Category Archives: Posture

5 Reasons Live Online Yoga Classes are Awesome for Seniors

Posture, Yoga & Exercise

This article was first published in the online magazine Sixty and Me.

The coronavirus has shaken us up. Even if you never get it, and don’t know anyone who has, the virus and our reactions to it have changed us individually and collectively. I’m an eternal optimist (my middle name is Hope), and I see one very positive and powerful trend – live online yoga classes.

We all know that there are a zillion yoga videos on YouTube. At this moment, I see 388,000,000. Sixty and Me created gentle yoga videos. I’ve made some myself. Those videos are a wonderful resource. I’m glad to know I can find so many yoga videos at any hour of the day.

But something new is happening. Plato said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Because many are home-bound, yoga teachers are offering classes and 1-on-1 sessions online.

Keep reading to find out why live online yoga lessons are awesome for seniors (and everyone else). I’m offering my lessons on ZOOM, so any technical references below are for that platform.

Accountability

Something’s missing in those 388,000,000 YouTube videos, and that’s accountability. The lovely yogi or yogini who recorded the videos might know that you watched it when you press “like” or leave a comment, but they won’t really know if you did the yoga.

With the coronavirus, or really anytime, most of us benefit from some commitments in our week. Retirees often float a while in the bliss of not going to work, but then find they need some structure to make life work.

We need to schedule time for important things like exercise and self-care, so that we don’t let it drift too late in the day and skip it.

With live classes, you generally have to register in advance and pay a fee. That small commitment makes you far more likely to continue committing when you put it on your calendar, get ready, and actually do the class.

I’ve recently started teaching online. I “arrive” to the video room early and check in with each of my students. I see them. As we are doing the class, I see them. If it’s a small class, I can notice when they are a bit off track with their alignment.

I may say their name and invite them to adjust. This ability will vary depending on the teacher and how many students are on the video connection. Just like in a local class, I will notice if a registered student does not show up.

Efficiency

When I started teaching online, I was extremely pleased with how efficient it is for me and my students. You can put breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the oven, do the class, and wrap up just in time to walk straight into the kitchen and eat!

You don’t have to drive in traffic or park your car. You can fold your laundry or walk your dog up until class time, and just plop down in your living room to do the lesson.

If you are a caregiver for kids, grandkids, a spouse, or another loved one in your home, you can take a short break from being a caregiver without travel time. It is good for your loved ones to see you doing something for yourself.

Privacy

Live online yoga lessons are ideal for people who prefer privacy. You may be an introvert. You may love being at home. Maybe you don’t want to chit-chat with people before or after class at the gym or yoga studio. You may feel a bit shy about going in public in yoga pants. You may have cat or dog fur on your yoga pants.

These are all excellent reasons to do yoga at home, in whatever clothes you want to wear.

If you don’t want anyone to see you doing the poses, simply turn off your webcam. In Zoom the individual users have the ability to turn off their audio and video at any time for privacy.

You’ll still benefit from the accountability because the teacher knows you are there even if he or she cannot see or hear you. You’re “in the room,” doing the yoga, and getting the benefits, on your terms.

There’s another element of privacy. It’s mental privacy. When you aren’t near other people, you won’t watch them do their yoga poses. You can focus internally, breathe, and feel what your body needs.

Yoga was designed as a personal spiritual practice and path. Practicing at home is ideal for that quiet mental space.

Global Impact and Connection

Online, amazing teachers and students can connect from anywhere. My yoga teacher lives only a 90 minute drive from my home. I have not made the trip in almost a year. When she offered online classes due to the coronavirus, I was happy to connect with her in that way.

I am now also taking online classes with a teacher in California, 3000 miles away. You can pick and choose from the best instructors in the world!

We can also connect with fellow students and dear friends. Depending on what video format your teacher uses, there may be a time and opportunity for students to see each other as well. In my first few online classes, I cried with joy to see friends and students joining me from other states and countries.

You can see your local friends at online yoga class, even if you are still home-bound.

Safety

Online lessons are safe for seniors because you choose your teacher and your class. You can choose a teacher with experience working with older adults.

It’s safe because you can stay home if you have a weakened immune system or allergies. You can stay home if you are self-quarantined because you’ve traveled.

And finally, of course, it’s safe during the coronavirus. You practice in your own space, on your own mat, with peace of mind.

What You Need to Know to Get Started

You will need some level of technical skill. You will likely need to register for the class online and feel comfortable paying online with a credit or debit card. You will receive an email confirmation. Usually you will have a link to click to view the class.

In my case, I allow 15–30 minutes before each class to make sure my students have logged on and can see and hear me.

An added bonus of live online yoga classes is that you have to make a space and put your mat on the floor. You have created a space for yoga in your home. This is a powerful step towards creating a habit!

Eckhart Tolle said, “Adversity is a great opportunity to deepen spiritual awareness. Use it, don’t waste it.” Adversity is also a great opportunity to try new things. We will all be glad when the coronavirus is over.

I cannot see ahead much further than a few days. I see live online yoga classes as a huge positive that has come from this situation. I am certainly open to continuing online classes even when we have the option to go to class locally.

I invite you to join me in online yoga classes and wellness services. Click here to book a complimentary phone or video consultation with me. I look forward to meeting you online!

What are you doing to stay connected to your favorite teachers and wellness guides? What online classes are you taking from home? What do you enjoy most about them? Please share with our community!

Let’s Have a Conversation!

3 Rules for Computer Posture After 60

Posture, Yoga & Exercise

This article was first published in the online magazine Sixty and Me.

Do you feel stiff after working on your computer? Do you find yourself slumping, hunching, and with forward head posture trying to look at the screen?

Are you looking for ways to do what you need to do on the computer, without sacrificing your posture or your health? Are you curious about “stand up desks,” but not sure if they are worth the investment?

My clients and students often ask me, “What’s the best posture for sitting at the computer?” Keep reading to learn the 3 rules for computer posture, and how to make a few small changes with items you probably have around the house.

The Risks of Poor Computer Posture

Whether you’re still working, partially retired, or completely retired, you likely still use a computer to stay connected to colleagues, family, friends, and the world.

Several of my students are using the computer for passion projects in retirement, like teaching classes, writing, or learning new skills online. And even if you think, “This will only take a minute,” you may end up sitting there longer than you thought you would.

It’s common knowledge these days that sitting with poor posture at the computer is bad for us. In our younger years, we may have gotten away with poor posture or uninterrupted hours working at a desk with few immediate side effects.

But as we age, too much sitting can lead to health problems like weight gain, hip and back pain, and tight muscles.

If we do all that sitting in poor form, we can experience all that plus a stiff, rounded upper back, pain, impaired breathing, pinched nerves, and worse.

The most important thing about sitting at the computer is that it should not be your primary activity. If you are still working at an office job, sitting at a desk for eight hours may be your current reality.

The American Heart Association has come up with a list of activities that you can try to incorporate to move more at work. Additionally, make sure you are walking, stretching, and moving in your non-work hours.

If your work does not require you to be on the computer, keep it to a minimum and take frequent breaks. Remember that when you retire, your #1 job is your health!

The bottom line is, poor posture at the computer makes us look old, feel old, and maybe even die sooner. Yikes! Let’s get right into what you can do about it!

Rule #1– Sit Properly

When you do sit at the computer, angle your body so that your knees are lower than your hips. This helps your pelvis stay in anterior tilt and your lumbar spine maintain its neutral curve. Evaluate your chairs and cushions to find an ideal fit.

Many retired people have traded in their desktop computer for a more portable laptop or tablet. Laptop keyboards and mice are small. To use the keyboard and especially a laptop trackpad, your arms turn inward. This makes your shoulders roll forward and can lead to problems in the rotator cuff.

Invest in a separate, full-size keyboard and mouse. Your keyboard and mouse should be an elbow level when your arms are at your sides. Make sure you aren’t in a sideways tilt to reach the mouse.

Whether you have a laptop or desktop, don’t miss an important step. Set up your monitor so that it is at eye level. Use books, boxes, or whatever you have to ensure that you do not strain your neck while looking down.

Rule #2 – Change It Up

“Stand up desks” are gaining popularity, because people know that sitting in one position for a long time isn’t good for them. Standing in one spot isn’t so great either.

Sitting on the floor is a great option for our bodies after 60 because it leads to more flexible hips, stronger legs, and better balance when we get up and down off the floor.

For several months, I researched many stand-up desk options. I was looking for a way to alternate between a chair, the floor, and standing. A colleague finally gave me the idea that solved my dilemma.

Check out this video to see a “behind the scenes” tour of my computer set-up, and how I use my ironing board to vary my computer work posture.

Rule #3 – Stretch and Strengthen to Make Up for Your Computer Time

No matter how mindful we are with our computer posture, it takes a toll on our posture and joints. In general, the front of the body gets tighter and shorter. The back of the body gets weaker.

These are the same challenges that we face during the aging process. Please trust me that it’s absolutely essential and feasible to counter these posture tendencies – or they will get worse!

You can do this with a regular yoga and exercise practice. Check out the Sixty and me yoga videos!

You can also do it at home, in regular clothes, throughout the day. Here are a few exercises to target your computer posture muscles.

The important hip flexor muscles connect our legs to our spine. They attach not only to the legs and pelvis, but all the way up to our lumbar vertebrae and into our diaphragm (breathing muscle). They get short when we sit too much. Try this quick hip flexor stretch to help you straighten up when you stand up.

While working on the computer, our upper backs can tend to get stiff and rounded. You know what this looks like! You can reverse it with the steps explained here.

Due to working on the keyboard (even if it’s full-size), our shoulders will tend to roll inward and forward. That can be fixed as well.

Bonus Tip

There are TONS of posture gadgets out there. (At this moment, there are 96,100,000 Google results for “posture device.”) They may work for your individual needs, or they may not.

I use a simple yoga belt posture brace to maintain better computer posture, and the good news is, you can make one yourself.

How do you keep from slumping at the computer? Do you have any favorite strategies to remind you to take breaks and keep moving? What is your best variation to work on the computer without sitting in a chair? Please share in the comments.

Hip stretch for walking

Posture, Yoga & Exercise, ,

Do you find yourself walking like an old lady (or old man)?

You know, tilted forward from the hips up?

I call it “The Tilt.”

People often walk like this when their backs hurt.

They also do it when they get up and feel stiff in the hips. Sometimes people tilt forward when they are afraid of falling.

My mom Beatrice does it when she’s in a hurry, or when she’s tired.

Click on the video to learn what to do about it, or keep reading below for two strategies, including a simple hip stretch for walking.

Strategy #1 – Slow Down

The first strategy is to slow down. When we are in a hurry, we often lean forward. This might help us walk faster, but it doesn’t help our posture, bones, or joints. It’s best to start walking more slowly and let your hips loosen up. Then you can pick up speed later.

Strategy #2 – Simple Hip Stretch for Walking

Take a step as if you were going to walk. Now press down firmly with your back heel and straighten your back knee. You can squeeze the glute muscle on the back leg too. Lift your belly muscles in and up so that your torso is upright over your pelvis.  Hold for 3 breaths on each side.

Why it Matters

It matters because no matter how old and stiff we feel, we don’t want to look that way!

Second, it matters because when our joints are aligned, we experience less wear and tear. They are able to bend as designed without contributing to uneven pressure on one side.

Third, posture and alignment contribute to ideal vertical impact for our bones. Standing and walking tall helps us build bone density and decreases the risk of posture-related fractures.

Book a complimentary consultation. I'd love to help you!

Exercises for Scoliosis

Posture, Yoga & Exercise

Thank you for clicking here to let me know that you are interested in yoga and exercises for scoliosis.

You can do yoga exercise for scoliosis to stretch and strengthen your back, help ease discomfort, and improve your posture.

Now that you have clicked this page I will notify you when I plan scoliosis-related classes and workshops.

In the meantime, feel free to book a complimentary consultation to discuss your wellness goals!

I will be in touch soon.

Posture Exercises for Stiff Upper Backs

Posture, Yoga & Exercise
  • Are you concerned about your posture? 
  • Are you specifically concerned with your upper back getting hunched as you age?

I’ve been working with adults in their 60s, 70s, and 80s for the last 15 years. One thing I have observed is KYPHOSIS. That’s a fancy way to say “hunched upper back.”

Besides the fact that it makes people look old, kyphosis causes several big problems:

  1. Low back and neck pain
  2. Spinal fractures
  3. Rounded shoulders
  4. Pinched nerves at the neck which can cause vertigo
  5. Physical compression and pressure on lungs and heart

If you’ve been with me a for a while, you know that I am super passionate about posture because… it is more than posture! Our posture is really our joint alignment, which impacts everything we do.

Kyphosis (aka old lady or old man posture) is NOT an inevitable part of aging. It’s preventable and change-able. I’ve helped many clients overcome the hunch.

I’ve looked at tons of posture exercise books and programs. There’s something really important missing.

What’s missing is an understanding that once the upper back is stiff, you can’t simply “stand up straight” or “strengthen your back.”

When the upper back is stiff and stuck, and it doesn’t move. When you try to stand up straight, or do back extension exercises, the movement is forced down into the lumbar.  Then we wonder why it hurts! It also puts the vertebrae at risk of fracture and discs at risk of bulging or herniating.

When the upper back is stiff and hunched, the best strategy is to “sneak in the side door.”

By that I mean that you can’t simply stand up straight or do back extension (back bending) posture exercises. 

Sneaking in the side door means we need to mobilize the spine with lateral bends and rotations first, then progress to extend (straighten up).

Check out the video to learn two posture exercises for stiff upper backs. 

You can also do them for preventative maintenance!

Or keep reading below the video..

How can you tell if you are stiff and hunched?

When you try to stand up straight, does your pelvis push forward? 

If so, there’s a pretty good chance your upper back is stiff.  Unfortunately, when you try to stand up straight, this position pinches your lower back. It can feel uncomfortable or just that you can’t sustain it for long.

Which posture exercises work for a stiff, hunched upper back?

When the upper back is stiff and hunched, the best strategy is to “sneak in the side door.” By that I mean that you can’t simply stand up straight or do back extension (back bending) posture exercises. The back is stiff and stuck, and it doesn’t move.

Sneaking in the side door means we need to mobilize the spine with lateral bends and rotations first, then progress to extend (straighten up).

I’ve looked at many books and online programs teaching posture exercises, and this important step is missing!

The Two Posture Exercises that Help a Hunched and Stiff Upper Back

1 ) Lateral Bend

Stand with your side next to a wall, with your arm reaching out at shoulder height to touch the wall. Keeping your pelvis aligned over your hips, reach up with the free arm as far as you can. Reach up and a tiny bit over. Feel the movement in your upper back. Repeat 3 times and then on the other side.

2) Rotation at wall

Stand with your side next to the wall, with that leg forward. Twist to the wall and lean in, using your hands in push up position. Feel the movement in your mid back. Repeat 3 times each side.

 

How long will it take to improve your posture?

It depends!

I’ve helped people make visible, measurable change in their posture during a one hour session. I’ve also worked with people for 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months before seeing a measurable change.

You might like to get a posture reality check. Please book a complimentary consultation to find out how!

Book a complimentary consultation here.