Yoga Over 50 [Paperback]

Mary Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 25, 1994

TEN MINUTES A DAY CAN TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE

As our bodies begin to show the signs of daily wear and tear, and workout programs which once seemed effective no longer meet our changing needs, yoga can be the ideal exercise. Low impact and non-competitive, invigorating rather than exhausting, and with an emphasis on keeping the body supple and the mind relaxed and focused, the ancient discipline of yoga can be practiced at any time of life. The programs in Yoga Over 50 feature:

* Step-by-step descriptions of yoga positions for active and resting poses

* Programs suited to varying degrees of fitness, experience, and flexibility

* Exercises to relieve specific problems, including headache, stiffness, and insomnia

Whether you're looking for an alternative to more strenuous exercise, or a gentle yet efficient way to stay fit, Yoga Over 50 will enable you to reach new levels of physical vitality and mental clarity.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mary Stewart has been teaching yoga for more than 20 years to private clients, classes and teachers of yoga all over the world. She has developed methods based on breathing following the work of Vanda Scaravelli and believes that you can benefit from yoga well into old age. She began to learn yoga from a book and feels this is a good way of being introduced to yoga. This is her fifth book: her previous publications include Yoga for Children.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1

MOUNTAIN and TREE

TADASANA & VRKSASANA

The idea of a vertical line connecting earth and heaven comes from Vedic times. Later this was symbolized as a mountain, with its roots in the earth and its peak in the heavens. The Mountain is aligned along the pull of gravity and should be both stable and relaxed. Tree pose grows along this same axis with its root going down as the branches stretch upward.

Copyright © 1994 by Websters International Publishers

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone (August 25, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671885103
• ISBN-13: 978-0671885106
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #114,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Aging > Exercise

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not recommended -- ignores basic safety issues, April 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Yoga Over 50 (Paperback)

This book is filled with pretty pictures of seniors doing easy to difficult postures. No attempt is made to discuss the precautions anyone, but especially older people should take in practicing yoga, and I would definately not recommend it for an older beginner, especially anyone with injuries. A far better book is The New Yoga for People Over 50, Suza Francina, which discusses the changes that take place as we age, and shows many asanas with appropriate use of props and modifizations for safety, and which are suitable/unsuitable for injuries, high blood pressure -- a much, much better book.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration and Encouragement for life-long yoga practice, June 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Yoga Over 50 (Paperback)

I had done yoga seriously for 10 years in my 30's, but when I took it up again, to attempt to alleviate increasing 'aches and pains', I thought I was becoming 'too old' at age 53, because I couldn't do it as well as when I was younger. This book showed me that people older than I am were continuing to practice yoga. Now, at 57, I'm enjoying yoga more than I ever did when I was younger; I'm appreciating it on many more levels than simply the physical; AND my back pain is gone, my shoulder tension and sciatica are reduced to mild discomfort when tired, my ankles and wrists are more flexible than they've ever been. All this, thanks to the encouragement of a picture book, (as well as an excellent teacher who trained with the author) to reinforce the previous experience I've had with yoga. Now my 59 year old husband is beginning yoga, using the book. It's excellent.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A very easy to use book with helps for the older beginner, January 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Yoga Over 50 (Paperback)

One of the main reasons I bought this book after borrowing it from the public library is the very useful set of routines at the end. This allows someone to put together an effective set of exercises to meet various levels of flexibility and suit different purposes. The pictures are excellent illustrations of the different poses, and good hints are provided on working toward accomplishing them, with helps if necessary. Explanations and background of yoga are clear and concise, so you don't have to wade through reams of philosophical material.