Therese Iknoian

Yoga is well known for making people more flexible, supple, lithe, and limber. In fact, you’ve probably seen photographs of yogis or yoginis contorting themselves into different yoga postures. However, recent studies indicate that it’s a safe and effective option for relieving moderate low back pain.In a study funded by NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), participants suffering from chronic lower back pain were divided into three groups: one group took 12 weekly yoga classes, one group took 12 weekly stretching classes, and one group was given a self-care book and encouraged to exercise to relieve pain.

The ancient practice of T’ai Chi and Qigong includes postures and movements, as well as a philosophy. T’ai Chi also has its own lingo — words and concepts you need to know.Basic T'ai Chi and Qigong movementsIf you’re practicing the ancient postures of T’ai Chi, you need to become familiar and fluid in adopting the basic stances and movements.

Yoga itself is at least 5,000 years old, and yoga exercising — what you know as yoga postures, or asanas — emerged about 600 years ago. Even though yoga has evolved over the centuries as it traveled to new cultures, its principles are universal. Yoga is a practice of mind, body, breath, and spirit. The articles in the Cheat Sheet touch on the physical and mental benefits yoga offers, offer suggestions for how to enhance your yoga practice even when you’re on your own, and remind you why warming up is so important to any exercise routine — even one as “user-friendly” as yoga.

Breath is life. Breath is energy. You can live for weeks without food and for days without water, but only for minutes without breathing the air in and out of your body. Breathing not only keeps you alive, but it also gives you more energy and more calm so you can face what life brings you. That’s why breathing is so vital.

The mind has been shown to have a powerful effect on the body, whether spiritually or just hopefully. Meditative and mindful movement takes this power and actively applies it. So whether you believe in the mindful benefit, the spiritual benefit, the healing energy pulsing through the body, or, well, you just believe, you may indeed find what you want or need.

Posture alignment refers to how your muscles are integrated and your bones are aligned to support your body for optimal movement during yoga or other exercise. The aim of good posture alignment is to establish a solid foundation with your body so you can support your limbs, back, and head while you exercise. You want your body to be safe, secure, and able to expand more fully and freely during each exercise.

Seniors get many benefits, such as reduced prices at restaurants and hotels, and (usually) a prime seat on a crowded bus! But Power Yoga brings you better benefits: the benefits of mental and physical health. If you’ve been active all your life, you may not notice some of the typical changes of an aging body: Muscles get tighter, reaction times slow, and breathing can become shallower, limiting endurance.

Practicing T’ai Chi on a regular basis may give you physical and mental benefits, depending on how much, at what intensity, with what seriousness, and how often you incorporate it into your life. Some of the benefits listed here aren’t completely proven by fully recognized scientific studies. Nonetheless, the various benefits of T'ai Chi may include the following: Better cholesterol levels Decreased depression Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease Increased immunity (less sickness) Increased muscle strength and flexibility Less lower back pain Less asthma Developing better balance with T'ai Chi Good balance has been easier to study than some other areas.

You can perform T'ai Chi routines to target a specific area, such as flexibility in your trunk, hips, back, and legs. This is helpful if you don’t have enough time available for a complete T'ai Chi practice. Lunging side to side in T'ai Chi Lunging side to side is a warm-up movement, depicted below. By taking a wide stance and sliding your hips back and forth, you stretch not only your hips but also your inner thighs and legs.