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Senior Chair Yoga Program April – June 2016 (West Milford, NJ)
Yoga’s Physical and Mental Health Benefits
Photo Credit: Shawn Lam
Written by Andrew Lee
Yoga seems to be the latest trend in fitness these days. From college students to celebrities, many have engaged in this mind-body art. Why has it become so popular? The answer may lie in yoga’s physical and mental health benefits.
Physical Benefits
Increases Flexibility
If your muscles and joints feel tight, yoga’s poses (asanas) may help relieve your pain. That’s because every asana stretches muscles and “releases the lactic acid that builds up with muscle use and causes stiffness, tension, pain and fatigue”[1]. Yoga expands your soft tissues, such as ligaments and tendons, and leaves your body feeling limber. Just over eight weeks of yoga can increase your flexibility by 35%[2]. In a recent study, 62% of a group of firefighters reported their flexibility improved over a six week yoga program[3]. If you practice yoga continuously, the statistics suggest your flexibility can increase over a short period of time.
Prevents Arthritis & Disability
Yoga stretches your joints to their fullest extent[4]. This lessens your chance of getting degenerative arthritis or becoming disabled[5]. Various yoga poses exercise regions of cartilage that we rarely use. According to Dr. Timothy McCall, Yoga Journal’s medical editor, “[j]oint cartilage is like a sponge; it receives fresh nutrients only when its fluid is squeezed out and a new supply can be soaked up”[6]. If your joint cartilage does not receive these nutrients, these unused areas “can eventually wear out”[7]; this causes your bones to painfully grind against each other[8]. Yoga’s asanas that squeeze joints lubricate your unused areas of cartilage[9]. If you practice yoga now, your joints will thank you later.
Senior Chair Yoga Testimonials
“Andrew is sensitive to the needs of older citizens. He is gentle and patient with his students. He has an agreeable personality with a good sense of humor. He is always on time and he communicates well, for example, explaining how to hold a particular pose when the need arises. He willingly accommodates all students regardless of their level of knowledge of yoga. He shows concern and compassion for each student’s needs. He answers questions effectively.
My strength, balance, and flexibility were severely compromised two years ago. I enrolled in a yoga class on the advice of my doctor. In the past five weeks, I have seen an improvement in my ability to balance and in greater flexibility in my hips. Of particular help have been the poses of cat/cow, warrior 1 and 2, pigeon, triangle, revolving yin and yang, eagle arm, goddess, downward dog, and tree, to name just a few.
I am getting a great deal out of Andrew Lee’s fall 2015 class, and I am looking forward to signing up for his January 2016 class. As a former night school GED teacher myself, I am quite satisfied with this young professional’s ability to teach yoga. I highly recommend him as an certified yoga instructor.” – Mary Loudin, Senior Chair Yoga Student in West Milford, NJ
Andrew Lee Yoga 
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