yoga is for everyone
Posted on: Friday, February 9, 2024
Photo: Beth Latina (center) and others participate in NIC’s senior yoga class at the Kellogg School Community Center.
A body in motion continues to move.
This applies not only to Newton’s laws, but also to the aging human body.
Beth Latina led a very active life and suffered several injuries over the years, including breaking both legs. She has also had five surgeries on her shoulder.
“I’ve had a lot of debilitating injuries,” said Latina, 74, who lives in Kellogg. “The last time I injured my shoulder was in 2015. I couldn’t raise my arm straight up and cross my arms.”
A Latina friend told her, “Maybe you should try yoga.”
Latina has now been attending North Idaho College instructor Susan Hall’s senior yoga classes at the Kellogg School Community Center for almost nine years.
She has never looked back.
“I can now hold my arms straight,” Latina said. “My mobility has improved significantly, not just in my shoulders but throughout my body.”
Participating in yoga kept Latina injury-free and gave her the strength to keep moving forward. Her balance is good, her newfound flexibility makes her housework easier, and her joints feel better than ever. She hikes all summer long, sometimes walking 10 miles in a day.
“I play hard, I work hard, and I’m not going to give up,” Latina said. “I’m starting to have problems with my knees, but it’s not because of yoga. I’m sure yoga has prevented it.”
Hall’s senior yoga classes are neither extreme nor difficult, and students are encouraged to progress at their own pace.
“She always says, ‘If it hurts, change it,'” Latina says. “There are very few tense poses, so no one gets hurt.”
We welcome seniors of all abilities.
“I have a girl who just started last semester, and she’s 92 years old,” Latina said. “I’m really in awe of anyone who takes on challenges at that age and she’s come a long way. She’s an inspiration for me to keep going.”
Hall has been teaching yoga for 17 years, 15 of those years at NIC. She teaches her two sections, 600 and 601, and typically has her 20 seats filled each semester.
Hall strongly believes that everyone can benefit from yoga, especially older adults.
“Yoga’s contribution to older adults is to improve their health, confidence and mood,” she said. “This class gives children the opportunity to improve their balance and coordination. It increases flexibility while reducing pain.”
Yoga improves mobility and strengthens the body, but it also improves older adults’ mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
“Yoga reduces stress, so people become more alert and sleep better,” Hall says. “They learn how to breathe more efficiently, which helps them relax and meditate. Yoga is for everyone!”
For more information, visit nic.edu or contact Hall at Hallhouse@hotmail.com or (208) 660-3987.
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