When people typically think about yoga, they think about precarious, twisting positions and balance challenges.

However, yoga can be a gentle means of maintaining or building flexibility, improving mobility and balance, attaining calmness and even increasing bone strength.

In Central Indiana, Ann P. Foster provides these offerings through “Inward Focused Movement” to individuals at all ages and levels of activity. (Watch a video of her class! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrtIYaddfew)

Describing herself as a “missionary for movement,” Foster began practicing yoga 30 years ago while working for Roche Diagnostics. “I was doing a lot of traveling and found it was a great way to relieve my tension,” she recalls. She took teacher training at the urging of friends, and as she built her following, she found more and more older adults signing up.

“And I really enjoyed my older-adult students,” says Foster. “They weren’t so into ‘pushing’ their bodies as they were into ‘listening’ to their bodies. They were there for reasons other than stress reduction.”

Through her work with Roche, she attended a national osteoporosis conference that acquainted her with the Bones for Life program, from which she now holds a certification. An advanced certified Hatha Yoga instructor, she offers senior fitness and pilates training as well as movement therapy for those with Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, recovering from stroke, and dealing with osteoporosis, arthritis and diabetes.

For most of her students, mobility and day-to-day ease of movement is the goal. “One woman told me she wanted to participate in the classes so she could get up and down the bleachers at her daughter’s volleyball games. She didn’t think of herself as ‘old,’ but someone for whom the gait work and chair practice was helpful. In time, she was able to go right up and down the bleachers.”

Another physical benefit is the increase in breathing capacity through repeated practice. “Most of us are chest breathers; through yoga you learn to use the entire lung capacity including the back of the lungs,” she says.  “What I hope for is that people will take whatever they learn in my classes and do it at home daily. They will not only be less achy but feel much calmer in their daily activities.”

Hatha Yoga is an ancient system combining breath awareness, body movement and self understanding. Increased overall body and joint flexibility, coordination, balance, muscular strength and inner calmness can be gained.

Bones for Life® is a new program for aligning and strengthening bones and joints. Increased control of movement including gait, reduction in falls, improved bone strength, muscle tone and mental responses can be gained.

For more information, contact Ann Foster via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 317-313-0012.

 

Article by Pat Pickett