Taupō chair yoga instructor wants seniors to give it a try

Balance and mobility don't need to decline as we age.

A local yoga teacher is hoping to help older people feel more confident in their balance and movement through an interesting take on traditional yoga classes.

However, twisting into pretzel shapes won’t be needed; the upcoming course will pair gentle stretches with a nice, comfortable sit-down.

That’s because this kind of yoga can be done without even leaving your seat.

Chair yoga, sometimes called accessible yoga, is growing in popularity worldwide.

Participants don’t need to get up from their chairs, instead performing a slow series of stretches with their upper bodies.

Staying seated during classes makes it suitable for people who might not be too confident bending, standing quickly or getting up from the ground.

However, taking part in a chair yoga course can help to improve people’s ease of movement from sitting to standing, and help alleviate fears of tripping and falling.

Kate Lourie has been teaching yoga for about 30 years, including classes in Taupō.

She said she had seen a positive effect on the confidence of learners in her more typical yoga classes and came upon the idea this would translate well to seniors.

“I’ve got quite a big class at the Women’s Club.

“A lot of them say that if they trip, they don’t hurt themselves because they’ve got the flexibility.”

After some research, Lourie hit upon the idea of chair yoga.

“I thought yes, this will help.”

Studies show there are many benefits for older people in chair yoga.

One research paper found that after completing a chair yoga course, people with dementia were able to walk and balance more easily.

Another saw improvements in anxiety and ability to stand in people who had recent falls, and a third found people reported less pain during and after a chair yoga course.

Lourie said chair yoga showed the discipline could be for everyone, regardless of age or gender.

There was a perception that growing older meant simply putting up with having a stiff and sore body.

“They think they just have to stay like that.”

But that wasn’t true.

“It’s not a philosophy of no pain no gain; that’s not the yoga philosophy.”

Lourie said she was planning a six-week class on Mondays about 10.30am, but was hoping to gauge class sizes before finalising a Taupō venue.

For more information and to register interest, call Kate Lourie on 027 277 6193.

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