Mind 101The Mind/Body Connection is Real 101Mind/Body Activities 102Yoga without the Postures 102Yoga and the Power of Imagination 103Visualization 103Affirmation 104Goal setting 105Stress as the great saboteur 105Spending time with your family 107Laughing 107Chapter 8: Bedtime Yoga 109Your Mind and Sleep 109Yoga and Sleep 110Blue light versus Yoga 111Rose-colored glasses 111Don’t Forget Your Vitamin G 112Things to Think About 112Yoga Sleep 113Yoga sleep scripts 114Developing an intention or resolve 114Yoga Sleep at Home 115Yoga and Intimate Matters 118How yoga can support intimacy in physical expressions 118Yoga and sex 118Yoga and optimal pelvic floor health 120Yoga after medical procedures 120Celebrating what we share 121Part 4: Adapting Your Practice to Common 50-Plus Conditions 123Chapter 9: Keeping Your Balance 125Proprioception: The Key to All Yoga Poses 126Practicing Poses: Pointers to Keep in Mind 127Practice up against the wall 127Keep your eyes steady 127Remember breathing is everything 128Alignment and Balancing Poses 128Balancing cat 128Karate kid 129Tree 131Warrior III at the wall 132Chapter 10: Love Your Lower Back 135Back Pain is a Common Problem 135It Hurts When I Bend Forward 136Yoga postures to avoid 137Yoga postures that may bring relief 137It Hurts When I Bend Backwards 138Yoga postures to avoid 139Yoga postures that may bring relief 140At-Home Routine 140Chapter 11: Tending to Headaches, Asthma, and Your Upper Back 149Age of Rounding 150Tension and Stress 151Tension Headaches 152Breathing for Better Health 152Diaphragmatic breathing 152Belly breathing routine 153At-Home Routine for Upper Back 153Chapter 12: Dealing with Needy Knees 165Are Your Knees Making a Crackling Noise? 165Yoga can help your knees stay healthy 166Smarter, not tougher 167Getting to Know Your Knees 168Yoga Routine for Your Knees 169Chapter 13: Handling Hopeful Hips and Hamstrings 177It’s All in the Hips 178Bearing the Weight 178Hamstrings 179A Hips and Hamstrings Sequence for Home 180Chapter 14: Dealing with Joint Replacements 187Refining Your Yoga Practice 187Hip Replacements 188Anterior replacements 189Posterior replacements 190Knee Replacements 190Types of knee replacements 191Yoga and knee replacements 191Poses to make you wary 192Chapter 15: Boning Up on Osteoporosis 195Who Gets Osteoporosis 196Osteoporosis Symptoms 196Yoga and Osteoporosis 197Hinging from the hips versus bending from the waist 197Yoga routine for bone health 199Chapter 16: Handling Arthritis 211What is Arthritis? 211Common symptoms 212Contributing factors 212Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis 213Discovering How Yoga Can Help 213A Joint-Freeing Routine for Home 214Chapter 17: Understanding Menopause and Andropause 229Hormonal Changes in Women and Men 230Menopause 230Post-menopause 231Andropause 231Breath Work at Home: Cooling Breath 231Yoga at Home 233Chapter 18: Helping the Pelvic Floor 243Both Women and Men Have Pelvic Floors 243Making a Move 244Knowing When to See a Doctor 245Yoga and the Pelvic Floor 246Home Yoga Routine for the Pelvic Floor 247Part 5: Routines for Home 249Chapter 19: Five-Minute Routines for Home 251What You Need to Know 251Routine 1 252Routine 2 253Routine 3 256Chapter 20: Fifteen-Minute Routines for Home 261Routine 1 262Routine 2 267Routine 3 273Chapter 21: Thirty-Minute Routines for Home 281Routine 1 282Routine 2 292Routine 3 302Part 6: The Part of Tens 313Chapter 22: Ten Tips for Your Yoga Practice: On the Mat 315Avoid Pain at All Cost 316It’s Okay to Change Your Mind 316Modify when Necessary 316Choose Forgiving Limbs 316Prepare the Muscles and Joints 317Use the Power of Your Breath 317Selecting a Studio 317Assessing Yoga Online 318Be Realistic about Your Time 318Include Meditation 318Chapter 23: Ten Tips for Your Yoga Practice: Off the Mat 319Take Your Vitamin G 319Eat Well 320Find a Cardio Workout You Like 320Get a Good Night’s Sleep 320Avoid the Blue Light before Bedtime 321Communicate to Enhance Intimacy 321Find Time to Meditate Off the Mat 321Say Goodbye to Your Ego 321Invite Others to Join In 322Start Today 322Index 323