Customer Reviews

Chair and Standing Routines: Ageless Yoga, Vol. 1 - Great for Seniors and for People Unable to Sit on the Ground

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

John's chair yoga dvd is excellent. I am a yoga teacher and one of my classes is teaching chair yoga to seniors. What I learned from the dvd is helpful in teaching my seniors. My students enjoy the routines so much that they clap after class The routines are easy to follow with precise directions. In addition to demonstrating himself, he has two other students on chairs offering alternative positions for those who are less mobile in certain areas. I feel John is actually here with me during the demonstrations. Also, the dvd is divided into different types of practice, e.g., joint mobility, gentle, looseners. This makes it easy to select an appropriate routine for that particular day. I believe these routines will help students of any age to gain flexibility, strength, increased circulation, a sense of confidence and accomplishment, and through that to experience more joy in their life. Also, the relaxation and breathing techniques are very well done. I highly recommend this dvd for students of all ages and is especially appropriate for seniors. This is an awesome learning tool for yoga teachers.

I used to teach Iyengar Yoga. Now, at age fifty-seven, with a genetic heart problem and Meniere's Syndrome, it's hard to do much of anything. I found this DVD here at Amazon, and absolutely love it. I still get the benefits of Yoga, without putting my body at risk. My husband, who is in good shape but under a lot of stress, is now using the DVD, too, because it doesn't add stress with a lot of confusing exercise combinations or trips to the gym.

Just a great DVD. Thanks, John!

Wonderful physical and emotional healing for anyone who is confined to a chair. Six weeks ago I found that the pain from my osteoarthritis of the hip and back had become too much for me to bear. I knew that I needed authentic healing beyond pain-killers or surgery. I am only 56 and yet my condition had degenerated to the point that I could hardly walk. I purchased John's 2-DVD set of all of chair, floor and standing routines, and I began with the chair program. Six weeks later I am doing the gentle floor and standing routines quite well, feeling stronger, more flexible and happier by the day. But even though I can do the standing routines now, I still think with fondness of the chair routines I did first. John gets a lot of breath and movement out of you in a chair! and I gained my first strength and sense of hope back through these routines. I have thought of my own deceased Mother so much as I became strong in the chair. How I wish that I had known about this DVD for her sake when she was alive. I highly recommend this DVD for anyone who feels weak, confined or hopeless because of their age or disability - even those confined to wheelchairs. Perhaps especially those confined to a chair, for you will see that through the deep breathing and small movement exercises right there within your chair, you will come to feel alive and empowered perhaps beyond what you have known for a long time.

This DVD teaches and demonstrates how to modify yoga to the individual body. You have the choice of a postions done from a chair or standing with a chair for support if needed. There are 5 programs that last from 5 minutes up to 90 minutes to choose from. The male instructor gives excellent instructions in a soothing and relaxed tone. The students demonstrate modifications of the yoga positions. There is constant reference to breathing which is extremely important in yoga. I found the circular movement he demonstrates for loosening up and relaxing to be very effective. There is also a separate music and chanting menu. I have to agree with one of the other reviewers, this is a keeper!

This is a follow up review from Feb. '07. It is now five months later and I have continued to do these routines almost daily. Strength and flexibility have increased greatly, symptoms of MS have decreased dramatically while my stamina has grown. I take many supplements which certainly help with this condition, but only with this DVD has the condition not only stabilized but improved.

I recommend this DVD enthusiastically!

John Schlorholtz's chair routines help me considerably with some issues I had with my joints following a broken ankle last year. I found I could do the exercises quite early in my recovery, and they helped me to heal quicker than I think would otherwise have been the case. His routines are also excellent for general flexibilty and joint health improvement. The convenient way he has the exercise sessions arranged by length really helps fit the yoga into a busy schedule. The floor routines are very good, too.

Seniors with various disabilities do these gentle yoga exercises with my help at a Senior Apt. building. We do 1/2 to 1 hour of the DVD twice a week.

One person uses a wheelchair and oxygen tank and has noticed how much easier it is for her to breathe after doing some of these stretching and breathing exercises. They expand the lungs and teach the student how to utilize their whole body for breath.

There are also complete relaxation positions in between each practice performed. Meditative in quality, this is a huge asset and incentive for them to attend class regularly. They know they will leave relaxed and loosened.

Another person has low mobilization and the gentle stretching and rotations helps facilate movement in their joints and lowers muscle pain.

When the class is over, everyone is smiling, commenting on how good they feel, how relaxed they are.

This DVD is, by far, the best recording for aged seniors..it keeps one limber and eager to participate every day!

"I found this DVD very helpful. I was able to do all the movements even though I have severe arthritis. It is helping tremendously."

I began doing Yoga about a year ago, but everything always seems to be scheduled for Tuesday nights! Because I opted for a writing class, I needed an alternative to Tuesday night Chair Yoga at the community center. After reading many reviews on Amazon, I opted for this DVD. I am not disappointed. The routines are well organized and the on-screen participants provide good examples of the correct postures. I appreciate the format, as well: After the disclaimer, a list of several routines comes up--everything from joint flexibility to balance--and the viewer can choose the appropriate routine. Also, the exact times are given, so a routine that fits one's schedule can be chosen. (Most are around 18 minutes.) This is not a good video for those who are used to putting their bodies into unique positions while balancing on one leg. It's really gentle, really basic. Namaste!